Behind every bottle of wine we sell is the story of the winemakers who put it together. In a place like Burgundy, these stories often reach far back into the past, to a time when all winemakers had to guide them was sight, smell, and taste, and the traditions passed on to them by their predecessors.

Beyond the simple pleasure of a great bottle of Burgundy lies the joy of connecting with that rich history every time we pop the cork.

In celebration of the winemakers that make our world possible, we shine this month’s spotlight on…

Domaine Coste-Caumartin

Burgundy is a region chock-full of prestigious estates with histories that go back hundreds of years. Few of them, however, can trace an unbroken line back nearly a thousand years to the era of the Dukes of Burgundy.

Domaine Coste-Caumartin can. At the site of the current domaine was the Fief de Montjeu, the vast feudal estate of the Montjeu family that took up an entire district of Pommard. For centuries, the Montjeu family oversaw the maintenance of the grounds, the vinification of their grapes, and the construction of new structures - like the famous well in the courtyard, built in the early decades of the 1600s.

In 1793, the domaine entered the current family line, when Antoine Coste took title of the vineyards through marriage. And that is where the story begins.

The Family

The Coste-Caumartin estate was passed down through successive generations, passing through the family names of Coste, Debrois, and Sordet as husbands married into the family and took their turns as stewards of the winery and the vineyards that supplied it.

In 2014, Benoit Sordet acquired the title from his father, Jerome. Thanks to his father’s 26 years of tireless effort, Benoit inherited a completely modern estate, along with 30 acres of vines.

Armed with several years of study in winemaking and vineyard management, alongside the traditional knowledge and reverence for terroir passed down through generations of Burgundy winemakers, Benoit was eminently prepared for the challenge.

In the Fields

The vineyards of Domaine Coste-Caumartin are all in the Côte de Beaune, the southern half of the enormous limestone ridge that makes up the Côte d’Or. This region is one of Burgundy’s most lush and productive regions thanks to excellent drainage, soil quality, and south-easterly facing sunshine.

The vineyards are scattered through some of Burgundy’s most recognizable appellations, such as their ancestral home Pommard, as well as Saint-Romain and Beaune.

In the traditional Burgundian style, the vines are Guyot pruned, trellised and trained horizontally along wire supports to encourage better fruit development, foliage exposure, aeration, and ease of access during harvest. The soil is carefully managed to promote deep and drought-resistant roots and aerated to help with water absorption.

In fall, harvest is done mostly by hand, introducing mechanization only when a rapid change in weather might put the grapes at risk. Pickers are carefully trained in sorting through grapes, and the harvest is inspected a second time upon arrival at the domaine.

From their great respect for the sustainability of their vineyards, the family has also maintained an HVE (Haute Valeur Environnementale - “High Environmental Value”) certification since 2019, focusing on its four key values of the conservation of biodiversity, the protection of local flora, the careful use of fertilizer and the thoughtful management of water.

The Wines

Coste-Caumartin produces an average of 65,000 bottles per year; 75% of these are red, and 25% white wines. Appellations range from the regional Bourgogne, on through village and up to award-winning Premier Crus wines.

The reds

Coste-Caumartin’s red wines are made from destemmed grapes, helping to soften the big bold tannins the Cote de Beaune is generally known for. Don’t imagine, however, that this means thin, light-bodied wines however; rich soils and the sunny southeasterly slope pack the normally delicate Pinot Noir grapes with deep color, generous tannins, and sumptuous flavors, which are all generously extracted into the wine through regular punching down and pouring during fermentation.

The wines are then casked in oak barrels (with 10-20% new oak to privilege fresh flavors and natural tannins) for 12 months, during which the wines are micro-oxygenated and a natural malolactic softening takes place.

While the specific character of the wines will vary by appellation, Coste-Caumartin’s reds are generally characterized by rich flavors, supple tannins, and fruit-forward aromas.

Those under the Beaune appellation lean towards more elegant and expressive red fruit aromas, while the Pommards are more rich and deep, with complex aromas leaning towards darker fruit. Both benefit from a few years of aging.

The whites

The Chardonnay grapes are pressed immediately upon arrival at the winery to minimize juice contact with stems, skins, and seeds. The pressed juice is allowed to settle for a day, after which the must at the bottom of the vat is racked off. The juice is inoculated with the Bourgo Blanc yeast, native to Burgundy, and left to ferment for several weeks at a relatively cool temperature of 65-70 degrees, helping preserve the fruity character of the grapes.

After fermentation, the wine is transferred to oak barrels, and allowed to mature over the winter, during which a natural malolactic fermentation takes place, resulting in a softer mouthfeel and introducing tantalizing buttery notes to the wine.

The domaine’s Saint Romain appellation produces wines that are fresh and delicate, with floral and citrus aromas and a lovely rounded minerality on the palate, while the Beaune Premier Cru offers up a greater intensity, with notes of honey, dried fruit, and toasty biscuit flavors.

As with the reds, Coste-Caumartin’s white wines benefit from a few years of aging.

To Another Thousand Years

Domaine Coste-Caumartin stands as a testament to centuries of Burgundian tradition, and a flexibility of approach that allows for those traditions to be supplemented and refined by modern techniques.

Meanwhile, a commitment to sustainable practices reflects the family’s deep respect for the vines that have sustained them for generations, and recognizes the value of preserving them for yet more generations. With the right approach, it could very well be that the domaine stands the test of time for another thousand years.

After all, they make darn good wine. So let’s raise a glass to celebrate the past, present, and future of Domaine Coste-Caumartin!