Domaine Long-Depaquit

The roots of Domaine Long-Depaquit run through the monastic past of Chablis. The Cistercian monks of the Abbey of Pontigny were among the first to cultivate vines in the region, including the parcel that would become La Moutonne. During the French Revolution, Jean Depaquit, a former priest of Pontigny, acquired the abbey's vineyards as national property; his son Benjamin later adopted François-Auguste Long, giving rise to the Long-Depaquit name. The château was built in 1791, and the property was bought by the Beaune négociant house Albert Bichot around 1970. Albert Bichot, run by Albéric Bichot as the sixth generation of the family since 1996, built a new eco-friendly winery at the estate in 2014. In 2018 the domaine named Cecilia Trimaille, formerly of Château Margaux, as its régisseur, the first woman to head a Bichot estate, and Louis Gimonnet took over the role from 2021.

• Origins in the vineyards of the Cistercian Abbey of Pontigny, acquired during the Revolution
• The Long-Depaquit name arose when Benjamin Depaquit adopted François-Auguste Long
• Château built 1791; bought by Beaune négociant Albert Bichot around 1970
• New eco-winery built in 2014; Cecilia Trimaille named régisseur in 2018, with Louis Gimonnet from 2021

La Moutonne is the domaine's most famous holding and one of Chablis's most distinctive vineyards. This 2.35-hectare monopole sits in a natural amphitheater at the heart of the Grand Cru hill, with a south-southeast exposure and a steep central slope that shelters the vines from north winds. It straddles two official Grand Cru climats, roughly 95 percent within Vaudésir and 5 percent within Les Preuses. Cultivated by the monks of Pontigny before the Revolution, it passed to Jean Depaquit with the rest of the abbey's land. La Moutonne is not itself one of the seven officially named Chablis Grands Crus, but since the 1950s its wine has been permitted to use the Grand Cru designation, making it in effect an unofficial eighth Grand Cru and the estate's flagship bottling.

• 2.35-hectare monopole solely owned by Long-Depaquit
• Straddles Vaudésir (about 95%) and Les Preuses (about 5%)
• Natural amphitheater with south-southeast exposure and a steep central slope
• Not an official Grand Cru climat, but Grand Cru labeling has been allowed since the 1950s

Beyond La Moutonne, Long-Depaquit is one of the most complete estates for studying Chablis Grand Cru, with parcels in five of the seven official climats: Les Clos, the most powerful and age-worthy; Vaudésir, floral and concentrated; Blanchot, at the eastern end of the hill with elegant, morning-sun fruit; Bougros, on the western flank; and Les Preuses. Grenouilles, the smallest Grand Cru and dominated by the La Chablisienne cooperative, is the notable absence. The estate also holds a deep range of Premier Crus, including Montée de Tonnerre, Vaillons, Montmains, and Les Vaucopins, alongside village Chablis. Together these holdings span both banks of the Serein and a wide spread of exposures, offering a rare side-by-side view of how slope and aspect shape Chablis.

• Five of seven official Grand Crus: Les Clos, Vaudésir, Blanchot, Bougros, and Les Preuses
• Grenouilles, dominated by the La Chablisienne cooperative, is the notable absence
• Premier Crus include Montée de Tonnerre, Vaillons, Montmains, and Les Vaucopins
• Holdings span both banks of the Serein and a wide range of exposures

Long-Depaquit's vineyards lie on the Kimmeridgian clay-limestone that defines Chablis, a marl rich in fossilized oyster shells that gives the wines their saline, mineral cut. In the cellar the approach is precise and restrained: the village Chablis is fermented entirely in stainless steel to preserve purity, while the Premier and Grand Crus see a measured proportion of older oak that adds texture without overt oak flavor. Parcels are vinified separately to keep the identity of each site before assembly. The new 2014 winery supports this parcel-by-parcel work with greater precision and lower environmental impact. The estate is certified at High Environmental Value level 3 and is part of Albert Bichot's group-wide conversion to certified organic viticulture.

• Vineyards on Kimmeridgian clay-limestone rich in fossil oyster shells
• Village Chablis fermented in stainless steel; crus see measured older oak
• Parcels vinified separately to preserve individual site character
• High Environmental Value level 3, with Albert Bichot's group-wide organic conversion

Long-Depaquit is one of the best single windows onto the full range of Chablis. Few estates can show village, Premier Cru, and five of the seven Grand Crus from one cellar, and fewer still own a monopole as storied as La Moutonne. Its Cistercian origins through the Abbey of Pontigny tie it directly to the monastic roots of Burgundian viticulture, while its scale and the resources of Albert Bichot give it consistency across a broad range. For students, the estate is a ready reference for Chablis Grand Cru geography, the special case of La Moutonne, and the Kimmeridgian terroir that sets the appellation apart from the rest of Burgundy.

• A rare single-estate study of village, Premier Cru, and five Grand Crus of Chablis
• Owns La Moutonne, one of Chablis's most storied monopoles
• Cistercian origins through the Abbey of Pontigny tie it to Burgundy's monastic past
• A useful reference for Grand Cru geography and the Kimmeridgian terroir of Chablis