Lucien Boillot & Fils — the wines we carry

The history of the Boillot family dates back to the 1850s, when François Boillot began making wine in the village of Volnay. Not only did his son, Victor Boillot, serve as the mayor of Volnay alongside his winemaking, but he also maintained a close friendship with Louis Pasteur—the preeminent French biochemist and bacteriologist of the time who discovered that yeast causes alcoholic fermentation—receiving advice from him primarily on maintaining the health of the wines. Furthermore, Victor’s nephew, Paul Masson, emigrated to San Francisco to start a wine business, and California wines from San Jose still bear his name today. Today, descendants of François carry on the Boillot name, crafting wines across various corners of Burgundy. Situated on the outskirts of Gevrey-Chambertin, the domaine is led by the sixth-generation head, Pierre Boillot, whose philosophy is to craft wines that express the nuances of terroir and the vibrant acidity of Pinot Noir, rather than striving for mass appeal. The estate spans approximately 7 hectares of vineyards with diverse terroirs, stretching broadly from Gevrey-Chambertin in the Côte de Nuits down to Puligny-Montrachet in the Côte de Beaune. The soils are fundamentally clay-limestone, and across all appellations, the vines are remarkably old, with numerous parcels exceeding 100 years of age. For these ancient vines, yields are strictly limited to four clusters per vine, and herbicides are never used. From these venerable vines come concentrated wines endowed with a ruby brilliance. Within France, their wines are featured in esteemed establishments such as Alain Ducasse and the three-star Parisian restaurant Lasserre. All grapes are harvested entirely by hand and undergo 100% destemming to extract delicate and supple tannins from the skins. Cold maceration is then carried out for three to five days to draw out the color and aromas of Pinot Noir, followed by alcoholic fermentation using indigenous yeasts in enamel tanks for 18 to 21 days at a maximum temperature of 32°C, with pump-overs performed one to two times daily. Aging takes place in oak barrels with 25–30% new oak for 18 to 25 months. Finally, the wines are bottled without fining or filtration. 株式会社フィネス資料