Chapuis
&
ChapuisBrothers in Burgundy
Two brothers making "good, honest wines" from the Hill of Corton. Zero SO2 during vinification since 2014. Organic terroir expression from Grand Cru to village level—fresh, fruit-forward, and unpretentious.
Aloxe-Corton roots, global training, united vision
Romain Chapuis
Winemaker & OenologistThe younger brother trained as an oenologist and became a "flying winemaker" in the truest sense—working harvests in the northern and southern hemispheres to make wine twice yearly. Stints in Lebanon, New Zealand, Alsace, Bordeaux, and Beaujolais. Notably served as Philippe Pacalet's top cellar master in Burgundy. Brings technical mastery, international perspective, and an artist's sensitivity to terroir [^44^][^45^][^70^].
Jean-Guillaume Chapuis
Law, Management & SalesThe elder brother brings business acumen with a background in law and management. Handles administration and commercial while Romain focuses on the cellar. Together they form a complementary partnership—Jean-Guillaume ensuring the wines reach appreciative drinkers, Romain ensuring they're worth reaching for. Their shared goal: "to make good, honest wines" without pretension [^44^][^70^].
— The Chapuis Brothers on their philosophy
Though they grew up in Aloxe-Corton surrounded by vines (and are distantly related to the 6th-generation Domaine Chapuis family), Romain and Jean-Guillaume started from scratch. In 2009, they established their cellar in Pommard, later building their own facility in Ladoix-Serrigny. What began as a micro-négociant operation has grown to include 4-5 hectares of owned vines across Chorey-lès-Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune, Aloxe-Corton Premier Cru, and the Grand Crus of Corton [^44^][^45^][^48^].
Low intervention, high terroir, zero pretension
Chapuis & Chapuis practice what they call "honest winemaking." Since 2014, no sulfur is added during vinification—only minimal amounts (if any) at bottling. All grapes are certified organic, whether estate-grown or purchased from like-minded growers [^44^][^70^].
Their technique adapts to each vintage and parcel. For whites: direct pressing, sometimes with skin maceration, then barrel fermentation. For reds: whole bunch, destemmed, or even carbonic maceration—whatever the vintage demands. No chaptalization ever. No lees stirring (bâtonnage) for freshness. Finesse and fruit take precedence over extraction [^70^].
No Sulfur During Vinification
Since 2014, zero SO2 added during fermentation and élevage. Only minimal additions at bottling when necessary.
Indigenous Yeasts Only
Spontaneous fermentations with native yeasts. No commercial strains, no temperature control.
No Chaptalization
Never adding sugar. Alcohol levels remain moderate (often 12-13%) through careful harvest timing.
Organic Certified
Full organic certification for estate vines. Purchased grapes come from certified organic growers.
The Label System
To make their range transparent, the brothers developed a color code:
Seasonal Releases:
🐓🦊 Spring: Cock & Fox labels
🦌🦅 Autumn: Deer & Falcon labels
From Corton-Charlemagne to Coteaux Bourguignons
The brothers produce an extensive range covering the hierarchy of Burgundy terroirs—from the village level to Grand Cru—plus inventive cuvées that break traditional boundaries. All share the hallmarks: freshness, fruit, finesse, and honest pricing [^48^][^69^][^70^].
Corton-Charlemagne
Grand Cru BlancThe flagship. Powerful, architectural Chardonnay from the west-facing slopes of the Hill of Corton. Ripe white peach, toasted hazelnut, ginger, and a distinct saline minerality. Aged 15-30% new French oak—enough to sculpt, not overwhelm. Built to age 2028-2042+.
Marly-limestone soils
15-30% new oak
Zero SO2 during vinification
~$200-300
Corton
Grand Cru RougeRed Grand Cru from the hill—structured, powerful, with the characteristic iron and flint notes of Corton terroir. Whole bunch vinification brings spice and complexity. A wine of serious pedigree with the brothers' signature freshness.
Whole bunch fermentation
Corton Les Languettes / Les Perrières
Aged in old barrels
Minimal extraction
Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru
Premier Cru RougeFrom the slopes of Aloxe-Corton—often a blend of parcels. Shows the density of the village with Premier Cru refinement. Black cherry, forest floor, and that unmistakable Corton structure, but rendered with the brothers' light touch.
Premier Cru vineyards
Indigenous yeast
12-18 months élevage
Unfiltered
Savigny-lès-Beaune
Village RougeFrom the gentle slopes of Savigny—elegant, red-fruited, with fine tannins. Often whole-bunch vinified. A perfect introduction to the domaine's style: fresh, fruit-forward, with the vertical structure that belies its village status.
Clay-limestone soils
Whole bunch
No chaptalization
~12.5% alcohol
Chorey-lès-Beaune
Village Blanc & RougeThe rare white Chorey (usually 96% red in the appellation) is a specialty—fresh, round, with lovely floral and stone fruit aromatics. The red shows the supple, early-drinking character of this often-overlooked village, but with serious terroir depth.
Old vines (40-60 years)
Organic farming
Old barrels only
Exceptional value
Bourgogne Côte d'Or
Regional / MontreculFrom the "Montrecul" lieu-dit near Ladoix—essentially declassified village-level terroir. Both red and white offer remarkable quality for the appellation. The white shows surprising density and length; the red is pure, bright Pinot with lively acidity [^61^].
lieu-dit Montrecul
Clay-limestone
Hand-harvested
~$40-50 (exceptional value)
Coteaux Bourguignons
Regional RedA blend that would make traditionalists blanch—Gamay and Pinot Noir together, the former bringing fruit and glou-glou, the latter structure and seriousness. The result is irresistibly drinkable: fresh, fruity, with enough backbone to keep it interesting.
Carbonic/whole bunch
No added sulfur
Chillable, crushable
Glou-glou with structure
Seasonal Label Art
Wines bottled and released in spring feature label art with a cockerel and fox—symbols of morning energy and clever adaptation. These wines tend to be fresher, younger-drinking cuvées.
Autumn releases show a deer and peregrine falcon—representing grace and precision. These often include the more structured, age-worthy wines from the range, released after additional élevage.