Montrachet Grand Cru OWC 2020 - Domaine d'Eugénie

Domaine d'Eugénie

Confidential but legendary Vosne-Romanée estate

Formerly known as the "Domaine René Engel", this estate used to belong to the eponymous René Engel. Fun Fact: Mr. Engel was the oenology teacher of the world famous Henri Jayer, the aptly nicknamed "Pope of Winemakers", back when he was a student at the Dijon University. The Domaine René Engel was founded in Vosne-Romanée, in 1919. It wasn't a very well-known estate at the time but wine experts today cannot stop singing its praises, and rightfully so! Owned by the Engel family until 2004 (René, his son Pierre and his grandson Philippe), the former estate has done a lot of work to strengthen the reputation of Burgundy wines on the international scene, despite its low profile.

Two years later, in 2006, a huge player in the world of fine wine bought the Côte de Nuits estate: François Pinault, the French billionaire who also owns the Château Latour (located in Pauillac, in the Bordeaux Médoc). He changed the name of the estate, creating the "Domaine d'Eugénie", in memory of his grandmother. The Clos Frantin, a 0.5 hectare parcel of vineyard planted during the 1789 French Revolution and cared for by the Engel family, officially became the "Clos Eugénie" in 2011. Mr. Pinault owns 6.5 hectares of vineyard in the region as well, in Flagey-Échezeaux and Vougeot.

In 2010, the Domaine d'Eugénie (managed by Frédéric Engerer, a friend of the Arnault family) decided to switch the entire estate to biodynamics. It was a no-brainer for the estate, as they've always been extremely respectful of the local terroir, going as far as to ban all chemicals since the buyout. In 2020, the Domaine d'Eugénie received its official organic certification. Today, just like in its early days, this wine estate remains confidential (less than 22,000 bottles are produced each year) but the quality of its cuvées has increased over time. It is now part of the Côte de Nuits elite.

Discover the wine made by the Domaine d'Eugénie.