Domaine Gérard Doreau

Domaine Gérard Doreau – Authentic and Environmentally Friendly Wines in Monthélie

Passed down from father to son since the late 19^th century, Gérard Doreau continues the family tradition alongside his wife and two children, Jérôme and Emilie. Located in Monthélie, Burgundy, the estate spans 6 hectares and cultivates noble grape varieties to produce authentic terroir wines. Cultivation and winemaking follow principles of sustainable viticulture, respecting both the environment and the terroir. In 2019, the estate earned the High Environmental Value (HVE) Level 3 certification.

A Century of Winemaking Heritage

In the late 19^th century, Pierre Doreau from Nolay replanted vines destroyed by phylloxera and acquired his first plots. In 1920, his son Eugène moved into the current estate house and continued viticulture with his wife Marcelle. In 1947, Maurice and Robert took over and focused solely on winemaking from 1960. Gérard joined the estate in 1978, modernizing and expanding it while developing bottled wine sales. Since 1994, his wife Réjane has assisted, and today Jérôme and Emilie ensure continuity.

Grape Varieties and Wines

The estate grows three emblematic Burgundy grape varieties:

• Pinot Noir – For Monthélie, Monthélie 1^er Cru, Pommard, and Pommard 1^er Cru.
• Chardonnay – For Monthélie, Meursault, Saint-Romain, and Bourgogne Côte d’Or.
• Aligoté – For Bourgogne Aligoté.

These wines reflect the richness of Burgundy terroirs and the pursuit of elegance and finesse.

Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Viticulture

Cultural practices are designed to preserve soil and ecosystem: Guyot pruning or cordon de Royat with only 8 buds per vine to limit yields, strict de-budding, and early leaf thinning to improve aeration and grape maturity. Vines are plowed from March to July, with a natural cover crop left for the rest of the year. Treatments are applied judiciously, using mostly products authorized in organic farming.

Traditional Winemaking and Careful Aging

Red Wines: Hand-harvested grapes, sorted and de-stemmed, ferment naturally for 10 days with daily punch-downs and pump-overs, under temperature control.

White Wines: Grapes are pressed directly, and the unified juice ferments in barrels with regular stirring (bâtonnage).

Aging: 12 to 15 months in French oak barrels (10% new) in historic cellars. This aging imparts tannins, elegance, and finesse. After malolactic fermentation, wines are racked, blended in tanks, and bottled on-site.

Estate Wines and Appellations

• Monthélie
• Monthélie “Vieilles Vignes”
• Monthélie 1^er Cru Champs Fulliots
• Monthélie 1^er Cru Les Barbieres
• Pommard Les Vignots
• Pommard 1^er Cru Les Bertins

What are the best sustainably produced Monthélie wines in Burgundy?