Armand Heitz - Headed Straight to the Top

Talk to any serious Burgundy grower these days about what is on their mind and you will likely hear the same refrain. How does the region preserve the delicacy and balance of its wines in the face of an increasingly warm and volatile climate? They are tackling the problem head-on, adjusting long-accepted attitudes towards regular plowing, leaf removal, hedging, cover crops and biodiversity. The approach at Domaine Armand Heitz is exceptionally interesting, and even remarkable when one considers what Armand has achieved in a short ten years.

The core of the domaine goes back to 1857 and includes holdings any grower today would envy: Chevalier-Montrachet, Meursault-Perrieres, Chassagne Montrachet-Morgeot and Pommard-Rugiens, among others. Armand's mother Brigitte leased her share of the vines for twenty five years to the most esteemed of negociants, Maison Joseph Drouhin. The expiration of that lease coincided rather fortuitously with the conclusion of Armand's oenology studies and he was able to re-take control of the family estate and start making wine. 

The Drouhin family had farmed the vines organically throughout their stewardship and Armand has continued in this fashion, eschewing chemicals and making a series of trials with biodynamics. However, as he has progressed and found his feet and confidence as a grower, he has focused less on biodynamics and more on permaculture and biodiversity. To encourage long-term balance in the vines, he has reduced tilling to an absolute minimum. He relies instead on planting a wide selection of grains, legumes, roots and herbs, depending on the needs of the vines and has begun a regimen of passages through the vineyards with chicken and sheep, both as a way to control pests and to fertilize the soil. He has also created a permaculture farm in the Morvan, including grains, a wide array of vegetables, plus sheep and cattle.

The quality of these wines since the first vintage in 2013 has been nothing short of excellent. The whites are classic and elegant, with a minimum of new oak and the reds, with a high percentage of whole clusters, are lifted and beautifully aromatic. Both colors are wines to wait for if you can but they are delicious in their youth. Grab what you can!!

-Sam Ehrlich