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Henri de Villamont Winery Guide

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Winery Overview

A legend throughout Côte-d’Or, Henri de Villamont can be easily spotted from miles around due to its famous “Guettes Tower” and beautiful manor house, which has drawn wine lovers on a Burgundy pilgrimage for many decades. Located in the heart of one of the region’s prettiest villages, Savigny Les Beaune, Henri de Villamont is a magical place, surrounded by high walls and scores of Premier Cru vineyards. The property has been owned by a major Swiss family company in the wine business for over 20 years; the winery now boasts an impressive cellar with a capacity for 4,000 French oak barrels. However, despite the initial impression of large (by local standards) volumes, quality (not quantity) is the overriding aim of this estate. The winemaking philosophy of cellar master Pierre Jehan has always been to express each appellation’s typicity, respecting what the terroir and vintage give. The resulting wines are never anything less than excellent – bottles bursting with depth, weight, texture, and elegance.

This historic cellar traces its roots to the latter part of the 19th century and is closely connected to the history of the famous Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru vineyard. At the time, its sole owner, Leonce Bocquet, wished to embark upon an unprecedented project for his family and create a modern winery and cellar at the heart of the Cote de Beaune. After searching for the perfect location, Bocquet decided upon the village of Savigny-Les-Beaune. At the time, the leading architect, Albert Suisse, was commissioned to build the winery, a monumental undertaking that took eight years.

However, the result was worth the effort – a, by the standards of the time, deluxe winery facility with a formidable barrel cellar and the latest equipment at the winemakers’ disposal. The family kept control of the estate for many years until it fell into the Martenot family’s hands, who used the property as a base for their cheese business, no less! The property’s salvation came from Schenk, a Swiss firm that purchased the estate in 1964. Schenk named the property ‘Henri de Villamont’ – in honor of a crusading knight who retired in the village. In 1969, Schenk added the famous Dr. Arthur Barolet cellar to their purchases.

The Schenk group has recently invested significant sums into maintaining Henri de Villamont at the highest level. It should be commended for the care and attention they have bestowed upon this historic cellar. At the cost of over 2 million Euros, a new winery was installed in 2006, and yields have been significantly reduced – a fraction of what was produced in the 1990s. Pierre Jean, who joined Henri de Villamont in 1999, is still in charge of the winemaking and continues to craft excellent wines across the board – be it a Puligny Montrachet or a Pommard Premier Cru. Such consistency across a large range of appellations where the estate has holdings is laudable, particularly as the wines have a grace and charm that sets them apart. Oak is always perfectly judged and never overwhelms the magic of fruit inherent to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown in Burgundy. So, please don’t come here looking for powerful blockbusters but rather elegant, beautiful wines that remain true to their Burgundian appellations. Formidable!

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Further Reading

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French Wine Classifications

July 9, 2024

Discover the rich history and traditions that have shaped French wine production, from the creation of regulated appellations to the rise of natural wines.

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Author

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James lawrence

With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has been writing for a wide variety of publications for over 12 years, including Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.

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