Domaine Launay Horiot

The story of Xavier Horiot, the owner and now winemaker of Domaine Launay-Horiot, is nothing short of astonishing. It involves family disputes, greed, passion, lawyers, and an 11-year court battle, compounded by the complexities of French inheritance and tax laws, alongside the skyrocketing market value of Burgundy vineyards over the last two decades.

The Launay family settled in Pommard in the 18th century and over the years acquired an impressive set of vineyards. The 4-hectare domaine includes the 2.2-hectare Pommard Les Perrières vineyard, originally planted in 1902, a superb array of old vines from Pommard 1er Cru vineyards, including 0.09 hectares of Les Rugien Bas, 0.59 hectares of Les Chaponnières, and 0.17 hectares of Clos Blanc, as well as two exceptional Grand Cru holdings in Gevrey-Chambertin: 0.17 hectares of Latricières-Chambertin (next to Pierre Duroche’s vines) and 0.16 hectares of Chambertin (next to Lalou Bize-Leroy’s vines).

The drama began with the death of Raymond Launay in 2000. He left his 4-hectare domaine to his daughter and grandson, Xavier Horiot, only to discover before his death that his daughter had no intention of continuing the family domaine and wanted to sell it for cash—a fact that broke his heart. However, due to French inheritance laws, he could do nothing about it.

Xavier, a former fighter jet pilot in the French Air Force, was determined to follow his grandfather’s wishes, his passion, and his dreams of reviving the domaine and making wine from his family’s vineyards.

After an 11-year battle in French courts, which drained his resources but only strengthened his resolve, the court ruled in his favor in 2011, granting him ownership of the precious vineyards. Ironically, his aunt, who had fought him in court for all those years, passed away two months after the ruling, with no heirs.

Xavier left the Air Force and returned to Pommard to begin the difficult process of reviving the domaine. Fortunately, the vineyards had been well cared for, and the vines had aged beautifully. He started slowly, spending the first three years working the vineyards, experimenting with the grapes, and selling most of the harvest to other producers to raise funds for the necessary equipment.

In 2014, he felt ready to produce his own wines with the help of talented consultant Veronique Girard (whom Xavier felt could bring a woman’s touch to Pommard). Critics began to visit, and the consensus was immediate: the wines, from the Village Pommard to the 1er Crus, displayed a uniquely gentle expression of Pommard, while the two Grand Crus, Latricières-Chambertin and Chambertin, were brilliant expressions of their respective terroirs.

The 2015 vintage showed that Xavier’s hard work had paid off. The wines gained recognition among Burgundy enthusiasts, with critics consistently praising them with high scores, from “Outstanding sweet spot” to “Don’t miss!”

Tasting the 2016s from barrel, we were convinced that the trend would continue, as the wines already showed balance, purity, and charm. We have no doubt that the future of Domaine Launay-Horiot in Xavier’s hands is bright.