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GÉRARD DOREAU,<br />
WITH HIS WIFE RÉJANE AND<br />
HIS TWO CHILDREN,<br />
JÉRÔME AND EMILIE<br />
THE FAMOUS VILLAGE<br />
OF MONTHÉLIE<br />
DOMAINE DOREAU: SEAMLESS TRANSITION<br />
At this remarkable estate, passed down through the generations, family is the<br />
common thread. At the end of the 19th century, Pierre Doreau bought plots of land<br />
in order to replant vines decimated by phylloxera. The business then prospered<br />
and grew. The present-day Domaine Doreau crafts authentic wines from prime<br />
grape varieties grown on 6 hectares of vines located within top appellations such<br />
as Monthélie and Pommard. Sustainable farming and respect for the environment<br />
and vineyard sites dictate choice of vineyard management and winemaking techniques.<br />
This stringent approach enabled the winery to secure High Environmental<br />
Value certification in 2019. Tillage is used in the vineyards from March to July but<br />
for the rest of the year, natural ground cover is left with grassed headlands.<br />
Much thought is given to vineyard treatments, with products authorised for<br />
organic farming the preferred option wherever possible. “Securing the endorsement<br />
did not have any particular effect on our farming methods because our<br />
practices already aligned with HVE standards”, stresses Jérôme Doreau, the<br />
estate’s manager. “Also, it is difficult to ascertain whether switching to HVE led<br />
to greater appeal and demand for the wines because Burgundy is so popular<br />
at the moment and inventory is low. The endorsement does not necessarily act<br />
as a magnet. However, it does reassure customers who come to the cellar door<br />
and ask us how we farm, though it has yet to become an advantage for exports”.<br />
AUTUMN 2022 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE<br />
97
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