Domaine Etienne Sauzet

Etienne Sauzet established his domaine in Puligny-Montrachet in the early 1920s, building a holdings centered on the village's most celebrated white wine vineyards. The estate passed to his granddaughter Jeanine Boillot, and her husband Gérard Boudot took the helm in 1974, shaping much of the domaine's modern identity and reputation. In 1991, ownership was divided among three of Sauzet's grandchildren, a common Burgundian inheritance pattern that redistributed parcels but left the Boudot family managing the core of the estate. Estate bottling, a mark of quality seriousness, has been practiced at Sauzet since approximately 1950, well ahead of many peers in the Côte de Beaune.

• Founded early 1920s by Etienne Sauzet in Puligny-Montrachet, Côte de Beaune
• Gérard Boudot took over management as son-in-law in 1974
• 1991 ownership split among three Sauzet grandchildren redistributed parcels
• Estate bottling practiced at the domaine since approximately 1950

The domaine entered its fourth generation in the early 2000s when Gérard Boudot's daughter Émilie Boudot and her husband Benoît Riffault gradually assumed leadership. Riffault joined in 2002 and became the primary winemaker around 2005, bringing a precise and technically rigorous approach that complemented the estate's existing reputation. Émilie participates actively in the winemaking, and Gérard Boudot continues in an advisory and coaching capacity as of 2023 and 2024, ensuring continuity across generations. Together, the couple has deepened the domaine's commitment to sustainable viticulture and maintained its position among the most sought-after addresses in Burgundy.

• Émilie Boudot and Benoît Riffault assumed lead management from approximately 2000 to 2002
• Riffault, Émilie's husband, became primary winemaker around 2005 after joining in 2002
• Gérard Boudot remains in advisory capacity as of 2023 to 2024
• Currently fourth-generation family management of the estate

Sauzet farms approximately 15 hectares centered almost entirely in Puligny-Montrachet, one of the most prestigious white wine communes on earth. The estate owns parcels in Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Crus outright, while purchased grapes from trusted growers allow production of Le Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet. At Premier Cru level, nine parcels span some of the appellation's finest sites: Combettes, Les Folatières, Champ Canet, La Garenne, Les Perrieres, Les Referts, Champ Gain, La Truffière, and Hameau de Blagny. Additional holdings include Puligny-Montrachet Village, Bourgogne Blanc, Chassagne-Montrachet parcels, and a Hautes-Côtes de Beaune vineyard at Cormot-le-Grand (Jardin du Calvaire) acquired after 2014.

• Four Grand Cru appellations including estate-owned Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet
• Nine named Premier Cru parcels in Puligny-Montrachet across 15 total hectares
• Le Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet produced using purchased grapes to maintain production continuity
• Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Jardin du Calvaire at Cormot-le-Grand added to holdings after 2014

Every wine at Sauzet is made from Chardonnay; the domaine does not produce red wine. Viticulture shifted to certified organic practices in 2006, and the estate has been certified biodynamic since 2013, having practiced biodynamic methods from 2009 to 2010 onwards. In the cellar, grapes are hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed, and fermented with ambient yeasts in oak barrels. Lees aging ranges from 6 to 18 months depending on the cuvée, allowing village wines to express freshness while Grand Cru and Premier Cru bottlings develop the depth and texture the estate is known for. The approach is attentive and precise, aimed at expressing individual site character rather than imposing a heavy winemaking signature.

• Exclusively Chardonnay across the entire range; no red wines produced
• Certified organic since 2006; certified biodynamic since 2013 (practicing since 2009 to 2010)
• Hand-harvested, whole-bunch pressed, fermented with ambient yeasts in oak
• Lees aging from 6 months (village wines) to 18 months (Grand Cru and Premier Cru)

Domaine Etienne Sauzet represents the gold standard for white Burgundy from Puligny-Montrachet, a benchmark against which other estates in the appellation are measured. With four Grand Cru appellations and nine Premier Cru parcels, the range offers a comprehensive map of what Puligny can achieve at every level of the hierarchy. The combination of century-old roots, biodynamic farming, and a technically precise winemaking team in Riffault and Boudot gives the domaine unusual consistency across vintages. Allocated production and strong critical reception, including recognition of the 2024 vintage as one of the three greatest successes in Burgundy that year, mean bottles are genuinely difficult to source. For students and collectors alike, Sauzet is an essential reference point for understanding how terroir, farming philosophy, and cellar craft converge in great white Burgundy.

• Considered one of the top three or four estates in Puligny-Montrachet
• Approximately 100,000 bottles produced annually; wines are allocated and commercially scarce
• 2024 vintage named one of three greatest Burgundy successes by Burgundy-Report
• Four-generation family continuity since the 1920s with documented biodynamic commitment since 2013