Producer: Domaine Recrue des Sens - Yann Durieux

Where?

In the Hautes Côtes de Nuits appellation, in the canton of Nuits-Saint-Georges, Villers-la-Faye is a village where Balzac stayed several times and which he described in his novel Les Paysans under the name Ville-aux-Fayes. It is there, specifically in the hamlet of Messanges, that Yann Durieux's parents own three hectares of vines. Their son Yann began his winemaking training not far from there, at Prieuré-Roch, in the Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges appellations — a domain where wines are made without any synthetic products, both in the vineyard and in the cellar, with no added sulfur and according to biodynamic principles. For ten years, Yann honed his talent and absorbed this winemaking philosophy. It was only natural that he applied them to the family vineyard when he took it over in 2010, creating his own domain which he named "Recrue des Sens."

From the outset, this enthusiast of terroir and biodiversity wanted to make natural wines: once the domain was created, he immediately undertook to convert it to organic and biodynamic farming.

Terroir and soils

Although classified as "vin de France," Yann Durieux's wines come from exceptional Burgundian terroirs, Middle Jurassic clay-limestone characterized by chaille limestones (meaning they include siliceous concretions such as quartz, chalcedony, or calcite). These soils give all the finesse to the wines of this region, and biodynamics is an excellent way to reveal their power.

Plots and grape varieties

In addition to the three hectares of vines on the estate, Yann acquires a few plots north of the Côte de Nuits and in the Hautes Côtes, with some grape purchases to supplement the small volume of the estate. The grape varieties are typically Burgundian: Pinot Noir for the reds and, for the whites, Aligoté — Burgundy's original white grape variety — and Chardonnay. The average age of the vines is around thirty years.

Cultivation methods

The estate is certified organic (Ecocert) and managed biodynamically (Terra Dynamis). The vines are trained in a semi-high position and not hedged, but braided. The yield is very low (less than 10 hectoliters per hectare). The harvest is entirely manual.

Vinification

Vinification is done without added sulfur, the reds are fermented in whole clusters, and no chaptalization is practiced.

The wines

Yann Durieux's solid winemaking experience, his perfectionism, his respectful listening to nature, and simply his talent allow him to take liberties without ever going astray. Thus, he renews a somewhat rigid Burgundian viticulture without ever denying the truth of the terroir. His precise, fresh, and digestible wines are already considered by some to be grand crus. Fruit and freshness characterize them. The reds offer an aerial palate and chiseled tannins (Cuvée Les 1er Ponts), and can reveal themselves to be ample and powerful (Les Grands Ponts). As for the whites, slightly effervescent, they showcase Aligoté in a surprising and seductive way: Love and Pif, with a straight and pure palate after an iodized and lemony nose; Les Ponts blanc, a macerated Aligoté with an orange hue, a nose of peat and acacia, and a gourmet finish.