winery

Domaine du Cellier aux Moines

Burgundy, France

Philosophy

Gravity-fed, four-level winery operates without mechanical pumping from grape sorting through bottling. Native yeast fermentation with selective whole-cluster inclusion. Extended barrel aging emphasizes tannin condensation and terroir expression, guided by the principle 'Simplex Natura'—letting nature determine the wine's course.

Reputation

Founded circa 1130 by Cistercian monks of the Abbey of La Ferté, the Cellier aux Moines occupied a south-facing slope above Givry in the Côte Chalonnaise for seven centuries, producing wine in direct service to monastic life. Resurrected in 2004 by Philippe and Catherine Pascal—formerly of the LVMH luxury conglomerate—the estate underwent complete architectural and viticultural restoration, emerging by 2006 as a contemporary expression of medieval terroir wisdom.

AllocationFounded date 1130 is well-documented institutional founding by Cistercian monks; modern commercial operation launched 2006 (purchased 2004, restoration completed 2006). Production began commercially under Pascal family branding circa 2014. US importer information not found in searches; searches identified multiple international distributor relationships but no specific US importer name. Hectare count varies slightly in sources (10 vs 12 hectares reported); using 12 hectares from most frequent official sources. Certification timeline: organic 2020, biodynamic 2023 (Biodyvin). Guillaume Marko joined 2015 as technical director. Website confirmed bilingual (English/French). No specific annual bottle production data found. Winemaker formerly trained at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Arnoux-Lachaux per multiple credible sources. Children names verified from original property listing (Camille, Marguerite, Alexis). | Importer overflow captured (importer_other): 'Fine Wine Experience (Hong Kong)' | Importer overflow captured (importer_other): 'Haynes Hanson & Clark (UK)'

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