Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey
Chassagne-Montrachet is his base and Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey is someone who set out to create something on his own. Since 2005, he and his wife have been running a winery located in Chassagne, which serves two purposes at once. It functions both as a domaine with its own vineyards in Saint-Aubin and Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Crus, and as a négociant that purchases grapes from vineyards in the Grand Cru classification, including those in Bâtard-Montrachet and Corton-Charlemagne. Chardonnay forms the core of its portfolio. The winemaking process is intentionally low-intervention, featuring extended lees contact and oak barrel aging; however, the winery does not practice bâtonnage, the traditional method of stirring the lees to enhance the wine's flavor. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration. In less than 20 years, this winery has established itself as one of the most popular producers of white wine in the Burgundy region, an astonishing pace for a winery founded in this century.
Leaving the family domaine
Pierre-Yves Colin is the son of Marc Colin and gained experience at the family-owned winery before striking out on his own. By 2003, he had already begun to attract attention in a magazine feature on the new generation of winemakers in France, though at that time he was still operating under the family name.
The turning point came in 2005. Pierre-Yves Colin and his wife established their own winery in Chassagne-Montrachet, merging two well-known local names, Colin and Morey, into one.
This beginning illustrates well how the winery was built. Without a large inherited vineyard, the couple combined their own vineyards with grapes purchased from premium growing regions, areas typically difficult for new wineries to access. And fame followed much more quickly than for most other new Burgundy wineries.
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey remains a family-run operation, with the next generation already involved in the business. For such a young winery, its growth has been rapid. Starting with just a few vineyards, it has built an extensive cuvée list ranging from village wines to Grand Cru.
Owned plots, bought grapes
Chassagne-Montrachet is the company's headquarters, and the vineyards it owns are located nearby. Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey owns vineyards in several Premier Cru districts within Saint-Aubin and Chassagne-Montrachet, the two villages the family knows best.
In addition, there are various other grape varieties. The estate purchases grapes from the Grand Cru vineyards, specifically from Bâtard-Montrachet and Corton-Charlemagne, among others, which is why this domaine, established in 2005, offers a Grand Cru lineup.
On a broader scale, this winery produces wines from Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, and Saint-Aubin, all representative white wine-producing areas within the Côte de Beaune region. It also uses grapes from Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, including the lieu-dit En Creuzilly, and its source regions extend to Côte de Nuits and Côte Chalonnaise.
At least some sections of the vineyards are cultivated organically, and vineyard management practices are designed to minimize the use of inputs.
Limestone and cool nights
The characteristics of Côte de Beaune Chardonnay stem largely from limestone, and Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey's vineyards are situated right on soil rich in that very limestone. The climate here is cool enough to preserve the grapes' acidity as they ripen.
The cool climate and stony soil are a superb combination. This pairing produces wines with vibrant acidity and intense minerality, aromas of citrus and green apple rather than tropical fruit, and enough structure to handle oak aging without being overwhelmed by it.
The layout of the vineyards is also crucial. Wines produced from Hautes-Côtes and Bâtard-Montrachet have entirely different characters, and the winery's style lies precisely in the fact that these differences are clearly evident in the glass.
Chardonnay, almost entirely
The focus here is on White Burgundy, and the list of grape varieties is concise.
- Chardonnay: Used in almost all white wines; this includes grades from Bourgogne to Grand Cru.
- Aligite, for his Bourgogne aligote wine.
- Pinot Noir
Winemaking
Most white Burgundy wineries have traditionally used the bâtonnage technique at some point to stir fine lees back into the wine, enhancing its texture. However, Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey does not follow this practice.
Instead, the wine is left undisturbed on its lees inside the oak barrels, where it ages naturally without any intervention, absorbing the flavor-elements that develop organically during this process. Reducing stirring minimizes contact with oxygen and lowers the intensity of the initial flavors, which aligns well with this winery's philosophy of prioritizing transparency and tension over heaviness.
The oak aging takes care of the rest. While oak aromas are present, they are restrained; the wine emphasizes structure over flavor, resulting in subtle oak notes rather than toasty aromas.
Since the wine undergoes no clarification or filtration prior to bottling, no components are removed during the bottling process. This approach, based on the principle of minimal intervention from harvest to bottling, reflects a consistent philosophy: to intervene as little as possible and allow the vineyard's inherent characteristics to shine through. This is not a passing trend; it is a steadfast style that the domaine has upheld since its founding.
The wines
This range increases gradually, and the entry point is simply Bourgogne Chardonnay. Above that are the Village and Premier Cru white wines from Meursault, Saint-Aubin, Chassagne Montrachet.
At the very top are the Grand Cru wines: Corton Charlemagne, Batard Montrachet, Chevalier Montrachet, Criots Batard Montrachet and Bienvenues Batard Montrachet.
Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey also produces Hospices de Beaune, Meursault Les Genevrières (cuvée Baudot), and Corton (cuvée Docteur Peste), the latter being a red wine, a rarity for this label.
In addition, the winery produces numerous other wines, including additional bottlings of Puligny-Montrachet as well as wines such as En Creuzilly, which is produced from Hautes-Côtes de Beaune. There are many types of cuvées, and since the négociant division's offerings depend on the grapes available in a given year, the composition changes with each vintage.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey a domaine or a négociant?
Both. Some wines come from owned vines in Saint-Aubin and Chassagne-Montrachet, others from purchased grapes, including the Grand Crus.
Where is the house based?
In Chassagne-Montrachet, in the Côte de Beaune part of Burgundy.
What is the link with Domaine Marc Colin?
Pierre-Yves Colin is Marc Colin's son and worked at the family estate before starting his own house in 2005.
Why does the absence of bâtonnage matter?
Skipping lees stirring means less oxidative handling and less upfront fat, which is a large part of why these whites read as tight and mineral rather than broad.
