Domaine Chanson

In the heart of Beaune since 1750: the oldest house on the Côte de Beaune

Domaine Chanson is one of the oldest wine houses in Burgundy — founded in 1750 in Beaune, even before the French Revolution. From early on, the house attracted prominent admirers: Voltaire and Louis Bonaparte, brother of Emperor Napoleon, are said to have been among the early customers. For more than two centuries, Chanson maintained its position as one of the leading specialists for the great terroirs of the Côte de Beaune. In 1999, the Bollinger Group took over the winery and immediately invested in vineyards and cellars — a turning point that modernized Chanson without breaking its historical character. The heart of the house is still the Bastion de l'Oratoire, one of the five medieval defensive towers from the 15th century that enclose Beaune's old town. In this round tower, with meter-thick stone walls and constant temperature and humidity conditions, the wines mature on several levels — a maturation cellar since the founding year.

Organic cultivation, moderate use of wood, philosophy of infusion

For Chanson, every wine begins in the vineyard. In the Côte de Beaune sites, the estate has refrained from using herbicides since 2015 to promote local flora and fauna; 2016 saw the official certification as a farm with high environmental value (Haute Valeur Environnementale). The transition to fully organic cultivation has continued since then — the first certified organic harvest was recorded in 2024. All grapes are hand-picked and harvested at perfect ripeness. In the cellar, Chanson works according to a clear guiding principle: infusion instead of construction. Both red and white wines are vinified 100% as whole-bunch pressings; the pressing pressure follows the Champagne principle of gentle fractional pressing to obtain the purest possible juice. When aging in barrels, restraint is the rule: a maximum of 30% new wood for the reds, 20% for the whites. Fining and filtration are omitted.

Premier Cru depth from entry-level to single-vineyard monopoly

Chanson currently manages around 43 hectares in the Côte de Beaune and 45 hectares in the Côte Chalonnaise — including over 62 acres of exclusively classified Premier and Grand Cru sites, making the house one of the leading Premier Cru specialists in Beaune. About two-thirds of the vineyard area is planted with Pinot Noir, the rest with Chardonnay. The range extends from the accessible Bourgogne Chardonnay and Bourgogne Pinot Noir to Chablis and Chablis Fourchaumes, up to the Beaune Premier Crus Clos des Mouches, Clos du Roi, and the Bastion Rouge — an assemblage of seven Beaune Premier Cru parcels. The northern end of the range is marked by the Gevrey-Chambertin, whose Climat Charmes lies in the immediate vicinity of the Chambertin itself. Stylistically, all wines are united by a precise fruit line, clear acid structure, and a terroir-true expression — without hiding the aromas behind wood.