Bourgogne Côte d'Or "Les Grandes Gouttes" Sans Sulfite Ajouté AOC 2021

A Chardonnay that hides nothing. Pierre-Henri Rougeot's style aims for crystalline clarity and vibrant energy, and that's exactly what this wine delivers: lemon zest and green apple on the nose, backed by the flinty tone that reductive, sulfur-free winemaking brings. No make-up, no polish.

The domaine is based in Meursault on the Côte de Beaune and farms 12.6 hectares with parcels in Meursault, Volnay and Pommard. A recurring premox problem in certain parcels prompted Pierre-Henri Rougeot to change course in 2016: away from his father Marc's supermarket-supply business and toward quality wine and a biodynamic approach. The estate has been organic-certified since 2020, with Demeter conversion under way since 2021. Vineyard work is done exclusively by hand, with only minimal use of tractors. His credo on the matter: "There can be no good wine from bad soil."

Single-varietal Chardonnay. Ageing takes place in the historic 18th-century cellars, originally built for the Hospices de Beaune. Fermentation happens spontaneously with native yeasts; Rougeot forgoes both bâtonnage and fining or filtration. The 228-litre Burgundy barrels are used sparingly, keeping the proportion of new oak low. No sulfur is added throughout the entire ageing process — the diagonally striped label marks exactly this line within the range.

Dry at 13.0% ABV, with taut acidity and saline drive. The fruit stays bright and precise, the oak recedes, and the finish carries a long mineral edge.

A sulfur-free Bourgogne Côte d'Or from a house that has followed this path uncompromisingly since 2016. Unfined, unfiltered, spontaneously fermented.