Les Champs Fulliots

Les Champs Fulliots sits on the south-facing slopes of Monthélie in the Côte de Beaune, at an elevation of approximately 361 metres. It is the largest of the commune's 15 Premier Cru vineyards, covering 8.11 hectares. The aspect captures morning sunlight from the south-easterly direction, providing steady but measured warmth across the growing season. The vineyard borders the celebrated Volnay appellation, a proximity that shapes both its terroir character and its historical reputation.

• South-facing aspect with south-easterly morning sun exposure
• Elevation of approximately 361 metres within the Côte de Beaune
• Located in Monthélie, a commune nestled between Volnay and Auxey-Duresses
• Largest single Premier Cru climat in the Monthélie appellation

The soils of Les Champs Fulliots are red limestone-clay in composition, with red clay and marl sitting above Bathonien limestone bedrock. In places, the topsoil thins to shallow red soils directly over rock, concentrating vine stress and contributing to the wine's structured character. This geological profile is classic for the southern Côte de Beaune and bears a strong resemblance to the soils found across the Volnay border, helping to explain the stylistic parallels between the two appellations.

• Red clay and marl overlying Bathonien limestone
• Shallow red soils over rock in the thinner sections of the vineyard
• Limestone-dominant geology typical of the southern Côte de Beaune
• Soil structure contributes to the wine's firm tannin framework and aging potential

Dr Jules Lavalle singled out Les Champs Fulliots as the finest vineyard in Monthélie in his authoritative 1855 classification of Burgundy's vineyards, a reputation the climat has maintained ever since. Before the Monthélie AOC was formally established in 1937, wines from this vineyard were routinely sold under the more commercially recognisable labels of Volnay or Pommard, the two powerful neighbours that overshadowed the commune. The creation of the Monthélie appellation gave Les Champs Fulliots its own identity at last. The name itself carries linguistic history: 'Fulliot' most likely derives from the old French 'Feuille' or 'Bois Fourré,' a reference to the dense shrubby vegetation that once covered the site.

• Ranked top vineyard in Monthélie by Dr Lavalle's 1855 classification
• Wines historically labelled as Volnay or Pommard before 1937
• Monthélie AOC established in 1937, formalising the Premier Cru status
• Name etymology linked to old French terms for dense leafy vegetation

Les Champs Fulliots produces predominantly red wine from Pinot Noir, though Chardonnay is also grown for white wine production. The reds are powerful with fine tannins, opening with aromas of small red fruits such as cherry and raspberry alongside floral violet notes. With bottle age, the wines evolve toward underbrush, game, and warming spice. Stylistically, the wines are frequently compared to Volnay, sharing a certain elegance and finesse, though they carry slightly less aromatic intensity and a more robust structure. The combination of south-facing exposure and shallow limestone soils drives both ripeness and mineral tension.

• Dominant aromas of small red fruits and violet on release
• Evolves toward underbrush, game, and spice with age
• Powerful structure with fine tannins; stylistically close to Volnay but fuller-bodied
• Both red and white wines produced; reds are the primary focus

A strong roster of Burgundy producers hold parcels in Les Champs Fulliots. Domaine Roulot, best known for its benchmark Meursault whites, produces a notable example here. Domaine Parent, one of Monthélie's historic estates, farms the vineyard alongside Bouchard Père et Fils and Maison Louis Jadot, two of the Côte d'Or's most prominent négociants. Domaine Caroline Frey, Rémi Jobard, Frédéric Leprince, and Domaine Florent Garaudet round out a lineup that spans small domaines to large maison operations.

• Domaine Roulot brings its Meursault-honed precision to the red cuvée
• Bouchard Père et Fils and Louis Jadot represent major négociant holdings
• Domaine Parent is among the most historically rooted estates in Monthélie
• Smaller producers including Rémi Jobard and Florent Garaudet offer artisan-scale bottlings