Domaine de Courcel

Four Centuries of Craftsmanship in Pommard

In the heart of the Côte de Beaune, in the iconic wine village of Pommard, lies Domaine de Courcel, a family estate with over 400 years of history. Since its founding in the 17th century, the domaine has remained in the hands of the same family. Today, Anne Bommelaer and Marie de Courcel, together with their children Constance de Leusse and Edouard de Courcel, lead the estate with the same dedication that generations before them showed to the terroir.

With a total surface of 10.5 hectares and an exceptional share of Premier Cru parcels, Domaine de Courcel is a benchmark for powerful, complex, and terroir-driven Pinot Noir wines. The vineyards are located on the southern slopes of the Côte de Beaune, where clay and limestone soils nourish the grapes with structure and finesse. Thanks to a low yield of around 25 hl/ha, the domaine produces approximately 30,000 bottles annually, each one marked by the depth and character so typical of Pommard.

Precision in Every Detail

Since 1996, Domaine de Courcel has worked closely with renowned oenologist Yves Confuron, whose philosophy, a refined balance between intensity and elegance, perfectly matches the house’s distinctive style. Every step of the winemaking process is designed to express the terroir to its fullest. The soil is intensively ploughed to stimulate biological activity and encourage deep root growth. Targeted pruning, debudding, and green harvesting in August optimize grape ripeness, followed by a relatively late harvest to enhance phenolic complexity.

In the cellar, a slow vinification begins with cold maceration and low-temperature fermentation to preserve aromatic precision. Gentle pigeage and a tailored post-fermentation maceration for each cuvée add further depth and structure. The wines then mature for 21 to 23 months in partly new oak barrels and are bottled without fining or filtration to preserve the pure expression of the terroir.

Pommard Premier Cru

The domaine works with seven climats in Pommard, including four prestigious Premier Crus:

• Le Grand Clos des Epenots (4.89 ha): a monopole with 60-year-old vines on clay-limestone soil. Generous wines with red berries, peach, apricot, and silky tannins.

• Les Rugiens (1.07 ha): varied marl and red clay soils deliver layered power with notes of clove, blackberry, and ripe raspberry.

• Les Frémiers (0.79 ha): south of Pommard, producing refined wines with stewed fruit and delicate spices.

• Les Croix Noires (0.58 ha): rich in clay, yielding intense wines with black cherry aromas and firm structure.

Spicy Flair and Burgundian Finesse

In addition to the Premier Crus, Domaine de Courcel also produces expressive village and regional wines:

• Pommard Vaumuriens (1.44 ha): shallow white soils give spicy wines with blackcurrant and exotic fruit.

• Bourgogne Pinot Noir: grown on brown soils just outside Pommard, offering fruity reds with red and black berry aromas.

• Bourgogne Chardonnay: planted in 2000 on reddish-brown soil, this golden wine shows notes of honey, dried fruit, and citrus.

The Character of Courcel

The red wines of Domaine de Courcel are intense and concentrated, with a firm backbone of tannins that never compromises finesse. They age beautifully and rank among the most serious expressions of Pinot Noir in Burgundy. Each parcel, each barrel, and each vintage contributes to a tradition that has endured for four centuries, where terroir, people, and grape come together in wines that tell the story of Pommard.