Terroir View: Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet, Echezeaux

Echezeaux is a both large, diverse and in many contexts lovely vineyard, that provide a grand cru terroir for a large number of talented producers.

One of the very talented owners of Echezeaux is Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet who owns a small but important part of the vineyard, as Amélie Berthaut has taken over the holdings of the old Gerbet estate in Vosne-Romanée.

The Berthaut-Gerbet Echezeaux is quite rare I do find the potential very fine indeed – and the plots are definitely worth a closer look. Furthermore the holdings will be enlarged from the 2018 vintage – both expanding the production and changing the blend of the wine – presumably making the wine even more exciting.

Wine and people

Amélie Berthaut has taken over the vineyards of Domaine Berthaut in Fixin from her fathers side, and 2/3rds of the vineyards from Domaine Gerbet in Vosne-Romanée from her mothers family.

In total a very fine vineyards portfolio and a great basis for creating a tremendous new estate including Echezeaux, Clos de Vougeot, Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots and Les Petits-Monts.

Domaine François Gerbet – the origin of Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet

In 1947 François Gerbet, a native of the Pyrenees, settled as a winemaker with the few vines of his wife Suzanne Sirugue, whom he knew from 1944 when Vosne Romanée was released. The Gerbet family is related to the Sirugue family in Vosne-Romanee, as Suzanne Gerbet – born Sirugue, is the sister of Robert Sirugue.

Two of François Gerbet three daughters continued the work at the estate already from 1972 and took over the Domaine Francois Gerbet estate from 1983.

Amélie Berthaut – new generations

Amélie Berthaut, the only daughter of Marie-Andrée and Denis Berthaut (Domaine Berthaut in Fixin) took over first from her father and then most of the vineyards of Domaine François Gerbet.

In recognition of the maternal grandfather of Amelie, the estate was renamed – including the Gerbet name – using the name Domaine Berthaut Gerbet since the year 2015.

Marie-Andrée and Chantal stopped vinification with the 2014 vintage, but are still keeping the wine shop in the centre of Vosne-Romanée – just opposite the Church.

By Amélies side is now her husband, Nicolas Faure, who has taken over as vineyard manager at Domaine Berthaut-Gerbet from the fall of 2017,

Nicolas Faure, May 2018

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Amélie Berthaut

Echezeaux – the large and complex terroir

Echezeaux is a large and complex terroir, that includes 11 sections – see map below.

The 11 climates on Echézeaux are:

1. Echézeaux du Dessus
2. Les Poulailléres
3. En Orveau
4. Les Champs Traversins
5. Les Rouges du Bas
6. Les Beaux Monts Bas
7. Les Loächausses
8. Les Cruots ou Vigne Blanches
9. Clos St. Denis
10. Les Treux
11. Les Quartieres de Nuits