Charles van Canneyt

We know Charles van Canneyt from the iconic winery Domaine Hudelot-Noellat in Chambolle-Musigny. In 2008, he took over the reins from his grandfather Alain Hudelot. But ambitious as he is, he has also been bottling wines under his own name since 2012. Charles is regarded by some as 'the rising star of Burgundy'.

Charles works closely together with a small group of winegrowers to buy his grapes. He is very strict in selecting the winegrowers and the plots, to ensure that only the best quality is used. The growers agree to harvest and press the grapes according to certain rules and specifications. They mainly work with Pinot Noir, but a small amount of Chardonnay is also produced. The fermentation is started by naturally present yeasts. During fermentation, the extraction is kept to a minimum and the oak used per wine is carefully considered. This way, each cuvée is a pure expression of the terroir. It was Charles’ grandfather Alain who taught him the tricks of the trade.

The barrels for the premier cru wines consist of 15% new French oak. For the grand cru wines, the proportion of new wood is higher. The period of maturation is around 18 months, but this varies per cuvée as well. The gems within his portfolio are: Echezeaux, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Clos-Saint-Denis and Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Fesselottes. These wines all demonstrate how talented Van Canneyt is. We certainly haven’t heard the last of this winemaker!