Bourgogne blanc La Corvée Aux Moines 2022 - Domaine Derain

Domaine Derain

Biodynamic Burgundy wines

Dominique Derain is one of the unsung heroes of Saint-Aubin (on the legendary Côte de Beaune). He worked in many wine estates, from Chablis to Puligny, training to one day become an independent winemaker. Slowly but surely, he mastered his craft and, in 1988, Dominique acquired his very own estate. Some time later, he met the famous German researcher Maria Thun (author of the official biodynamic planting calendar) and learned all there was to know about biodynamic agriculture. This motivated him to try his hand at making natural wines, in order to offer the purest wine possible to his customers. In doing so, he officially pioneered biodynamic Burgundy wines in 1989.

In 2002, Dominique Derain and his wife Catherine hired a 16-year old boy called Julien Altaber. At first, he was simply here to help with the harvest but it turns out that the young man had a knack for winemaking and dreamt of becoming a pro. When he was done with his studies in Beaune, Julien came back to work with Dominique, this time as his assistant. In 2007, Julien Altaber vinified his first cuvée with the help of his mentor and friend (who lent him his winemaking equipment). Later, in 2013, he opened up shop, founding the small Domaine Sextant.

When Dominique Derain retired in 2016, Julien was there to follow in his footsteps and manage the estate and the 5.5 hectares vineyard. Although his old mentor still helps him actively today, on a daily basis, the Domaine Derain now fully belongs to Julien Altaber and his wife Carole, who thus manage two estates. They both continue to make some of the best natural wines you'll find in Saint-Aubin, using no chemicals whatsoever. The estate has a low output by design, as it can only produce less than 20,000 bottles per year.

Browse the natural wines from the Domaine Derain.