In Burgundy, a climat has nothing to do with the weather. It is a precisely delimited vineyard plot, named centuries ago, that expresses a distinctive terroir in the glass. An introduction—with examples from Meursault, Pommard, Volnay and Puligny.
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In Burgundy, a climat is spoken of almost as a signature. Behind the word lies a very tangible reality: a delimited, named vineyard plot whose grapes are vinified separately so that its individual character can shine through. This concept, at the heart of Burgundy’s identity, is rooted in centuries of observation of the soil, aspect, drainage and winegrowers’ expertise. From the Middle Ages onwards, Cistercian and Benedictine monks, followed by generations of village winegrowers, patiently identified, named and defined these sites—by observing the harvests, building walls and clos, and later through the land registry. The concept of climats explains why two neighbouring rows of vines can produce wines with different nuances—and why the name of a climat is displayed so proudly on the label.
A climat is a precisely defined geographical area, recorded in the land registry, with a historic name—often dating back to the Middle Ages—and associated with a particular style of wine. Each climat has its own defining features: geology and subsoil, altitude and slope, aspect and local drainage.
Across the vineyards, this mosaic was patiently mapped out by generations of winegrowers and subsequently recognised through the appellation system. This intricate patchwork is what makes Burgundy so distinctive and led to its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015 as the Climats of the Burgundy Vineyards.
Without delving into the detailed workings of the appellation system, the key point is this: climats are the fine-grained units within appellations.
In short, the appellation establishes the legal and geographical framework; the climat is its most precise expression, highlighted on the label to guide the tasting experience.
The magic lies in the interaction between a place and a grape variety (Chardonnay and Aligoté for white wines, Pinot Noir for reds):
As a result, each climat can produce its own aromatic profile (white flowers, stone fruit, citrus, spices and more), texture (precision, richness, depth) and structure (tension, volume, tannins).
Established in Meursault since 1720, our domaine cultivates emblematic climats across the Côte de Beaune—each offering its own nuances to discover, or rediscover, in our tasting cellar. Here are a few key points.
Located in the Côte de Beaune, the domaine cultivates vines in Meursault, Pommard, Volnay and Puligny-Montrachet. Our presence across several villages gives us a complementary range of climats:
Our strength lies in our vineyard plots: different climats allow us to offer multiple interpretations of the same vintage, while maintaining the domaine’s signature style.
At the domaine, we practise sustainable viticulture, harvest by hand and take a restrained approach to ageing, allowing each site to speak for itself. Why this choice? Because we are in Burgundy, where terroirs—observed, named and passed down through the centuries—are renowned for producing wines of great quality. Our guiding principle is therefore clear: to preserve the identity of each climat rather than standardise it.
A climat is both the name of a place and the style of a wine. It is the DNA of Burgundy: precise, patient and profoundly human. To truly appreciate the differences between our climats, such as Les Charmes, Les Genevrières and Les Grands Epenots, nothing compares to tasting them side by side.
Would you like to explore further? Visit our tasting cellar in Meursault to taste our wines, climat by climat.
