Les Grêchons et Foutrières
lay GREH-shon ay foo-TYAIR
A rare white-only Premier Cru on the slopes of Ladoix-Serrigny, producing Corton-Charlemagne-styled Chardonnay with mineral precision.
Les Grêchons et Foutrières is a 4.15-hectare white-only Premier Cru in Ladoix-Serrigny, earning its status in 2002. Planted exclusively to Chardonnay on marl-limestone soils below the Corton hill, it produces wines of crisp minerality and elegant fruit character comparable in style to Corton-Charlemagne.
- Official name: Les Grêchons et Foutrières; also known simply as Les Grêchons
- Located in Ladoix-Serrigny, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy
- Total area: 4.15 hectares, planted exclusively to Chardonnay
- Elevation ranges from 230 to 325 metres on south-east to south/east-facing slopes
- Soils are marl-limestone, typical of the Corton hill's white wine zones
- Premier Cru status granted in 2002 after a decade of lobbying by vineyard owners
- One of only approximately 8 hectares of white Premier Cru vineyard in Ladoix
Classification and History
Les Grêchons et Foutrières achieved Premier Cru status in 2002, the result of a 10-year lobbying campaign by local vineyard owners who sought formal recognition for the site's quality. The designation is restricted to white wine only, distinguishing it from many Ladoix Premier Crus that produce red wine. This makes Les Grêchons one of a very small number of white Premier Cru sites in the commune, contributing to a total of roughly 8 hectares of white Premier Cru production in Ladoix-Serrigny.
- Premier Cru status established in 2002 following a 10-year lobbying effort
- White wine only designation, rare within Ladoix-Serrigny
- Part of the Ladoix Premier Cru appellation within the Côte de Beaune
Location and Terroir
The vineyard sits on the slopes below the famous Corton hill in Ladoix-Serrigny, the northernmost commune of the Côte de Beaune. Elevations range from 230 to 325 metres, with aspects running from south-east to south and east. The soils are marl-limestone, a composition that promotes both drainage and mineral complexity. This terroir closely mirrors conditions found in the adjacent Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru zone, which explains the stylistic similarities often noted between wines from Les Grêchons and those from that celebrated appellation.
- Located on limestone slopes beneath the Corton hill in Ladoix-Serrigny
- Elevation: 230 to 325 metres
- Aspect: south-east to south/east facing
- Marl-limestone soils aligned with those of the Corton-Charlemagne zone
Climate
Ladoix-Serrigny sits within Burgundy's continental climate, characterized by cold winters, warm summers, and the ever-present risk of spring frost and harvest-time rain. Maritime influences moderate the most extreme temperature swings, contributing to the gradual ripening that supports Chardonnay's natural acidity and aromatic development. The southerly to south-easterly aspect of Les Grêchons maximizes sun exposure, helping achieve consistent ripeness across the vineyard's elevation range.
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Open Wine Lookup →Wine Style and Notable Producers
Les Grêchons et Foutrières produces white wine exclusively from Chardonnay, in a style that is crisp, mineral, and elegant. Typical descriptors include white fruits, acacia blossom, hazelnut, and stone fruits. The wines draw frequent comparisons to Corton-Charlemagne in their structural minerality, though they are generally approachable at a younger age and represent strong value within the Premier Cru tier. A number of respected Burgundy producers hold parcels in the vineyard.
- Domaine Maratray-Dubreuil: a longstanding Ladoix specialist with established holdings
- Domaine Nudant: known for precise, terroir-driven whites from the commune
- Pascal Marchand-Tawse: a sought-after négociant-éleveur with Burgundy pedigree
- Château de Pommard and Domaine Michel Mallard also produce from this site
Crisp and mineral-driven Chardonnay with notes of white peach, green apple, acacia blossom, hazelnut, and stone fruits. The palate is elegant and focused, with a clean, limestone-inflected finish reminiscent of the Corton-Charlemagne style.
- Domaine Nudant Ladoix Premier Cru Les Grêchons$40-60Terroir-focused producer in Ladoix with a track record for precise, mineral-driven white Burgundy.Find →
- Domaine Maratray-Dubreuil Ladoix Premier Cru Les Grêchons$45-65A Ladoix specialist with established vineyard holdings and deep familiarity with this site.Find →
- Pascal Marchand-Tawse Ladoix Premier Cru Les Grêchons$60-85
- Les Grêchons et Foutrières gained Premier Cru status in 2002 after 10 years of lobbying, making it one of Burgundy's more recently classified sites
- The appellation permits white wine only, exclusively from Chardonnay, which is unusual within Ladoix-Serrigny
- The vineyard covers 4.15 hectares at elevations of 230 to 325 metres on marl-limestone soils
- Its location below the Corton hill and similar terroir to Corton-Charlemagne are central to understanding its style
- Total white Premier Cru production in Ladoix is approximately 8 hectares, making this a small and rare category