Domaine Florent Garaudet Les Champs Fulliots Monthelie Premier Cru AOC 2020

Winery Background and History:

Domaine Florent Garaudet is a small family-owned estate in the village of Monthélie, located in the Côte de Beaune, Burgundy. The Garaudet family has been practising viticulture for several generations, with Florent Garaudet founding the domaine in 2008. The estate farms a few hectares scattered across Monthélie and nearby appellations, always focusing on low yields, respect for terroir and careful vineyard work. The domaine aims to produce wines that reflect the identity of each parcel, with purity, finesse and a classic Burgundian sense of balance. 

Producer and Wine Maker:

Florent Garaudet personally oversees both vineyard management and vinification. Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted meticulously to ensure only healthy, optimally-ripe berries are used. Fermentations are handled with care — gentle extraction, often using natural yeasts to preserve terroir character — and aging is done in French oak barrels selected to complement rather than overwhelm the fruit. Limited intervention and a respect for subtlety define his approach, resulting in wines with detail, elegance and terroir-driven expression. 

Vineyards and Micro Climate:

The “Les Champs Fulliots” vineyard lies on the slopes above Monthélie, neighboring illustrious vineyards from the Volnay side. Soils are shallow clay-limestone over limestone bedrock, offering good drainage and low fertility, which concentrates vine energy into small, flavourful grapes. Exposure is southeast, allowing slow, even ripening and preserving freshness and aromatic lift. Parcels are planted with old Pinot Noir vines (many decades old), which yield low volumes but high-intensity fruit. This combination of generous slope, soil and vine age gives wines with structure, minerality and elegance. 

Vinification & Aging Methods:

After hand-harvesting and sorting, grapes are destemmed and undergo fermentation in small vats with gentle maceration to extract refined tannins and aromatic complexity. Following fermentation, the wine is transferred into French oak barrels (with a portion of new oak, calibrated to vintage conditions), where it matures for about twelve to eighteen months. Sulfur usage is conservative, and the wine is bottled after light filtration to preserve finesse and terroir character. 

Tasting Notes:

The 2020 shows a clear, vivid ruby red colour. On the nose it offers lifted aromas of red cherries, raspberry, wild strawberry and pomegranate, with underlying notes of blood orange zest, fresh herbs and a subtle floral nuance. With air the bouquet develops hints of forest floor, soft spice and earthiness. On the palate the wine is elegant and medium-bodied, with bright red fruit core, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Mineral and savoury undertones provide structure. The finish is harmonious and persistent, light yet layered, offering both purity of fruit and an underlying sense of terroir-driven depth. 

Food & Wine Pairing:

This wine pairs beautifully with roast or herb-seasoned poultry (chicken, duck or game birds), pork loin, veal, mushroom risottos or dishes with earthy notes. It also matches well with grilled or roasted salmon when accompanied by herb or light sauce. For vegetarian fare, mushroom-based dishes, root-vegetable stews or soft cheeses work nicely. The wine’s freshness and mineral drive also complement dishes with herbs, subtle spices or light sauces, making it versatile at table. 

Service Methods and Temperatures:

Serve at 16-17 °C to highlight aromatic freshness and balanced structure. Use a Burgundy-style bowl or tulip-shaped glass to focus aromas and accentuate mouthfeel. For a young 2020, a light decant of 20–30 minutes can help open up the nose and soften the tannins, allowing the wine to express its fruit and subtle terroir notes.

Storage and Aging Potential:

Given its pedigree as a Premier Cru with old-vine Pinot Noir and careful vinification, the 2020 has good aging potential. Under stable, cool cellar conditions, it should evolve gracefully over 8–12 years from vintage, possibly longer. Over time, fruit will soften toward dried cherry, cool earth, spice and underbrush, while tannins integrate and tertiary aromas — truffle, forest floor, leather — may develop, deepening complexity and adding nuance. 

Grape Varietals & percentage used:

100% Pinot Noir