Theo Dancer
Most people who inherited their surnames from Chassagne-Montrachet remain in Chassagne-Montrachet. In contrast, Théo Dancer traveled south and established Roc Breïa in the village of Bray, located in Mâconnais, where the 10-hectare vineyards of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are currently being converted to organic farming.
He also operates a family-owned wine cellar called Domaine Vincent Dancer and runs a small négociant business under his own name, purchasing grapes from growers he knows personally in the Jura, Savoie, Beaujolais, and the southern Rhône region. Volumes are tiny across the board.
Minimal intervention is central to his approach: use of wild yeast, no fining, no filtration, and minimal sulfur addition.
From Chassagne to Bray
Théo Dancer is the son of winemaker Vincent Dancer and grew up in Chassagne-Montrachet. Like his father, he studied at Lycée Viticole de Beaune while working part-time at the family-owned vineyard.
After taking over winemaking around 2020, he was only in his early 20s, change came quickly. These changes included new viticultural methods, new winemaking techniques, and plans not only to refine the existing system but also to expand the business.
Roc Breïa is one such expansion strategy. Established as a new winery in the Mâconnais region, it is partly owned by the Dancer family, with the remainder held by outside investors.
Another strategy involved a small-scale négociant operation (micro-négoce) under his own name, which sourced small quantities of grapes from northern France and other regions. Thanks to Théo Dancer's activities, which encompass domaines, Roc Breïa, and micro-négoce, he now works with far more grape varieties than a typical Chassagne grower would encounter in a lifetime.
Ten hectares at Bray
Roc Breïa is located in Bray, within Mâconnais, and covers an area of 10 hectares. Given that this is a relatively new project, the origin of the vines is particularly interesting: Chardonnay is produced from vines over 60 years old, while Pinot Noir comes from vines over 35 years old.
The vineyard is currently in the process of transitioning to organic grape cultivation. Since this vineyard was newly established rather than inherited, it represents a fresh start for Théo Dancer's wines.
Théo Dancer favors the classic gobelet method, a cup-shaped bush training system that does not require trellising.
The Mâconnais itself is a large, sprawling mosaic of appellations. Most of its production falls under the regional classification; Village-level wines are relatively scarce, there are only a few Premier Cru wines and there are no Grand Cru wines at all. This is a legacy that illustrates just how much the region's reputation had declined by the time the appellation system was established in the 1930s.
The region's history runs much deeper, dating back to the monks of Cluny Abbey in the 10th century. Then, in 1893, Victor Vermorel, a politician and wine producer, published a classification of the region's vineyards.
The grape varieties, a lot
At Bray, the planting of the grapevines is classic Burgundy: white wine comes from Chardonnay, and red wine from Pinot Noir. There are no blends, and no exotic varieties.
The rest of Théo Dancer's work is completely different. He has produced the following wines under his own name:
- Aligoté: Produced from an organic vineyard of old vines located in Meursault
- Bourgogne Chardonnay
- Gringet: from Savoie
- Savagnin: from the Jura
- Gamay: Produced from vines near Fleurie
- Grenache: from Sainte-Cécile-les-Vignes, located between Orange and Montélimar
- Pinot Gris
Some of these are simply varieties he likes but cannot grow on his family-owned vineyards. This is precisely what the négoce business is all about.
The winemaking
All non-domaine wines from Théo Dancer (including Roc Breïa) are vinified at the family-owned winery in Chassagne-Montrachet. Transporting grapes from their place of origin to another region affects the label designation. Since wines produced in this manner cannot use the region's appellation, many are sold under the name Vin de France.
Roc Breïa Burgundies are produced using fairly traditional methods. Experimentation takes place in the négoce cuvées division, where various fermentation and aging vessels, including ceramic, glass Wineglobes, and oak barrels of various sizes, are tested.
Overall, human intervention is kept to a minimum. Fermentation is carried out using natural yeasts, and malolactic fermentation occurs only when it happens naturally. Furthermore, the wine undergoes no bâtonnage (stirring of the lees), fining, or filtration. The sulfur dioxide content ranges from 15 to 20 mg/L, which is lower than the amount typically used at Domaine Vincent Dancer.
The wines
Roc Breïa produces two wines: Roc Breïa Chardonnay and Roc Breïa Pinot Noir. The label names are not fixed; initially, the wines were released as Vin de France, and for several years afterward, the white wine was released as Mâcon-Villages and the red wine as Bourgogne Rouge.
In addition to these, there is a Domaine Vincent Dancer white and red line derived from Côte de Beaune, as well as a négociant lineup called Théo Dancer, which includes bottled wines such as Bourgogne Aligoté, Alpestre Gringet, Jurassique Savagnin, Botanica Gamay, Aragón Grenache, and Opa-Oma Pinot Gris.
None of these are produced in large quantities. The largest négoce cuvée has a production volume of only about 300 cases, and most are produced in much smaller quantities.
Frequently asked questions
Is Roc Breïa part of Domaine Vincent Dancer?
No. It is a separate Mâconnais estate, owned partly by the Dancer family and partly by outside investors, though Théo Dancer makes the wine and it shares the family cellars.
Why do some Théo Dancer wines carry no Burgundy appellation?
Because the grapes are trucked to Chassagne-Montrachet and vinified there, outside the region where they grew. Wines made that way are bottled as Vin de France.
How does Roc Breïa differ from the négoce wines?
Roc Breïa is estate fruit from Bray, made without the vessel experiments Théo Dancer applies to the bought-in négoce cuvées.
Is the Mâconnais home to any grand crus?
No. The region has a large volume of regional-level wine, a handful of village appellations and very few premier crus, and no grand cru at all.
