Domaine Chicotot

France, Burgundy
www.domaine-chicotot.com/en

A 7 hectare domaine in Nuits Saint Georges currently run by Pascale and Clément Chicotot, who describe themselves as 'vignerons...simplement'. They say that only natural methods have been used for several generations and the domaine is certified organic.

The various vineyards consist of nearly two and a half hectares of Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir, and two plots in the Côte de Beaune:
Ladoix - 50 ares
Aloxe Corton - 1er Cru La Coutière (a micro parcel of under 5 ares)
and in the Côte de Nuits
Nuits Saint Georges - Village - Plantes au Baron 15 ares
Nuits Saint Georges - Village - Aux Saint Juliens 22 ares
Nuits Saint-Georges - Village - Vieilles Vignes (cuvée also bottled as 'Papillon de Nuys') 1ha 16 ares
Nuits Saint Georges – Village - Charmottes 29 ares
Nuits Saint Georges – Village - Aux Allots 66 ares in 5 plots
Nuits Saint Georges – 1er Cru Vaucrains - 24 ares
Nuits Saint Georges – 1er Cru Pruliers - 9 ares
Nuits Saint Georges – 1er Cru Saint Georges - 22 ares
Nuits Saint Georges – 1er Cru Aux Torey - 32 ares
Nuits Saint Georges – 1er cru Les Rues de chaux - 29 ares

Vinification is traditional, the fermentation beginning after 5 to 6 days of cold maceration and lasting around 15 days, with remontage or pigeage as necessary and aged in barrel with a maximum of 25% new wood. SO2 levels are very low. The wines are well-coloured and well-defined and expressive - lots of personality here, with the village wines (which are all on the Vosne side of Nuits) near 1er Cru quality.

The picture shows Clément and Pascale with the graphic design they've used as the label for the old-vine cuvée 'Papillon de Nuys'.

The Chicotots were previously sharecroppers for the Liger-Belair family (Thibault’s branch) which explains some of the holdings which they have. Clément (son of Georges and Pascale) Chicotot has put the domaine through organic certification, is exploring biodynamics and is keen on encouraging biodiversity: trees in the vineyard and an insect hotel in the Rue de Chaux. Caterpillar tractors, chenillards, are replacing full size tractors too. On the winemaking side, the decision to include whole bunches or not depends on the vineyard (none for the 2019 Aux Allots, 100% for Plantes Au Baron). No new wood is employed at village level, maximum one new in four for the crus, with barrels as they age being reserved for the same vineyard each year.

Judging by the 2019 vintage, Clément and Pascale Chicotot are making some high class Nuits-St-Georges with considerable elegance. Picking started on 5th September 2019. The wines came out of barrel in November for bottling without filtration in February.

Jasper Morris - Inside Burgundy  (Aug 2021)


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