Domaine Simon Bize et Fils

The domaine's history begins in 1880 in Savigny-lès-Beaune, when the great-grandfather Simon Bize owned a few vineyard parcels and all of the work in the vines was done by hand. In 1918 the grandfather, also named Simon Bize, took over management of the winery and bought new vineyard parcels. In 1950 the father, Simon Bize, began bottling and selling his own wine, building a client network of private individuals and restaurateurs. Patrick Bize developed the estate from 1972: he built a cuverie, expanded the barrel cellars and bought new parcels to offer a wider range of wines. In 1996 he planted several parcels in Chardonnay to increase the domaine's range of whites. The domaine started production in a new winery with the 2000 harvest. By 2009 the estate had grown over four generations to 54 acres.

• 1880: the great-grandfather Simon Bize owned a few vineyard parcels in Savigny-lès-Beaune
• 1918: the grandfather Simon Bize took over management and bought new parcels
• 1950: the father Simon Bize began bottling and selling the domaine's own wine
• 1972: Patrick Bize built a cuverie, expanded the barrel cellars and bought new parcels
• 2000: production began in a new winery

Patrick Bize (d. 2013) developed the estate from 1972. His wife Chisa Bize, who worked alongside him, his sister Marielle and the estate team carry on what the domaine calls Patrick's goal of 'pursuing quality through careful and exacting work in the vines, working in harmony with nature.' As of February 2017, Chisa Bize ran the estate with winemakers Guillaume Bott for the whites and Nicolas Gordo for the reds, and with Patrick's sister Marielle Grivot. Chisa Bize presented the domaine's wines in Savigny-lès-Beaune in May 2018 and May 2021.

• Patrick Bize (d. 2013): developed the estate from 1972
• Chisa Bize: Patrick's wife, who worked alongside him; ran the estate as of February 2017
• Marielle Grivot: Patrick's sister, part of the team carrying on the domaine's work
• Guillaume Bott (whites) and Nicolas Gordo (reds): winemakers as of February 2017

Most of the domaine's sites lie on the north slope of Savigny-lès-Beaune's two hillsides, and Latricières-Chambertin is its only Côte de Nuits vineyard. Aux Vergelesses, one of the domaine's emblematic terroirs, gives two wines: the red from 1.90 hectares planted progressively in 1939, 1949 and 1954 on steep south-by-southeast-facing slopes of sandy marl and limestone, and the white from 0.30 hectare planted in 1996. Les Marconnets covers 0.60 hectare of deep, sandy soil on the right bank of the Rhoin river, planted in 1973; it lies across the main valley, separated from Beaune Marconnets by the A6 autoroute. Aux Guettes (0.50 hectare, planted in 1965) is a steep, south-facing parcel midway up the hill on shallow clay and limestone mixed with red earth, and Les Talmettes (0.80 hectare, planted in 1968 and 1978) faces south high up the hill above the village. Les Serpentières (0.35 hectare, planted in 1959) takes its name from the springs that run beneath the parcel, and Les Fournaux (1 hectare, planted in 1962 and 1963) is an east-facing plot in the middle of the hillside. The village range includes Savigny-lès-Beaune rouge from 3.90 hectares of parcels planted between 1965 and 1978, Savigny-lès-Beaune blanc from 2 hectares, and Aux Grands Liards from 1.60 hectares planted by three generations in 1939, 1950 and 1979. Aloxe-Corton Le Suchot comes from 1 hectare planted in 1985 below the hill of Corton, facing the Château of Corton. The Bourgogne range comprises Les Champlains blanc, from 4 hectares planted in 1986 with 95% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Gris, and a white and a red Les Perrières.

• Savigny-lès-Beaune Premier Cru: Aux Vergelesses rouge (1.90 ha) and blanc (0.30 ha), Les Fournaux (1 ha), Les Talmettes (0.80 ha), Les Marconnets (0.60 ha), Aux Guettes (0.50 ha), Les Serpentières (0.35 ha)
• Savigny-lès-Beaune village: rouge (3.90 ha), blanc (2 ha) and Aux Grands Liards (1.60 ha)
• Aloxe-Corton Le Suchot: 1 ha planted in 1985
• Bourgogne: Les Champlains blanc (4 ha), Les Perrières blanc and Les Perrières rouge

