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FRANCE
Domaine Alain Chavy
WINERY OVERVIEW
Alain Chavy produces restrained, structured, and long-lived white Burgundies from seven
hectares of vineyards in Puligny-Montrachet. Alain and his brother Jean-Louis worked with
their father from 1986 until his retirement in 1997. The brothers continued to work together
until 2003 when they decided to equally divide the 32 acres (13 hectares) belonging to
Domaine Gérard Chavy. Alain established Domaine Alain Chavy in 2003 and moved to a grand,
old house in the village of Puligny-Montrachet, where he lives with his family. Here, Alain
constructed a new underground cellar—one of the few in Puligny—where he continues to
refine his work in the vineyard and cellar.
LOCATION OF VINEYARD
Domaine Alain Chavy consists of 17.3 acres (7 hectares), mainly in Puligny-Montrachet, with
small holdings in the neighboring villages of Chassagne and Meursault. Alain and his brother
divided nearly a dozen plots of their father’s property, including some of Puligny’s top premier
crus. Dividing some of the small parcels, however, would have made them difficult to cultivate
and vinify, so Alain kept Les Pucelles while Jean-Louis retained the larger Les Perrières. To
compensate, Alain also obtained two-thirds of his father’s holding of old vines (planted in
1955) in Les Clavoillons, making Alain Chavy one of only three domaines to own a section of
this famed premier cru. Alain practices lutte raisonnée in his vineyards, eschewing herbicides,
and relies solely on plowing for weed control.