It’s impossible to discuss Chassagne-Montrachet without mentioning the name Bernard Moreau. Year to year, this celebrated producer vinifies and bottles some of the purest, most thought-provoking wines of the appellation. Employing a style of wine making that might best be described as hands-off, Bernard produces Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays that are sensual, opulent and utterly delicious.
The winery’s roots go back to 1809 when Auguste Moreau built a cellar across from the Champs Gain vineyard and farmed his few hectares of Chardonnay and Pinot along the golden slope. The 1930s saw an expansion of the family’s vineyards under the guidance of Marcel Moreau. Roughly 80% of the domaine’s current vineyard holdings were acquired by Marcel. At age 14, Bernard Moreau took over the vineyards and cellar in the early 1960’s. In 1977 the reputation of this great estate was fully established under the leadership of Bernard and Françoise Moreau and the winery was named Domaine Bernard Moreau. In addition to the changes in equipment, farming and wine making, they also purchased additional land bringing the vineyard total to 14 hectares. To help with wine making, viticulture and sales, sons Alex and Benoît joined the Domaine in the 1990s after having worked in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
Alex is now responsible for the overall operations of the winery including cellar, winemaking and the vineyards.
Country | France |
Region | Burgundy |
Appellation(s) | Chassagne-Montrachet, Volnay, St Aubin |
Proprietors | Bernard Moreau |
Founded | 1809 |
Winemaker | Alex Moreau |
Annual Production | 8,000 9 L cases |
Farming (Sustainable, organic, biodynamic) | Sustainable |
WINERY HOLDINGS
13.99 ha (34.6 acres)
8.98 ha owned (22.2 acres), 5.01 ha farmed (12.4 acres)
VINEYARDS
As with most all great Burgundian estates the emphasis at Domaine Moreau is on terroir. Treat the vineyards right and they’ll reward you with superior fruit. To maintain healthy balanced soils the winery uses organic fertilizers and no pesticides. To ensure greater flavor intensity they farm the land for lower yields through pruning, debudding, green harvesting in August, leaf thinning for Pinot Noir (on the morning sun side), and the planting of cover crops in certain vineyards to encourage competition and soak up moisture.
WINERY
Aged in French oak barrels (10%-50% new) for 12 to 20 months depending on the vineyard and vintage. Alex states, “For our Pinot Noirs we don’t do any racking, fining or filtration. We want to make the purest expression of the Pinot Noir from our vineyards.”
Wine | Blend | Vine Age | Soil Type | Vineyard Area ha or acres |
Total = 11 ha | ||||
Batârd-Montrachet Grand Cru | Chardonnay | Brownish limestone & gravel | ||
Bourgogne Aligote | Aligote | |||
Bourgogne Blanc | Chardonnay | Clay | ||
Bourgogne Rouge | Pinot Noir | Clay | ||
Chassagne-Montrachet | Chardonnay | 4 ha | ||
Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru | Chardonnay | White oolitic limetone & Pierre de Chassagne limestone and P. Bellona clay | N/A | |
Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes Rouge | Pinot Noir | Planted 1960-1965 | 3.7 ha | |
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Champgains | Chardonnay | 0.12 ha | ||
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes | Chardonnay | Planted 1955 – 1960 | 0.34 ha | |
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Grandes Ruchottes | Chardonnay | Planted 1939 | Limestone & rock (roche mare) | 0.34 ha |
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers | Chardonnay | Slate, rocky with limestone | N/A | |
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot | Chardonnay | Limestone & iron; gravelly | 0.34 ha | |
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Maltroie | Chardonnay | 0.65 ha | ||
Saint-Aubin 1er Cru en Remilly | Chardonnay | Limestone & clay | 0.25 ha | |
Volnay 1er Cru Santenots | Pinot Noir | Clay & limestone | N/A | |
Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets | Pinot Noir | Oolitic limestone and clay | N/A | |
Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes | Pinot Noir | Clay & limestone | N/A |
Our wines
- Bourgogne Aligote
- Bourgogne Blanc
- Bourgogne Passetougrain
- Bourgogne Rouge
- Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
- Chassagne-Montrachet
- Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Champgains
- Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes
- Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Grandes Ruchottes
- Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers
- Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Maltroie
- Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot
- Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes Rouge
- Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
- Saint Aubin 1er Cru En Remily
- Volnay 1er Cru Caillerets
- Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes
- Volnay 1er Cru Santenots
Reviews by vintage
- Burgundy The Cote d'Or's 2019 Vintage - Bernard Moreau - WineAdvocate - William Kelley 20-0114
- 2019 Vintage Reviews - Bernard Moreau - Burghound - Allen Meadows
- 2019 Vintage Reviews - Bernard Moreau - Vinous - Neal Martin 20-1230
- 2018 Vintage Whites Review Bernard Moreau - Burghound
- 2018 Vintage Review - Wine Advocate - William Kelley 20-0109
- 2018 Vintage Review - Vinous - Neal Martin 20-0110
- 2018 Vintage Review - View From the Cellar 19-1211
- 2017 Vintage - eRobert Parker - William Kelley 19-0104
- 2017 Vintage Reviews - Stephen Tanzer - Vinous
- 2017 Vintage Reviews - View from the Cellar
- 2016 Vintage Reviews - eRobertParker - Neal Martin
- 2016 Vintage Reviews - Stephen Tanzer - Vinous
- 2016 Vintage Reviews - View from the Cellar
- 2015 Vintage Reds Review Bernard Moreau - Burghound 17-0419
- 2016 Vintage Reds Review - Burghound - Allen Meadows
- 2015 Vintage - eRobert Parker - Neal Martin 17-0320
- 2015 Vintage Reviews - View from the Cellar
- 2014 Vintage Reviews - Stephen Tanzer - Vinous 16-1011
- 2014 Vintage Review Bernard Moreau - Burghound 16-0801
- 2014 Vintage Reviews - Stephen Tanzer - Vinous
- 2014 Vintage - eRobert Parker - Neal Martin 16-0104
- 2014 Vintage Reviews - View from the Cellar
- 2013 Vintage Reviews - Stephen Tanzer - Vinous
- 2013 Vintage Reviews - Neal Martin eRobertParker
- 2013 Vintage Reviews - View from the Cellar
Articles
- 2018 Vintage Whites Review - Burghound - Bernard Moreau 20-0615
- 2018 Vintage Red Review - Bernard Moreau - Burghound 20-0415
- 2018 Vintage Review - Bernard Moreau - Vinous - Neal Martin 20-0508
- 2018 Burgundy Vintage Reviews_Article - Bernard Moreau - Wine Advocate 20-0428
- Domaine Bernard Moreau - History, Vineyards and Style
- Alexandre Moreau - Decanter Feb 2017