Francois de Nicolay is best known for steering the historic Domaine Chandon de Briailles, but under his own name he runs a small negociant project chasing the purest possible expression of Burgundy.
Backstory
Born in 1970, Francois de Nicolay returned to his family's Savigny-les-Beaune estate, Chandon de Briailles, in 2001 after running a wine shop in Paris and traveling widely. He took the reins alongside his sister Claude. Convinced by the benefits of biodynamics he saw at the family domaine, he started his own negociant label around 2000 to make naturally crafted Burgundy from bought-in fruit.
The Region
The wines come from across Burgundy and into the Beaujolais, sourced exclusively from organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards belonging to friends, and bottled as everything from regional Bourgogne to Hautes-Cotes-de-Beaune and Beaujolais-Villages.
Vineyards and Farming
At Chandon de Briailles the family converted to biodynamics, with the domaine certified by Ecocert and Demeter; the home estate has been certified biodynamic since around 2011 and 2012. For his negociant cuvees Francois insists on fruit from organic and biodynamic growers, extending that philosophy beyond his own land.
Winemaking
Francois works with minimal intervention: spontaneous fermentations with native yeasts, aging in neutral, older barrels rather than new oak, no fining or filtration, and little or no added sulfur. At the domaine the house style favors whole-cluster fermentation and very low new oak even for grand cru wines.
The Wines
The negociant range covers pure Bourgogne Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Hautes-Cotes-de-Beaune, Beaujolais-Villages and the petillant naturel Objectif Bulles, all aiming for transparency and energy with a light hand in the cellar.
