Domaine Bessin-Tremblay

Based in La Chapelle Vaupelteigne, the domaine was created in 1992 by former architect Jean-Claude Bessin and Evelyne Bessin-Tremblay from Tremblay family vineyards. From 2015 the wines were labelled Domaine Jean-Claude & Romain Bessin and after Jean-Claude’s retirement the name has become Domaine Bessin-Tremblay, with Romain being joined in 2023 by his brother Antoine.

Romain introduced some biodynamic practices in 2017 and has run the whole domaine according to this philosophy from the 2020 season. All the vineyards are now harvested by hand, with natural yeasts for fermentation. The wines have a long élevage on fine lees, the crus being bottled after 15 to 18 months, with a proportion of barrel fermentation and maturation for the top wines. Jean-Claude officially retired in January 2020.

There are two bottlings of Fourchaume, La Pièce au Comte referring to a special plot which formerly belonged to the aristocracy but has been in the Tremblay family since 1878. These were the domaine’s oldest vines, planted in 1934 but pulled out in 2014, though the remainder date from the 1950s and 1960s. My personal favourites are the Montmains and La Forêt bottlings, along with the excellent Chablis Vieilles Vignes.