Domaine des Chezeaux is the largest owner of Griotte-Chambertin. They own two sections in total 1.57 ha equivalent to 60% of this small but lovely Grand Cru.
The two sections are currently leased to Domaine Ponsot and Domaine Rene Leclerc, who has entered into a metayage agreement where Domaine des Chezeaux get a part of the finished wine to sell under the Domaine des Chezeaux label.
Domaine des Chezeaux – owner but not producer
The origin of Domaine des Chezeaux dates back to 1928 when the Mercier family established it self in Gevrey-Chambertin.
The Mercier family have a fine portfolio of vineyards with plots in Le Chambertin, Clos St. Denis, Griotte-Chambertin, Chambolle Les Charmes, Gevrey Chambertin Laveaux-Saint-Jacques, Gevrey Chambertin Les Cazetiers and Gevrey Chambertin village.
All the vineyards are today leased to other vignerons – Domaine Ponsot has Le Chambertin, Clos St. Denis and 57% of Griotte Chambertin. The Chambolle Charmes vineyard is also leased to Domaine Ponsot, and the Gevrey 1er cru and village vineyards to Domaine Berthaut in Fixin – and are now made by the talented Amelie Berthaut. The rest of the Griotte-Chambertin holdings – 43% – is leased to Domaine Rene Leclerc.
The metayage agreements ensure that Domaine des Chezeaux get wine from the vignerons, and these wines are then for most parts sold under the Domaine des Chezeaux label.
The name Chezeaux comes from the village terroir that is located just outside the estate buildings just north of the Chateau Gevrey-Chambertin.
This all seems quite straight forward .. but the wines made on Griotte Chambertin is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle …
Domaine des Chezeaux Griotte-Chambertin – the wines
The Mercier family has never produced wine themselves from the Griotte vineyard. When the first plot was acquired in 1982 it was leased to Domaine Ponsot – who has been producing wine from this plot ever since. In 1992 they acquired the second plot from Suzanne Thomas – who was related to the Thomas-Bassot estate.
This is where the plot thickens – this plot was initially rented by Esmonin, but the metayage agreement was more or less finalized after the 1993 vintage. In 1994 the lease was passed to Domaine Rene Leclerc, who now is producing the wine from this second 0.68 ha plot.
This means that there since 1993 has been produced two wines from the Domaine des Chezeaux plots on Griotte Chambertin – and via the metayage agreement both of these wines are being delivered to Domaine des Chezeaux.
So far so good.
The Domaine Chezeaux plots on Griotte-Chambertin
The map below show the producers of Griotte-Chambertin .. the Domaine des Chezeaux wines produced by Domaine Ponsot comes from the area marked (1) and the wines produced by Domaine Rene Leclerc comes from the area marked (2).
The following producers/owners make Griotte-Chambertin currently:
- Domaine Ponsot / Chezeaux – 0.89 ha
- Domaine Rene Leclerc / Chezeaux – 0.68 ha
- Maison Joseph Drouhin – 0.53 ha
- Domaine Fourrier – 0.26 ha
- Domaine Claude Dugat – 0.15 ha
- Domaine Marchand Frerés – 0.13 ha
- Domaine Joseph Roty – 0.08 ha
- Domaine Duroche – 0.0192 ha
The Domaine Chezeaux Griotte Chambertins …
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