Domaine Debray Winery Guide

EXPLORE ALL OUR RECOMMENDED FRENCH WINERIES

Last updated: February 29, 2024

Winery Overview

An exciting new face in the Burgundy wine region, Domaine Debray, has quickly established a formidable reputation for its wines’ quality and consistency. Combining integrity and know-how with a desire to interfere with their vineyards as little as possible, Debray is now a trusted source of both superlative red and white Burgundies. The first generation of the Debray family to go into winemaking has proven to be quick studies, making stylish reds and whites at every level but especially from choice vineyards in some of the region’s leading Premier and Grand Crus. Indeed, with such impressive results already achieved, one wonders what this Domaine has in store for Burgundy lovers in years to come!

Domaine Debray is one of the newest addresses in the Côte-d’Or, founded in 2006 by Yvonnick Debray. It is located on the site of a beautiful historic building constructed about 100 years ago, near the small city of Beaune. Of course, Beaune itself requires little introduction. Burgundy’s wine nerve center, this delightful place, has retained a timeless atmosphere inside its city walls; ancient streets and buildings are full of tempting shops, cafes, and restaurants, drawing many visitors in the summer months. Drawn from a young age to the world of wine, Yvonnick, originally from Brittany, trained as an accountant and sold wine at fairs throughout France for over 20 years. His love of Burgundy and its wines finally encouraged him to take the plunge and leave behind his old life for good in 2006, purchasing some vineyards in the Cote’ d’Or, banking on a successful career in winemaking. Debray has since been vindicated.

Today, the Domaine has managed to create a name for itself in a short space of time and in a very crowded arena – no small feat! Luminaries such as Jancis Robinson MW have lavished high praise on the wines, a testament to the hard work of Yvonnick, his wife, daughter, and their small team. Recognition must particularly be given to master winemaker Philippe Terreau, whose wines have taken on an extra vigor and concentration in recent vintages. But at the heart of this winery’s success is its devotion to non-interference in the vineyards, allowing the unique character of an individual terroir to shine through in the wines. Only using chemical fertilizers and pest controls when deemed necessary and respect for terroir, above all else, underpins this Domaine’s approach. The resulting wines are simply lovelery fruit-driven and harmonious—a most reliable address in the Côte-d’Or.