Bertrand Machard de Gramont Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Terrasses des Vallerots 2010

Bertrand Machard de Gramont created the estate in 1983 after having worked for many years for the family domain. Axelle Machard de Gramont took over the family domaine from her father in 2004. Since then, the quality of the wines and the reputation of the domaine have increased exponentially from year to year. Axelle was not originally planning to be a winemaker, and so she is influenced not only by her experience growing up in Burgundy, but also from a decade living away from the domaine, which gives her the rare perspective of both an insider and an outsider. Since returning to the Cote d’Or, Axelle has fully and completely embraced the life of the vigneronne, learning each of her vineyards by heart, and dedicated herself to making exceptional Burgundy. She converted to domaine to organic viticulture, and taking a minimal intervention approach in the cellar. The result are wines with softer, elegant structure, that retain the rich fruit of the best Pinot Noir from the Cote de Nuits.

The domaine is composed of several village vineyards in Nuits-Saint-George -- including the 80 year old vines in Aux Allots near the border with Vosne-Romanée, and Les Terrasses des Vallerots, which Axelle’s father Bertrand reterraced and planted in 2002 on a plot that had been abandoned since the late 1800s. In addition, there is a tiny vineyard of Aligoté hidden next to the ruins of the Abbaye Saint-Vivant, a beautifully scenic spot off the beaten path.