Domaine Henri & Gilles Buisson

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The Buisson family has been present in the village of Saint-Romain in the Côte d’Or since the 12th century. In 1947, Henri and Marguerite Buisson decided to begin bottling their wine at the domaine and selling it under their own label. That is now the family tradition carried on in noble fashion by their son, Gilles Buisson, who works an estate of 19 hectares with the able assistance of his wife, Monica, and their two sons, Franck and Frédérick (8th generation).

The vineyards have been worked according to organic principles since the 1970s. In 2009, the estate was officially certified organic by the ECOCERT organization. Then in 2017, the estate was certified biodynamic by Biodivin. Vines are planted at a density level of 10,000 per hectare. Of the 19 hectares owned by the domaine, 11 are planted to Pinot Noir and 8 are planted to Chardonnay.

The appellation of Saint-Romain—tucked in a beautiful valley to the west of, and fully isolated from, the main swath of the Côte de Beaune—has never exactly been in the spotlight among Burgundy lovers. Historically, its cooler terroir resulted in wines with less richness and structure. Higher acidity than its nearby brethren, Saint-Romain could be especially lean and difficult in tough, cold vintages. Post global warming, however, Saint-Romain occupies a far more enviable position, never suffering from the excess of mass and weight that can sometimes afflict warmer Burgundian terroirs in richer vintages, and benefitting from increased ease of ripening due to warmer temperatures overall.

Saint-Romain stands apart from the rest of the Côte de Beaune not only geographically, but historically as well. When the appellation system was created in the 1930s, codifying and classifying the historic vineyards of Burgundy into an intricate system of Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Villages, and Regionals, Saint-Romain chose not to participate—and thus, still today there are no Premier Cru or Grand Cru vineyards in the appellation. While that may present a slight disadvantage from a market-minded, prestige-centered perspective, it also keeps prices sane and allows ambitious vignerons more room for exploration. Fastidious and talented growers like the Buissons represent some of the last true values in the Côte d’Or.

Social Media
Instagram: @domainebuisson

Wine Advocate 7/2021
"Franck and Frédérick Buisson have excelled themselves in the 2019 vintage, and they are well on the way to establishing themselves as Saint-Romain's reference point."

Wine Advocate 6/2020
"As I wrote last year, this fine 19-hectare domaine in Saint-Romain has been estate bottling since the late 1940s and farming organically since the 1970s, so I'm delighted to once again bring its high-quality wines to the attention of The Wine Advocate's readers. While brothers Franck and Frédérick Buisson excel in other appellations further afield, the core of the portfolio is the range of Saint-Romain wines, and I've focused on those for this report: crunchy, refreshing reds bursting with berry fruit and succulent, mouthwatering whites that are fermented in barrel and matured on the lees. Of particular note are the superb whites from Sous la Velle and Sous le Château, adjacent lieux-dits that produce the Buissons' finest white Saint-Romain bottlings and make for a fascinating comparison and contrast. The 2018 vintage has turned out brilliantly at this address, and everything here comes warmly recommended - William Kelley