For those with vested interest in the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation will recognise the name Domaine des Chézeaux, an established estate previously owned by the Mercier family. Yet in an exciting turn of events, one of our young guns, Charles Van Canneyt, has purchased the Domaine and now has full control of the vines and overall estate!
This is the young man that has spent the last 17 years at the helm of Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat after his grandfather retired in 2008 and has made it bloom into the great estate it is today. From the gradual modernisation of the equipment and altering the vinification little by little, Charles has truly transformed the family domaine and with it stamped his name in the list of Rising Stars of Burgundy. Alongside this hard work, he also started his very own negoce label ‘Charles Van Canneyt’ in 2012 exploring all the vineyards that were just out of reach of his own plots and given him the opportunity to further develop his craft with different terroirs. Willing to take on another challenge (because why not add a third label to your name!), Charles and his wife Anne-Sophie won out the competition and secured the purchase of Domaine des Chézeaux in 2021.
“As most readers will almost certainly know by now, Van Canneyt is a serious talent and thus his new venture is clearly one to follow closely.” - Allen Meadows, Burghound.
From this purchase Charles settled with just over 3 hectares in Gevrey-Chambertin after the negotiations with contract holders were finalised. His holdings now include the monopole Clos des Chézeaux, Premier Crus Les Cazetiers in Gevrey and Les Charmes in Chambolle, and three Grand Crus Clos Saint-Denis, Chambertin, and Griotte-Chambertin. All impeccable plots to have vines in, a special note should be made for the Clos des Chézeaux vines being of almost 100 years of age (planted in 1929). Of course the Griotte-Chambertin plot cannot be overlooked either as Charles is now the largest vineyard holder in this Grand Cru site with a massive 1.264 hectares of vines.
Wasting no time, they began construction on a new cuverie that will sit within the grounds of the lieu-dit Le Chézeaux, looking to develop cellars that are deep, cold and humid. His first couple of vintages have been vinified in the Hudelot-Noëllat winery while the new one is being built, yet following the winemaking the cuvees are all moved to the Chézeaux cellars to age. While it may not seem so groundbreaking, this slight change of location for the ageing of wine can have significant impact, with the wines maturing cycle slowing just a little within a cooler and slightly more humid cellar. This means these stunning Gevrey-Chambertins would love a little extra time in bottle to age to perfection.
Now I could go on and on about how impressive this reinvigorated version of Domaine des Chézeaux will be but I believe the wines will speak for themselves. The debut 2023 vintage will be released later this year (2025) and be the perfect new addition to your cellar.
The Wines
“The 2023 vintage is the first that Charles van Canneyt has produced at Domaine des Chézeaux, which he an his wife Anne-Sophie Gagey acquired recently. Sharecropping agreements with Ponsot, Berthaut and René Leclerc were concluded, so van Canneyt is now farming the parcels and making the wines. The winemaking approach is much the same as at Hudelot-Noëllat.” - William Kelley, Wine Advocate.
Gevrey-Chambertin “Clos des Chézeaux” 2023
Attractive aromas of cherries, sweet dark berries and peony introduce the 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos des Chézeaux, followed by a medium to full-bodied, lively palate built around sweet, powdery tannins. This well-situated vineyard surrounds the domaine's historic buildings, below premier cru Cazetiers. 89-91 points, William Kelley, Wine Advocate.
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru “Cazetiers” 2023
The 2023 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er Cru comes from the parcel that Amelie Berthaut was farming and was matured in 40% new oak. This has a delightful, beautifully defined bouquet with brambly red fruit, crushed stone and violet scents that blossom with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with saturated tannins. A touch of orange peel infuses the dark cherry fruit with a crackle of black pepper on the finish. This has a lot of potential. 92-94 points, Neal Martin, Vinous.
Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru 2023
The 2023 Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru comes from 1.3 hectares of the climat - half its acreage. The bouquet is beautifully defined, with black cherry, blueberry and violet scents all blossoming in the glass. Fresh and sapid, the palate is medium-bodied with succulent, ripe tannins and a keen line of acidity. There is superb structure and grip on the finish. This will need time to reach its plateau. 93-95 points, Neal Martin, Vinous.