Domaine dandelion

Mavilly-Mandelot, Burgundy, France

Domaine Dandelion is a small Burgundian Domaine in the upper reaches of the Hautes Côtes de Beaune. Though just a stone's throw from famous villages like Pommard and Meursault, the village Dandelion calls home, Mavilly-Mandelot, is practically unkown.

Morgane Seuillot (from Burgundy) and her partner Christian Knott (from Australia) now farm 6 different parcels over 4 hectares near their cellar and home. Each vineyard is small and farmed uniquely to the others - though they are all organic with some Biodynamic principles employed. There are no tractors in the vines - everything is horse plowed. Morgane does almost all the work herself, by hand or with her father and their 2 horses Safran and Reine. Though Christian, who's day job as head winemaker at Chandon de Brialles (biodynamic) is heavily involved as well. The Dandelion vines are old and low yielding and require delicate care and attention. The farming is beyond just organic though. Copper and sulfur treatments are virtually abandoned, with milk from an organic dairy farm sprayed instead of sulfur. Indeed, spend time with Christean and Morgane you will learn more about true organic agriculture than anywhere else. They primarily farm Pinot Noir, but they have some Gamay and Aligote in miniscule quantities as well.

In the cellar nothing is added (no sulfites), ferments are with native yeast in concrete. The reds are in whole bunches, with partial carbonic. When destemming is required, it is done by hand. The press, which is shared with Santini Fréres, and Vin Noé (who we also imoport) is an old wooden vertical basket press. Wines are aged in old, neutral Burgundy barrels. Wines are racked once before bottling, not with a pump, but by hand.  

Even the labels for the bottles are made by hand from an old-fashioned paper mill in the Auvergne. The paper is made from cotton, linen, and hemp with bluet flowers mixed in. They are cut and applied to each bottle by hand. Morgane's handwriting and drawings make up the imagery.  

The wines are nothing short of exquisite. Dark and rich, reminiscent of wines from much more famous and expensive vineyards in Burgundy, but there is a brightness and lightness to them as well. The wines are complex, long, ethereal and utterly drinkable. With Burgundy wines becoming more and more commercial, overpriced and lifeless each year, Domaine Dandelion stands out as not just one of the best Domaines in Burgundy, but in all of France. 

Domaine Dandelion Hautes Cote Pinot Noir

Whole cluster, long elevage, 0/0. complex, dark and deep. A very special wine indeed.

Retail

• Ellement Wines & Spirits

• Kenaston Wine Market