Faiveley

Faiveley traces its roots to 1825 when Pierre Faiveley, a former plasterer, established a wine merchant business in Nuits-Saint-Georges; the company was named after his son Joseph, born 1823, who took over operations in 1860. The first vineyard purchase was 1.5 hectares of Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru Aux Porêts-Saint-Georges in 1834. The pivotal acquisition came on March 3, 1874 when the family purchased the Corton Clos des Cortons monopole from the Geisweiler family; the 2.76-hectare Grand Cru parcel anchored the estate's apex identity across the following century and a half. Subsequent generations progressively expanded the estate: François Faiveley (third generation, ran the company 1889 to 1919) purchased Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges parcels in 1893 and Clos de Vougeot parcels in 1911; Georges Faiveley co-founded the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin with Camille Rodier in 1934, signing the official registration on November 16, 1934 at the Caveau Nuiton in Nuits-Saint-Georges. The sixth generation François Faiveley ran the company from 1976 to 2004, consolidating Mercurey and Côte de Nuits holdings and building the Mercurey position that has become the contemporary Côte Chalonnaise anchor. Erwan Faiveley took the helm in 2005 as the seventh generation, joined by sister Eve in January 2014 as Director of Communications. The seven-generation unbroken family ownership distinguishes Faiveley from peer maisons that have undergone disruptive ownership transitions. The 2025 bicentenary was marked by a Christie's auction of rare verticals from the estate cellars (November 5-19, 2025) and a donation of a Clos de Vougeot parcel to the Hospices de Beaune, whose 2025 charity auction featured the new 'Cuvée François Faiveley' from this donation.

• Founded 1825 by Pierre Faiveley (former plasterer) in Nuits-Saint-Georges; son Joseph took over 1860; first vineyard 1.5 ha Aux Porêts-Saint-Georges 1834; Corton Clos des Cortons acquired March 3, 1874 from the Geisweiler family
• François Faiveley (3rd generation, 1889-1919) purchased Les Saint-Georges parcels 1893 and Clos de Vougeot parcels 1911; Georges Faiveley co-founded Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin with Camille Rodier on November 16, 1934
• François Faiveley (6th generation) ran the company 1976 to 2004; consolidated Mercurey and Côte de Nuits holdings
• Erwan Faiveley took helm 2005 (7th generation); sister Eve joined January 2014 as Director of Communications; 2025 bicentenary marked by Christie's auction (November 2025) and Clos de Vougeot donation to Hospices de Beaune (Cuvée François Faiveley)

Faiveley owns approximately 125 hectares of estate vineyards across Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, and Chablis, making it one of the largest estate-owning Burgundy producers and the largest grower-négociant hybrid. The hybrid structure combines an estate-owning producer arm with apex Grand Cru (12 Grand Crus across the portfolio) and Premier Cru (more than 20 Premier Crus) holdings, plus a négociant arm with purchased-fruit production alongside the estate range. Grand Cru holdings in the Côte de Nuits include Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Charmes-Chambertin (0.81 ha), Mazis-Chambertin, Latricières-Chambertin, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot (1.27 ha across three parcels), and Échezeaux (En Orveaux). In the Côte de Beaune, Grand Cru parcels cover Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley (the flagship monopole), Bâtard-Montrachet (0.35 ha) and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet (0.51 ha), both acquired in 2008 through the purchase of Domaine Monnot. In Chablis, the 2014 acquisition of Domaine Billaud-Simon brought four Grand Crus into the portfolio: Les Clos, Les Preuses, Vaudésir, and Les Blanchots. The Mercurey anchor in the Côte Chalonnaise: Faiveley is among the largest landholders in the appellation with approximately 55 hectares in Mercurey within a 70-hectare Côte Chalonnaise footprint, with multiple Premier Cru monopoles (Clos des Myglands 6.31 ha, La Framboisière 11 ha, Les Mauvarennes 11 ha, Clos Rochette 5.45 ha for white). The four-region footprint (Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, Chablis) provides exceptional commercial breadth.

• Approximately 125 ha estate vineyards across Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, and Chablis; 12 Grand Crus and more than 20 Premier Crus in the hybrid grower-négociant model
• Côte de Nuits Grand Crus: Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Charmes-Chambertin 0.81 ha, Mazis-Chambertin, Latricières-Chambertin, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot 1.27 ha (three parcels), Échezeaux (En Orveaux)
• Côte de Beaune Grand Crus: Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley monopole 2.76 ha, Bâtard-Montrachet 0.35 ha and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet 0.51 ha (both acquired 2008 via Domaine Monnot); Chablis Grand Crus via 2014 Billaud-Simon: Les Clos, Les Preuses, Vaudésir, Les Blanchots
• Mercurey anchor: among the largest Côte Chalonnaise landholders with ~55 ha in Mercurey within a 70-ha Côte Chalonnaise footprint; Mercurey monopoles include Clos des Myglands 6.31 ha, La Framboisière 11 ha, Les Mauvarennes 11 ha, Clos Rochette 5.45 ha

The flagship is the Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley, a 2.7652-hectare Grand Cru monopole acquired by the family on March 3, 1874 from the Geisweiler family. The Clos des Cortons Faiveley is one of only two Burgundy Grand Crus that carry the proprietor's family name in the AOC, alongside Romanée-Conti (other Côte d'Or place names such as La Tâche, La Romanée, Romanée-Saint-Vivant, and Clos de Tart derive from places, religious origins, or older toponyms, not from a contemporary proprietor family). The Clos des Cortons sits within the broader Corton Grand Cru on the southeastern slope of the Hill of Corton in Aloxe-Corton, producing Pinot Noir red wine from the 2.76-hectare parcel. The named-Grand-Cru distinction has anchored the apex commercial identity of Faiveley since the late nineteenth century. In addition to this monopole, the family's Clos de la Maréchale chapter is also part of Faiveley history: the family farmed the 9.55-hectare Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru monopole under a 53-year lease from the Mugnier family beginning in 1950; Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier resumed direct management with the 2004 vintage when the lease ended.

• Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley: 2.7652-hectare Grand Cru monopole acquired March 3, 1874 from the Geisweiler family
• One of only two Burgundy Grand Crus carrying the proprietor's family name in the AOC, alongside Romanée-Conti
• Located on the southeastern slope of the Hill of Corton in Aloxe-Corton; Pinot Noir red wine
• Clos de la Maréchale chapter: Faiveley farmed the 9.55-hectare Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru monopole on a 53-year lease from the Mugnier family beginning 1950; Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier resumed management with the 2004 vintage

Jérôme Flous has served as technical director since 2007. The Flous era has overseen a major stylistic shift across the estate range: toward fresher, more elegant wines with greater fruit purity and reduced extraction, replacing the more structurally tannic Faiveley style that had defined the late twentieth century. The contemporary cellar discipline under Flous applies indigenous yeast fermentation in stainless steel and wooden vats with reduced extraction (limited pigeage, careful cap management), tiered new oak generally ranging from approximately 20-30 percent on Village wines to higher percentages on Grand Crus (with cuvée-by-cuvée variation), and approximately 14-18 months élevage in French oak. The estate received HEV (High Environmental Value) Level 3 certification in 2019. The organic conversion was formally requested on July 18, 2022 across the broader estate; full organic certification was achieved in July 2025, coinciding with the bicentenary. In 2014 Faiveley acquired Domaine Billaud-Simon in Chablis (closing July 31, 2014), bringing approximately 17-20 hectares including four Grand Crus (Les Clos, Les Preuses, Vaudésir, Les Blanchots) and several Premier Crus into the estate; Olivier Bailly has led the Billaud-Simon cellar since 2014. From 2020 Faiveley took a minority stake in Williams Selyem, the Sonoma County Pinot Noir producer in California's Russian River Valley; on June 3, 2024 Faiveley moved to a majority stake with the Dyson family retaining a minority interest. The 2025 bicentenary also brought additional acquisitions in the 2010s including Annick Parent in Pommard-Volnay-Monthélie and Dupont-Tisserandot in Gevrey-Chambertin (acquired 2013).

• Jérôme Flous technical director since 2007; oversaw stylistic shift toward fresher, more elegant wines with greater fruit purity and reduced extraction
• Cellar: indigenous yeast fermentation in stainless steel and wooden vats; reduced extraction (limited pigeage, careful cap management); tiered new oak with cuvée-by-cuvée variation; approximately 14-18 months élevage in French oak
• HEV Level 3 from 2019; organic conversion requested July 18, 2022; full organic certification achieved July 2025 (bicentenary)
• 2014: Domaine Billaud-Simon acquisition (closed July 31, 2014; ~17-20 ha in Chablis including 4 Grand Crus; Olivier Bailly winemaker from 2014); 2020 minority stake in Williams Selyem; June 3, 2024 majority stake in Williams Selyem with Dyson family retaining minority; 2010s additions include Annick Parent (Pommard-Volnay-Monthélie) and Dupont-Tisserandot (Gevrey-Chambertin, 2013)

Faiveley occupies a singular position in contemporary Burgundy: seven-generation family continuity, an approximately 125-hectare estate footprint, the hybrid grower-négociant model, a Mercurey anchor of approximately 55 hectares within a 70-hectare Côte Chalonnaise footprint, the named Grand Cru Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley, the 2014 Billaud-Simon entry into Chablis, and the 2025 organic certification at the bicentenary. The hybrid grower-négociant model parallels the broader Burgundy large-Maison cohort (Bouchard, Latour, Jadot, Drouhin, Bichot, Champy) but the Mercurey concentration positions Faiveley uniquely within the Côte Chalonnaise. The cohort that defines apex Côte Chalonnaise production alongside Faiveley includes Domaine A. and P. de Villaine (Bouzeron Aligoté reference), Domaine François Raquillet (Mercurey grower reference), Domaine Vincent Dureuil-Janthial (Rully biodynamic reference), Domaine Joblot and Domaine François Lumpp (Givry grower duo), Domaine Stéphane Aladame (Montagny reference), Domaine Thénard (Givry Clos Salomon), and Caves des Vignerons de Buxy (Côte Chalonnaise cooperative). Within this cohort, Faiveley's apex Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune Grand Cru holdings combined with the Williams Selyem extension provide a distinctive multi-regional identity that no peer producer matches.

• Singular position: 7-generation family continuity + ~125 ha estate + hybrid grower-négociant model + ~55 ha Mercurey anchor within 70 ha Côte Chalonnaise + named Grand Cru Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley + Chablis via Billaud-Simon + 2025 organic certification
• Hybrid model parallels Bouchard, Latour, Jadot, Drouhin, Bichot, and Champy among large Maisons; Mercurey concentration positions Faiveley uniquely within Côte Chalonnaise
• Cohort that defines apex Côte Chalonnaise production: Domaine A. and P. de Villaine, Domaine François Raquillet, Domaine Vincent Dureuil-Janthial, Domaine Joblot, Domaine François Lumpp, Domaine Stéphane Aladame, Domaine Thénard, Caves des Vignerons de Buxy
• Apex Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune Grand Cru holdings combined with the Williams Selyem extension give Faiveley a distinctive multi-regional identity