La Chaume des Lies is a young, natural winery established in 2021 by Margaux Rivaux and Lothar Galloo in Baubigny, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy. The couple met in 2018 while working for Pierre Fenals at Maison en Belles Lies (Meursault, Burgundy), where they honed skills in organic and biodynamic viticulture and sulfite-free winemaking. By late 2020, they secured 2–2.5 hectares of vines in Auxey-Duresses, Bouzeron, Saint-Aubin, and Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, plus 2 hectares in Beaujolais, and set up a spacious underground cellar in Baubigny. Their debut 2021 vintage, despite challenging weather, earned acclaim for precise, chiseled whites and crunchy reds. Named after “chaume” (post-harvest stubble) and “lies” (wine lees), the domaine reflects their commitment to terroir-driven, living wines.

Winemaking Philosophy

• Organic and Biodynamic Viticulture: Vines, some 60–80 years old, are cultivated biodynamically (Demeter principles, not certified), free of synthetic chemicals, with horse-drawn plows in select plots (e.g., Auxey-Duresses). Work follows the lunar calendar, enhancing vine vitality. Soils are clay-limestone in Côte de Beaune (Auxey, Saint-Aubin) and quartzite in Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, imparting minerality and freshness.

• Natural Winemaking: Manual harvests, whole-cluster fermentation (90% for reds like Auxey-Duresses), spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts, no fining, no filtration, and minimal or no sulfites (e.g., 1g/L post-racking for some reds). Gravity-fed vinification minimizes intervention. Whites age ~12 months in old barrels; reds mature in large oak vats, preserving fruit purity. Total production is small, ~5,000–7,000 bottles annually.

• Grape Varieties and Cuvées:

  • Whites: Aligoté (Bourgogne Aligoté Les Genouvrées, Bouzeron), Chardonnay (Saint-Aubin, Auxey-Duresses, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune). Profiles are citrusy, floral, mineral, with creamy or zesty textures (e.g., Bouzeron 2023: lemon, white flowers, 11% ABV).

  • Reds: Pinot Noir (Auxey-Duresses, Bourgogne Rouge, Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune), Gamay (Coteaux Bourguignons, Coteaux Bourguignons 2022: wild berries, hibiscus, violets). Reds are vibrant, juicy, with fine tannins and bright acidity (e.g., Hautes-Côtes de Beaune 2022: 12% ABV, electric vibe).

• Terroir: Côte de Beaune’s clay-limestone soils at 300–450 meters elevation yield structured, mineral-driven wines. Beaujolais plots add fruit-forward Gamay. Bouzeron’s Aligoté thrives on marly limestone, enhancing purity.

Background

• Founders: Margaux Rivaux and Lothar Galloo, both in their 30s, bring complementary skills. Margaux, after studying history and a BTS in wine commerce, worked in New Zealand vineyards and as a sommelier, then joined Fenals in 2016–2018. Lothar, from an organic farming family in northern France, earned a BTS Viti-Oeno (Beaune, 2013) and trained with Bruno Schueller (Alsace), Didier Barral (Languedoc), and Claude Quénard (Savoie). He continued part-time at Fenals post-2021.

• Vision: To craft “free wines” that express terroir with minimal manipulation, inspired by Fenals’ sulfite-free philosophy. Their joyful, self-critical approach drives constant improvement.

• Scale: 4–4.5 hectares total (2–2.5 in Burgundy, 2 in Beaujolais) yield limited cuvées, making them sought-after in natural wine circles.

• Challenges: The 2021 vintage faced frost and mildew, yet their precision shone. High grape costs in Burgundy limit vineyard ownership, but Fenals’ support (e.g., vine rentals) eased their start.