Domaine DandelionMorgane & Christian
No tractors, no pumps, no sulfites. An Australian from Bondi and a Burgundian native prove that horse power and handmade paper can produce Pinot Noir that rivals Grand Cru—just over the hill from Beaune.
From an espresso cart in Beaune's market to the Hautes Côtes—how an Australian winemaker and a native Burgundian transformed family vines into natural wine gold.
In 2016, Morgane Seuillot took over her family's one hectare of vines in Mavilly-Mandelot, a village "practically unknown" despite being a stone's throw from Pommard and Meursault. She had met Christian Knott, an Australian from Bondi, Sydney, at his espresso cart in Beaune's Saturday market—introduced by Morgane's mother [^126^][^135^].
Christian had been living in Burgundy since 2009 and was (until recently) head winemaker at the prestigious Domaine Chandon de Briailles in Savigny-lès-Beaune. The couple began working the family vineyards together, expanding to 4 hectares across 6-7 parcels in Mavilly-Mandelot and nearby Meloisey [^137^][^138^].
They work with Morgane's father's two horses, Safran and Reine, refusing tractors entirely. When Morgane's father passed away in 2022, the horses became central to their operation—living proof that traditional methods can produce wines to rival the region's Grand Crus [^141^].
"If you stick your hand in the ground, it's soft and fluffy, not dense and hard"—milk instead of sulfur, horses instead of tractors, hand-cut labels with embedded flowers.
The farming is beyond organic—copper and sulfur treatments are virtually abandoned, replaced with milk from an organic dairy farm sprayed on the vines. Morgane grows favas and peas between rows for nitrogen fixation, earning ribbing from the older generation accustomed to chemical monoculture: "Pff, Morgane et ses petits pois!" [^141^].
Their cellar is an exercise in historical reconstruction: no pumps anywhere in the workflow, no synthetic products, wines racked by hand rather than machine. An old wooden vertical basket press shared with friends handles all the pressing. Fermentations occur with native yeasts in concrete tanks, reds are whole bunch with partial carbonic maceration, and when destemming is required, it's done by hand [^135^][^140^].
Even the labels are handmade: paper from a 15th-century mill in Auvergne (Moulin Vallis Clausa) composed of cotton, linen, and hemp with hand-pressed cornflowers, calendula, grasses, and ferns grown on site. Morgane cuts each label by hand, stamps her bird drawing, and graphs the name manually. Every bottle is labeled and applied by hand—"a real find considering how difficult it can be for small scale vignerons to exist in this part of France" [^126^][^135^].
Not Dense & Hard
Meloisey and Mavilly-Mandelot—where the Hautes Côtes de Beaune meets horse power. Just over the hill from Saint-Romain, a month later than the Côte.
Later
The harvest in Hautes Côtes de Beaune is nearly a month later than the rest of Burgundy due to the higher elevation and cooler climate. This extended hang time creates different flavor profiles—more freshness, less jam [^126^].
Only
No tractors—everything is plowed by Morgane's father's horses, Safran and Reine. "The soil is definitely less compacted if you use horses. If you stick your hand in the ground, it's soft and fluffy, not dense and hard" [^141^].
Vines
Old, low-yielding vines requiring delicate care. The parcels are small and each is farmed uniquely, with biodynamic principles employed throughout. Badgers and wildlife are neighbors, requiring fencing of isolated parcels [^141^].
From the ethereal "Hautes Côtes Nature" to the forbidden fruit—Pinot Noir, Aligoté, and Gamay from old vines and sandy soils.
Hautes Côtes Nature
The wine that made their reputation—pure Pinot Noir made in the true Burgundian tradition. Whole bunches macerated 20 days, delicately foot-pressed before pressing in the old wooden vertical press. Aged in old, multi-wine barrels to avoid wood marking. No sulfur used (<10mg/L). Dark, rich, and complex with brightness and lightness—"reminiscent of wines from much more famous and expensive vineyards" [^125^][^135^].
Fruit Défendu
"Forbidden Fruit"—from a recovered parcel of hundred-year-old vines that Morgane and Christian fought tirelessly to save from uprooting. Small quantities but big emotions. The 2023 vintage shows what ancient vines on limestone can produce when farmed with patience and love [^125^][^128^].
La Plage
"On the Beach"—a blend of 3 different plots in Hautes Côtes de Beaune with partly sandy soils, which explains the name. This sandy terroir makes the wine extremely drinkable, with finesse and verticality. A new cuvée launched in 2023 representing the lighter, more ethereal side of their terroir [^125^].
Pétillant Naturel
Made from direct pressing of Pinot Noir and Gamay grapes with 24-hour skin maceration. Fermented for one month in vats before bottling without sulfites. Energetic, fruity, refreshing—"a little firecracker" with immediately delightful qualities. Perfect for aperitif but structured enough for the table [^125^].
Cidre Dandelion
Since 2021, Christian has applied the same rigorous standards to cider. Apples from five different independent growers in northern Burgundy (mostly 80-100 year old trees of unknown varieties), pressed without pumps, aged in wood without sulfites. "Vinous, more like a pet-nat style"—competition-grade cider designed for the table, not just dessert. Remarkable texture and depth [^124^][^125^].
Aligoté
Tiny quantities of old-vine Aligoté vinified with the same non-interventionist philosophy. Native yeast fermentation in concrete, no filtration, minimal or no sulfur. The rarity of these bottles makes them instant collectibles among natural wine enthusiasts [^126^][^127^].
Horse Power in the Hautes Côtes
Domaine Dandelion represents the new face of Burgundy—not in the flashy Grand Cru estates of the Côte, but in the overlooked Hautes Côtes where young vignerons can still afford land. By proving that horse-plowed, hand-pressed, zero-sulfur wines from "unknown" villages can rival the complexity of famous terroirs, Morgane and Christian have inspired a generation of young Burgundians to farm traditionally [^135^][^141^].
Their success is measured not in hectares or price points, but in the "soft and fluffy" soil beneath their vines and the handmade labels that carry cornflowers from their own garden. In an era where Burgundy becomes increasingly commercial and inaccessible, Domaine Dandelion stands as proof that the region's soul still lives in the Hautes Côtes, accessible to those who work with humility and horses.
- Revival of horse traction in Burgundy
- Zero-sulfur Pinot Noir from Hautes Côtes
- Handmade paper labels with embedded flowers
- Preservation of 100+ year old vine parcels
- Milk-based viticulture (no sulfur sprays)
- Artisanal cider using wine standards