Domaine Louis Boillot

VISIT IMPORTER'S WEBSITE
Country of Origin: France
Location: Burgundy
People: Louis Boillot, Owner & Winemaker
Viticulture: Practicing Organic

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Despite having created his domaine only a decade ago, Louis Boillot came armed with some of the oldest and best situated vineyards in Burgundy, thanks to four generations of Boillots having acquired prime sites in Volnay and Gevrey Chambertin. The wines that Louis makes from his priceless vines are like Burgundy used to be: gentle, subtle, pure, precise and highly nuanced, their complexity and sensuality growing with age.

In just one decade, Louis’ domaine has become one of the most admired small estates in the Cote d’Or. The turning point came in the mid-2000s, when he and his partner, the supremely talented Ghislaine Barthod, built a cave together in Chambolle-Musigny. This brought two of Burgundy’s most gifted winemakers together, working and tasting side by side, with the alchemy you’d expect. The vineyard management was also combined, with Louis responsible for not only his own vines, but those of Ghislaine as well. It’s no wonder Ghislaine lets Louis take care of her vines. He’s a master with more than 30 years of experience, using no chemical fertilizers or week killers and meticulously pruning for balanced yields. His winemaking is equally timeless, featuring extended, gentle extractions and a limited use of new barrels.

In the years since his move to Chambolle, there has been a wildly impressive advance in the stature of Boillot’s wines. It has been a change marked not by flash or dazzel, but by an inexorable march towards increasingly refined and transparent wines. Today, as in the past, at the heart of his style is a profound respect for the teerroir of his old vines. In Gevrey-Chambertin for example, his villages vines average over 50 years old, as do the vines for his premier cru-quality Evocelles. His Champonnet proves this little-seen site ranks among Gevery’s best premier crus. And the Cherbaudes, from 90+ year old vines, is frequently of grand cru quality. He makes a profound Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru Pruliers, also from 90+ years old vines. And, in Chambolle-Musigny, Louis and Ghislaine purchased and divided a significant part of Beaux Bruns. Louis’ Cote de Beaune vineyards are equally imposing, with 55+ years old vines in the villages Volnay Grands Poisots. Also in Volnay, there are three premier cruis: the supple Les Angles, the intense old-vine Brouillards and the esteemed Caillerets. Just down the roas, there are two great Pommard premier crus: a robust Fremiers and monumental Croix-Noires.

Wine Advocate 2/2020
"The 2018 vintage has turned out very well indeed at this small domaine, Louis Boillot and son Clément opting to begin their harvest in late August. Yields are between 20% and 30% lower than in 2017, and alcohol percentages range from the low-12s to the mid-13s. Everything reviewed here comes warmly recommended. As I wrote last year, while Boillot is an experienced vigneron, his first solo vintage for his own label was 2003, and perhaps that's why this address still flies under the radar. Or perhaps it's because he—like his partner Ghislaine Barthod—lacks a "collectible" grand cru to incite speculation. But with excellent old-vine holdings in top appellations, deft winemaking and a classical aesthetic, readers should take note. Plowed vineyards, destemmed grapes, classical cuvaisons and élevage in a moderate percentage of new barrels are the rudiments of the approach."


Vinous Media 1/2016
"Louis Boillot described his 2014s as 'very cherry, very red fruit wines with a chiseled character, a bit like the 2006s. They have structure, fruit and acidity.' Owing to the hail on the Côte de Beaune, he picked "in several parts," beginning as early as September 11 in his Volnay Les Angles, but he noted that very little selection was needed for underripe grapes. Indeed, a few of his wines from hailed-on fruit were quite concentrated and tannic in November, and Boillot may fine a percentage of each of these cuvées to soften their tannins. He also told me he did no punchdowns at all for his wines from the Côte de Beaune. Grape sugars at harvest were around 12% and Boillot chaptalized about half a degree.


John Gilman, View from the Cellar
"2010 is clearly the finest young vintage that I have ever had the pleasure to taste from Louis Boillot, and it is high time that Burgundy lovers started to take more notice of just how outstanding the Boillot wines are these days. To give some idea of just how high I hold the Boillot wines these days, I would have to say that after Domaine Lafarge, these are the best Volnays to be found in the village today. And the great Volnays here are not the only source of fireworks! Monsieur Boillot is clearly at the top of his game at the present time, and he has not missed out on the historic opportunity that was presented by the 2010 vintage."