Showstopping Burgundies from Domaine du Couvent with Back Vintages
6/29/26 -
It is somewhat uncommon to find a new domaine in Burgundy with history as rich as Domaine du Couvent and such impressive holdings across the Cote de Nuit, including three Monopoles. I recently had the chance to taste through a lineup of 11 wines from the domaine with vintages ranging from 2017-2023. It was the most I had ever tasted from Couvent and I was impressed not only by the incredible lineup of vineyards, but the clear expression of terroir that separated each cuvee and vintage so well. Lastly, I must say these are some of the most reasonably priced wines from the top vineyards in the Cote de Nuit. Today I have included the highlights of the tasting with two to three vintage options for each wine, everything is coming directly from the domaine and is arriving this fall. This is an amazing opportunity to grab some very special wines for your cellar and holiday season. Featured today are three village wines, three Premier Crus, and two Grand Crus.
The roots of this domaine begin when Paul Misset, Philippe Chéron's grandfather, acquired vines in the Clos de Vougeot in 1934. He himself was not a winemaker so he trusted others in Vosne-Romanée to manage the vineyard. Thirty years later (1964) Denis Chéron, Philippe's father along with the Naigeon family created Domaine des Varoilles, an estate formed around their two Premier Cru monopoles: La Romanée and Clos des Varoilles, both located in Gevrey. Thirty years after that (1990) Denis decided it was time to acquire his father-in-law's plots in Clos de Vougeot as well as additional vineyards in Chambolle-Musigny and Vosne-Romanée. As of 2011 Philippe Chéron began cultivating the 4.5 hectares of Misset-Chéron and began making wine from grapes that had previously been sold to negociants. In 2020 the family's partner in Domaine des Varoilles was ready to step aside and with that came the sale of Clos des Varoilles and the merge of the remaining vineyards with those of Misset-Chéron. What had always been managed separately were now combined and with that came the beginning of Domaine du Couvent. Just two years later, Philippe's sons Paul and Hugo returned home with experience and ambition to make exceptional wines from their family's incredibly old vines.
They farm according to the standards of organic farming (not certified) and are focusing on keeping themselves out of the winemaking equation as much as possible. "The philosophy is to refine our practices so that the winemaker's style fades into the background, allowing the personality of each terroir and vintage to shine through. With patience and humility, meticulous attention to detail contributes to the overall success, in the pursuit of purity, precision, and the wine's vibrant character. The aim is to do everything possible to allow these old vines to express themselves as naturally as possible." Everything is hand harvested and sorted both in the vineyard and in the winery. A portion of whole bunches are used depending on cuvee and vintage and therefore vary across the domaine. They vinify in temperature-controlled concrete and stainless-steel tanks with indigenous yeasts. The wines are aged for 12-20 months in a 15-25% new barrels. Across the lineup, these wines have incredible concentration, depth, and balance. I have included in-depth notes on each wine featured today to help you best select which wines are best for you, but truly there are no wrong choices here!
-Hanna Krilov Cohen
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