Bourgogne, Frankrike

Domaine Changarnier

The story

Claude Changarnier traded 25 years at Microsoft for the vineyards of Monthélie. Together with his brother Antoine, he took over the family estate in 2004.

And what an estate. The family has been in Monthélie for several centuries and founded the domaine in 1720. The village sits 365 metres above sea level, overlooking the valleys towards Auxey-Duresses and Meursault. Today the modest 5.5 hectares are spread like a patchwork across Monthélie, Pommard, Meursault and Auxey-Duresses – ten appellations, around 25,000 bottles a year, several of them Premier Cru.

In the cellar and vineyard, Claude and Antoine are joined by Fabrice Groussin, who brings experience from Chassagne-Montrachet and belongs to a new generation of winegrowers who believe in modern winemaking that respects the terroir. The grapes are hand-harvested into small crates, sorted, and vinified with minimal intervention. The wines are aged twelve months in barrel, 15–20 percent of it new oak, before resting in tank and being bottled in winter. The domaine has been certified organic since 2019.

Editor's note

How I met them

The first time I pulled into Claude's courtyard, there was a 1960s English Triumph parked there. I couldn't help smiling – back home I have several French Citroëns from the 1970s myself. There we stood, a Frenchman with a British car and a Norwegian with French ones, and we understood each other instantly. Perhaps it's no coincidence that we've since stood side by side in the cellar, gluing on labels.

Trade

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Wines from this estate

Pommard

Red wine

Volnay 1er Cru « Les Brouillards »

Domaine Changarnier

Volnay