Tucked into the quiet hamlet of Gamay in the valley of Saint-Aubin, Domaine Sylvain Langoureau has been tended by five generations of the same family. When Sylvain took over in 1989, he and his wife Nathalie stepped away from the local cooperative and began shaping a domaine of their own. They set to work restoring old vineyards and acquiring choice parcels across the valley of Saint-Aubin, just below the famed slopes of En Remilly. This cool, winding valley produces some of the Côte d’Or’s most compelling values in white Burgundy, and Langoureau is counted among its top producers. Today, their children Camille and Bastien have returned home and are committed to carrying the legacy of the estate forward by continuing to produce wines of clarity and grace.
The Langoureau vineyards spread across some of the Côte d’Or’s most cherished slopes, with chardonnay at their core and smaller plantings of pinot noir and aligoté. Farming is thoughtful and responsive, guided by the cadence of each season rather than rigid rules. In the cellar, tradition and a thoughtful approach allow each site to show its personality. In a landscape where Burgundy grows ever rarer and more costly, the Langoureau wines remain a source of authenticity and legacy, capturing both the character of their terroirs and the continuity of a family deeply rooted in this valley.
High on the slopes above Puligny, Les Chalumaux is a stony, wind-swept premier cru whose name recalls the medieval wind instrument, the chalumeau. Its soils are poor and rocky, producing wines defined by tension and mineral purity. Hand-harvested grapes were pressed and allowed to settle before fermenting naturally in barrel, with just 20–30% new oak and no bâtonnage, preserving freshness and drive. The 2023 Les Chalumaux is all finesse and distinction, with pear and white stone fruit layered over chalky minerality and a touch of spice. Silky in texture yet carried by a bright, linear frame, it is a Puligny of clarity and length, already delicious in its youth but poised to evolve gracefully in the cellar.
