La Taupine

La Taupine sits immediately east of Monthélie village on the Côte de Beaune, positioned close to the boundary with Meursault. This placement near one of Burgundy's most celebrated white wine communes gives La Taupine a distinctive geographic context. Neighboring premiers crus include Le Cas Rougeot and Les Champs Fulliots, both of which share similar terrain characteristics. The east-facing aspect and high-altitude position shape the cooler microclimate that defines the vineyard's growing conditions.

• Borders the Meursault appellation to the east
• Adjacent to premiers crus Le Cas Rougeot and Les Champs Fulliots
• High-altitude, east-facing slope orientation
• Part of the broader cool Burgundian climate zone

The soils of La Taupine follow the classic Côte de Beaune template of clay-limestone, with the specific composition including clay, silica, and iron oxide. The iron oxide component contributes to a slight warmth in the soil profile, which can be significant given the cooler temperatures associated with the vineyard's elevation and east-facing aspect. Clay content supports water retention and adds structure and depth to the resulting wines, while the limestone fraction delivers the mineral backbone characteristic of premier cru Monthélie.

• Primary soil type: Clay-limestone
• Notable mineral components: Silica and iron oxide
• Clay fraction supports water retention and wine structure
• Limestone provides characteristic mineral character

La Taupine produces red wine exclusively from Pinot Noir, in a savory and classic style typical of Monthélie's premier cru tier. The vineyard's tiny 1.5-hectare footprint translates directly into extremely limited production volumes. As of 2021, only a single Pinot Noir wine carrying the La Taupine designation appeared in major wine databases, making this one of the most obscure premier cru climats in all of Burgundy. Collectors and Burgundy specialists seeking this label should expect genuine difficulty in sourcing bottles.

• Exclusively Pinot Noir, red wine only
• Savory, classic style characteristic of Monthélie
• Extremely limited production from 1.5 hectares
• One of Burgundy's rarest premier cru designations

A small number of producers work with La Taupine fruit. Domaine Leroy, one of Burgundy's most celebrated and sought-after domaines, brings international recognition to this otherwise obscure climat. Domaine Florent Garaudet is a Monthélie-based producer with deep roots in the appellation, offering a more terroir-focused perspective on the vineyard. Maison Jaffelin rounds out the known producer list as a négociant with access to select Côte de Beaune parcels. Given the scarcity of La Taupine wines generally, examples from any of these producers represent genuine rarities.

• Domaine Leroy: Burgundy's most prestigious name associated with this climat
• Domaine Florent Garaudet: A Monthélie specialist with local expertise
• Maison Jaffelin: Négociant with access to Côte de Beaune fruit
• Total number of known producers remains very small