Burgundy Winemakers: Spotlight on Thierry Mortet

The wine region of Burgundy exudes a timeless charm as though things have always been this way — suspended in a perfect balance between producer, grape vine and terroir — but in fact it is ever­changing, and the Domaine Thierry Mortet is a fine example of that. Thierry is one of the Burgundy winemakers we've worked with for years and whose wines we proudly sell.

Thierry took over his share of the 4 hectares of the family Domaine back in 1992, based in the center of the village of Gevrey-­Chambertin, which has been famous throughout the ages. (The appellation gets its name from a vineyard belonging to a thirsty monk named Bertin; Chambertin is literally translated as ‘the field of Bertin’). Napoleon famously preferred Chambertin wines above all others, though whether they helped his military campaigns, history does not record.

Today, Thierry Mortet works on 7 hectares of land (6 in red, the remainder in white), producing up to 35,000 bottles each year, whilst he constantly adapts and refines his methods of winemaking. As well as his base in Gevrey-­Chambertin, Thierry’s vineyards are spread over 3 other communes:

Couchey: this town in the Cote de Nuits gives its name to a lesser-­known appellation, and Thierry’s vines are on hillsides characterized by their limestone rock with little topsoil.

Chambolle­-Musigny: this village derives its name from the quite dramatic French words ‘champ bouillant’ meaning ‘bubbling or boiling field’ (not a reference to climate change, but rather to floods experienced when heavy rain washed down the hillsides). Chambolle is small – only around 400 residents live there – but it has a formidable reputation for producing refined and quite perfumed red wines. These are some of the best Pinot Noirs in the world. This village is well worth a visit for its charming rural appeal and timeless character – you’re more likely to see tractors than cars. If you’re eating out around here, the wines can be well paired with some mild cheeses of the local area – try a Brie de Meaux, Chaource, or Reblochon.

Daix: again this is one of the lesser-­known wine making appellations in Burgundy, nestling very near to Dijon, just to its West. The vines here have clay soil to grow in with chalky and limestone rocks, giving them a very particular delicacy and finesse.

Gevrey-­Chambertin and Chambolle-­Musigny Wines: Our Top Picks

You can find Thierry's wines on BurgundyWine.com (along with many other Burgundy winemakers) – including these standout Burgundy reds:

• Bourgogne Rouge 'Les Charmes de Daix': Thierry’s Bourgogne Rouge wines are made from an “assemblage” of several different strains of Pinot Noir grapes from his vineyards. This one is what we call a wine with ‘contours’… you can sense the smoky opening leading on to the sweet cherry fruits but with a discreet charcoal-­like edge – all in all, a luscious and very delicious wine. This one is a sort of 'go to' Bourgogne for us based on our adage of 'you will likely get a bourgogne that punches above its weight from a winemaker who makes exceptional top appellation premier cru'.

• Gevrey-­Chambertin 2018: Whilst Thierry’s Bourgogne Rouge wines boast several different strains of grape, this village-­level wine has an incredible 20 different grape parcels in it! You can’t find a better way of showcasing the diversity of Gevrey village wines than this – and it promises intense black fruits and licorice right now, so imagine what it will deliver when it has been aged a while (if you can wait that long).

• Chambolle-­Musigny 1er Cru 'Les Beaux Bruns': this is one of Thierry’s best and most impressive wines – a Premier Cru, of which he produces around 1200 bottles per year. It’s from a vineyard on the lower slopes to the east of Chambolle­-Musigny and even now it has a suave attack and a powerful finish. It’s another wine which will benefit from laying down, rewarding the patient drinker.

Domaine Thierry Mortet's wines are made organically, certified as such since 2007. (A year of terrible weather and disease in 2016 forced them to intervene using more modern treatments to prevent huge losses, but the accreditation was reinstated soon after. Perhaps this proves that the best intentions in the world sometimes cannot save vines from Mother Nature herself).

The term "organic" can have different definitions depending on where you are in the world. In the European Union, it was officially defined in 2012. For those interested, you can refer to EU regulation 203/2012 for the full details... But in general, organic wine must be produced using organic ingredients and methods. This means no pesticides, fungicides, or synthetic fertilizers are allowed. In addition, certain processes like reverse osmosis or deacidification cannot be used. In Europe, some sulfites may be added to organic wine as they are technically natural preservatives, but only in very small amounts.

When Thierry officially converted his domain to organic agriculture, he was merely codifying practices that he had already been following for years, out of respect for the environment and an understanding of the cultural significance of his work. His superb organic wines are pleasures to drink now, but they are also treasures to lay down for the future, if you have the patience!

We hope you have enjoyed learning about another of our favorite Burgundy winemakers. If you want to know more, you can also view a video on our YouTube channel of us meeting him!

Discover Burgundy Winemakers and Their Wines As Our Guest

Come and stay with us at Domaine de Cromey, our luxury home, nestling amongst the vines in the heart of Burgundy! It’s the ideal base from which to begin your exploration of Burgundy winemakers and their wines.

You’ll experience a Burgundy house party that showcases the region in ways tourists often miss. Starting from Dijon, you’ll journey south through the Cote d’Or wine region along the ‘Route des Grands Crus’ and visit the historic Clos de Vougeot. You can explore the capital of this region – Beaune ­ known for its beautiful medieval Hospices and charming cobblestone streets, before heading below ground into the cellars of our favorite Burgundy winemakers.

We’ll take a morning trip to the Roman ruins and the medieval market town of Autun, and in the evening, we’ll drive to a hilltop windmill to taste wines from the vineyards below. The options are virtually endless, and our expert guides will tailor your itinerary so that it matches your interests.

Read our blog here about Burgundy cycling trips from Domaine de Cromey, and if you want some ideas about where your day trips could take you, read our article about visiting Macon, or what to do in the historic city of Autun.