While the terroir of today’s Burgundy is incredibly noteworthy, we can’t help but focus on the “who” of Domaine Douhairet-Porcheret: André Porcheret. Somewhat of a local legend in Burgundy, André has lent his talents to a couple of extraordinary cellars over the last half century.

In the mid-1970s, he began a 11-vintage stint as Cellar Manager for the famed Hospices de Beaune, until legendary Lalou Bize-Leroy tapped him to help kickstart the newly established Domaine Leroy. He remained there until 1993, after producing some all-time great bottlings that include the ’91 Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru and ’93 Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru. Porcheret then returned to the Hospices to restore some of the glory that had been lost, and soon after, was asked to oversee Domaine Douhairet. Since that time, the estate has become widely respected for elegant, terroir-expressive Burgundies distinguished by their texture, structure, and vivid fruit. Today, Porcheret’s granddaughter, Cataldina Lippo, and her husband, Vincent, manage the domaine, and with the knowledge passed on from their impressive predecessor, the couple is quietly producing some of the best values in Burgundy—like this 2019 Bourgogne Rouge, which comes from a 0.2-hectare parcel in Volnay. In any given year, they’re lucky to emerge with 125 cases, so there’s not much to go around!

The 300+-year-old Domaine Douhairet-Porcheret consists of just eight hectares spread across 13 appellations, primarily within Pommard, Volnay, Meursault, and Monthélie, the latter of which is their home village. Their Bourgogne Rouge comes from a single plot in the Longbois lieu-dit within the town of Volnay, where the average vine age is 40 years and the well-drained, shallow soil is ideal for Pinot Noir. While Porcheret’s foray into biodynamics at Domaine Leroy never followed him to Douhairet-Porcheret, the estate vineyards here are all sustainably farmed and worked by plow, harvested by hand, and carefully sorted. 

In the cellar, the approach is quite modern in terms of technology, but traditional in regards to the winemaking itself. The old winery underwent a significant renovation in 2018, partly with the aim of improving water conservation and increasing storage capacity. Temperature-controlled tanks now offer greater control over fermentations. All the domaine’s reds, including today’s wines, are 100% de-stemmed before an average of 18 months of aging in barrel (10% new). The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered. 
 
Due to its Volnay origins, this is far from your everyday red Burgundy! It’s hardy, dark-toned, and structured—a full-flavored Pinot Noir worthy of contemplation. The plush, deep fruit and an elegant, silky texture here are among classic hallmarks of the Douhairet-Porcheret house style. Notes of cassis, wild blackberry, dark cherry, black plum pit, earthy forest floor, and spiced cedar come together in this vibrant, energetic wine. Enjoy this in the near term, served at 60 degrees in a Burgundy stem. It’s an easy wine to pair with a wide range of foods, with simple fare like burgers or charcuterie and cheese, or try it with the classic French dish lapin à la bourguignonne—rabbit braised in red wine sauce.