DOMAINE HENRI GOUGES, France

Between 1920 and 1934, he expanded his holdings significantly. Today, the estate spans 14.5 hectares, including seven exceptionally well-positioned Premier Cru sites. A pioneer in estate bottling, Henri Gouges was among the first in Burgundy—alongside notable names like Marquis d’Angerville—to begin bottling and marketing wines directly in 1933. He was deeply committed to low yields and strict vineyard management, principles that remain central to the domaine's philosophy under the stewardship of his descendants. Now run by the third and fourth generations—Pierre and Christian Gouges, Pierre’s son Gregory, and most recently Antoine, who leads winemaking—the domaine continues to uphold its legacy of producing structured, terroir-driven Nuits-St-Georges. In 1977, the family introduced rye grass cover crops between the vines, an innovation that proved highly beneficial for soil health and biodiversity.

Viticulture

Since 2008, the vineyards have been managed organically, and a modern cuverie has been in place since 2007. Winemaking at Domaine Henri Gouges remains traditional and meticulous.

Winemaking

Grapes undergo severe sorting before 100% destemming. A long cold maceration is followed by fermentation using only indigenous yeasts, with temperatures kept below 29°C. After fermentation, the wines remain on their skins at 28°C for an additional 9–10 days to enhance extraction. The wines are then aged in oak barrels—15–20% new—and racked after malolactic fermentation. The individual cuvées are blended to ensure consistency and then returned to barrel until bottling, which typically occurs 18 months post-vintage.