Created by Pierre Guyot in 1869, this historic wine domaine was passed to his son-in-law Jules Lamé, who took advantage of the phylloxera crisis and one of the first in the region to plant grafted vines. Little by little he increased the vineyard holdings. Returning from a prisoner of war camp in 1945, Jules’ son Lucien took the decision with his wife Yvonne to bottle their entire 1947 crop to sell under their own label instead of selling it to the négociants as they had previously done.

Whilst the domaine does produce a brasserie-style wine, Les Chesnaies, it is in the Cuvée Prestige that most interest lies. This is made from the oldest vines on the mid-slope parcels, where the clay-chalk soil is the most interesting. The wines are vinified in large tronconic barrels and raised in large old oak foudres for varying lengths of time depending on the vintage.

Philippe Boucard, who currently runs the estate with his wife, sister and brother-in-law, is a jovial and friendly chap who loves nothing more than talking politics and sport over a few old bottles deep in the domaine’s well-stocked tuffeau cellars underneath the cuverie. It is often tricky to extricate oneself once he has the corkscrew to hand.