Domaine Coquard-Loison-Fleurot

The Coquard, Loison and Fleur families have been growing grapes in Flagey-Échezeaux, in the Côte de Nuits region of Burgundy, for many generations. For most of that time, the harvest was sold to wine merchants or ended up in French supermarkets.

The situation changed around 2010, when the family began bottling wine under their own brand. This turning point came about thanks to two people: Claire Fleur, who handles sales and marketing, and Thomas Collado, who took charge of winemaking. Thomas worked for a time at the winery then known as Domaine Sylvain Cathiard in Vosne-Romanée and maintains a close friendship with Sébastien Cathiard, which has influenced his approach to working in the cellar.

Vineyards

The domaine covers around 9 hectares, spread across twelve appellations. The vineyard holdings are exceptionally rich for an estate of this size, including plots in six different Grand Cru appellations: Grand Échezeaux, Échezeaux, Clos de Vougeot, Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis and Charmes-Chambertin. Many of the Grand Cru vines were planted between the 1920s and the 1960s.

There is also the Premier Cru Vosne-Romanée, Les Beaux Monts, as well as village-level plots in Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, Gevrey-Chambertin and Morey-Saint-Denis, as well as Burgundy red. Viticulture is carried out using organic methods, although the domaine has not sought certification.

Grape varieties

All the wines at Coquard-Loison-Fleurot are Pinot Noir. There are no white wines in the range.

Winemaking

Thomas uses a nine-day cold maceration prior to fermentation, which lasts around twenty to twenty-five days. Depending on the vintage, whole bunches may or may not be used. After a week on the lees, the wines are racked into barrels. The proportion of new oak varies from 30 to 50% for most wines, increasing to around two-thirds for Clos Saint-Denis and Grands Échézeaux, which are usually produced in very small quantities.

Ageing lasts from fifteen to eighteen months. Bottling takes place at the winery without fining or filtration.

Wines

The range varies from entry-level Bourgogne Rouge to four village wine ranges, one Premier Cru and six Grand Cru wines. The style of all the wines focuses on purity and precision rather than weight.

Wines that were once sold quietly on the local market are now in demand worldwide, and allocations for the finest cuvées are limited.