Domaine Fernand & Laurent Pillot, Volnay, Burgundy, France, 2024

Producer Profile

Laurent Pillot, who took over the running of this domaine in his mid-20s, transformed his family’s estate from one devoted to grape-growing into one of the more distinguished winemaking estates in the Côte de Beaune, though he has since transferred the winemaking responsibilities to his son, Adrien.

Consisting of a superb collection of vineyards and a modern winemaking facility on the edge of St Aubin, both the domaine’s reds and whites are of an excellent quality – notably the white Chassagne-Montrachet and the rounded, sultry Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Rouge, both of which clearly express a beautiful underlying minerality.

Viticulture

Pinot Noir vines pruned in simple Guyot cover 1.80 acres across five parcels planted between 1960 and 1999. Two parcels, Ronceret and Brouillards, are classified as 1er Cru but are declassified and blended into a single cuvée due to their small size, adding depth and finesse to the wine.

Winemaking

The grapes are hand‑picked, brought to the winery, destemmed and placed into tank. Following a short period of cold maceration, alcoholic fermentation begins using traditional methods with regular cap punching, allowing gentle extraction and precise temperature control before ageing.

Tasting Note

This Volnay expresses Pinot Noir with elegance and fine complexity. The palate is round and supple, showing flavours of redcurrant and subtle spice. Full‑bodied yet refined, it can be enjoyed relatively young or develop further nuance and harmony with a few years of bottle age.

Food matching

Well suited to roast beef, chicken and hard cheeses, offering enough structure for savoury dishes while retaining finesse and freshness.