Domaine Bizot

It’s hard to think of any domaine smaller than Domaine Bizot. In a “Normal” vintage, this now 3.5 ha domaine produces 10,000 bottles of all its appellations combined. In a less fortunate vintages (as 2010, 2012) – the total production falls to a mere 5,000 bottles.

But what made this domaine so special giving it “Cult” status is the philosophy behind its owner and wine maker, Jean-Yves Bizot. Bizot who was a geologist and then an oenologist started working at the domaine in 1993 and his first vintage was 1995. According to him, the first thing he did once getting into the wine maker’s shoes was to “unlearn” everything he learnt at school. He adopted a very minimalist winemaking approach. All the domaine’s wines are vinified as whole cluster and the fermentation is done in wooden vats at as low temperature as possible. He uses in most cases no sulfur at all (according to him, sulfur was not used at all in Burgundy before the 1970s). His first vintage without sulfur was 1998. All the wines from all appellations (from generic Burgogne to the Grand Cru) are aged in 100% new oak.

Although located in Vosne-Romanée (2,5 ha under vines are that commune), few of the domaine’s famous vineyards recently added (1 ha) are located in the north of the Cote: Marsannay (where the Marsannay Rouge “Clos du Roy” comes from) and Bourgogne “Le Chapitre” (one of the only 5 Lieu Dits Bourgogne in Burgundy) come from a vineyard just south of Dijon (interestingly, this wine is priced at other domaines’ village or even 1er cru price level).

The only Grand Cru the domaine produces is Echezeaux, and the production is just five barrels.

The entire production is bottled by hand barrel by barrel.

These wines are built for long aging and require time to open up if drank too early.