The Corton-Charlemagne comes from 0.20 hectare of Chardonnay, split into two parcels of 0.10 hectare each, with vines chosen by massal selection and planted in 1938. The vines sit on the westernmost portion of the hill of Corton, high up the steep slope adjacent to the commune of Pernand-Vergelesses. The Latricières-Chambertin comes from 0.32 hectare planted in 1961, 1971 and 1981, directly adjacent to the Grand Cru of Chambertin, on shallow marl and limestone, and grapes from both the high and low portions of the parcel go into the wine. The domaine does not own this parcel but farms it under a long-term rental agreement (fermage). The vines were previously owned by a branch of the Remy family and were worked by Domaine Ponsot of Morey-Saint-Denis between 1960 and 1994; Domaine Simon Bize's first vintage was 1995. Chisa Bize calls it 'a discreet wine, a little timid but with a profound energy.'

• Corton-Charlemagne: 0.20 ha in two 0.10-ha parcels of Chardonnay chosen by massal selection and planted in 1938, on the westernmost portion of the hill of Corton beside Pernand-Vergelesses
• Latricières-Chambertin: 0.32 ha planted in 1961, 1971 and 1981, directly adjacent to Chambertin
• Latricières-Chambertin is farmed under a long-term rental agreement (fermage); the domaine's first vintage was 1995

The domaine's principal concern is to harvest grapes with good acidity and sufficient ripeness, and its stated aim in the cellar is 'finesse and elegance rather than power and over-extraction.' Red grapes are sorted on arrival and fermented in wooden vats, with whole clusters or partial whole clusters depending on the appellation and the vintage, and are punched down gently by foot. Alcoholic fermentation occurs naturally and lasts five to seven days. The reds spend an average of one year in oak barrels one to six years old, with very little to no new oak, are racked only once, and are generally bottled between January and March, without fining or filtration. White grapes are pressed immediately on arrival, settled for roughly 12 hours, and fermented naturally in barrel for an average of four to six weeks at 20°C to 24°C. The whites age 9 to 15 months in barrels one to five years old, with 15% to 30% new oak.

• Reds: whole clusters or partial whole clusters, depending on appellation and vintage
• Reds: about one year in barrel with very little to no new oak, racked once, bottled without fining or filtration
• Whites: natural fermentation in barrel, 9 to 15 months of ageing, 15% to 30% new oak

On 23 July 2013 hail destroyed almost all of the vines in Savigny-lès-Beaune. Harvest began on 2 October, and nearly all of the domaine's cuvées were destemmed that year; only Aux Guettes, Les Marconnets, Les Serpentières and Latricières-Chambertin were fermented with whole clusters. Frost on the morning of 27 April 2016 affected 80% of the domaine: the Bourgogne-level wines, the Premier Crus Les Talmettes, Les Serpentières and Aux Guettes, and the Corton-Charlemagne were not produced that year, and only the Latricières-Chambertin was spared. In 2017 Savigny's growers lit stacks of hay before sunrise over several nights to protect the vines from spring frost, and harvest began on 28 August; it was the domaine's first traditional harvest since 2009.

• 2013: hail on 23 July; nearly all cuvées destemmed
• 2016: frost on 27 April affected 80% of the domaine; several wines, including the Corton-Charlemagne, were not produced
• 2017: harvest began on 28 August

Primary sources (producer's own site): https://www.domainebize.fr/en/the-domain.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/expertise.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/vintages.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/savigny-les-beaune-1er-cru-aux-vergelesses-rouge.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/savigny-les-beaune-1er-cru-aux-vergelesses-blanc.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/savigny-les-beaune-1er-cru-les-marconnets.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/savigny-les-beaune-1er-cru-aux-guettes.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/savigny-les-beaune-1er-cru-les-talmettes.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/savigny-les-beaune-1er-cru-les-serpentieres.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/savigny-les-beaune-1er-cru-les-fournaux.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/savigny-les-beaune-aux-grands-liards.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/savigny-les-beaune-blanc.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/savigny-les-beaune-rouge.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/aloxe-corton-le-suchot.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/corton-charlemagne-grand-cru.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/latricieres-chambertin-grand-cru.html, https://www.domainebize.fr/en/bourgogne-blanc-les-champlains.html. Secondary sources: Burgundy Report (28 December 2014, 1 June 2018 and 1 August 2021) and Wine Spectator (19 November 2009 and 1 February 2017). Last verified 2026-10-19. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.