Domaine Naudin-Ferrand

This is the second vintage of Claire’s fabulous Gamay, made from grapes grown by her friends in the Allier département (Auvergne). So pleased was Claire with the 2016 – born of necessity when her vines in the Hautes-Côtes were severely frosted – that she repeated the experiment. In our view, the ’17 is even better. It’s slightly hazy in the glass and brick red in colour. The nose is intensely varietal, with red berry and floral aromas to the fore. As for the palate, it’s ever so slightly spritzy, but clean as a whistle. This isn’t a wine for laying down, or one to savour over consecutive nights – no, it’s an exceptionally expressive, energetic wine to drink with great gusto but minimal ceremony. Drink now to 2020.
Adam Bruntlett, Buyer (summer 2019) 

This wine is made from three parcels selected for their excellent exposition and quality vine material, which allows zero-sulphur vinification of whole bunches. The nose is charming, with notes of blackcurrant, peony and rose, and just a touch of white pepper. The palate has sweet fruit initially, but it is the clean and crisp acidity that prevails, along with a haunting, verdant perfume. Drink 2019-2023.

After the catastrophic 2016 vintage, which saw her lose around 70 percent of the crop, Claire Naudin is much happier with 2017. She still didn’t get a full crop, though, because the frost had damaged the vine, stunting the following year’s growth and limiting the crop to 80 percent of a full yield. The vintage certainly suits her style, with wines that are all about elegance, finesse and delicacy. These are appetising wines which always give great pleasure, on even the grandest occasions. As ever the wines are made with 100 percent whole bunches.

Myosotis is forget-me-not, and like the flower itself, this is a delicate wine. The nose is lifted, light and ethereal, while on the palate there is an exquisite deftness and finesse. That is not to say there is no structure; there is plenty of fruit flavour here,  which resembles a coulis of tiny red berries. Drink 2019-2024.


After the catastrophic 2016 vintage, which saw her lose around 70 percent of the crop, Claire Naudin is much happier with 2017. She still didn’t get a full crop, though, because the frost had damaged the vine, stunting the following year’s growth and limiting the crop to 80 percent of a full yield. The vintage certainly suits her style, with wines that are all about elegance, finesse and delicacy. These are appetising wines which always give great pleasure, on even the grandest occasions. As ever the wines are made with 100 percent whole bunches.

Damodes is the high vineyard bordering VosneRomanée, where Claire has just over a quarter of a hectare. There is around 50 percent new oak, which adds some structure and spice notes to the delicate, floral red fruit on the nose. Crunchy, energetic and vivacious, but all the while remaining elegant in Claire’s inimitable style. Drink 2021-2026.


After the catastrophic 2016 vintage, which saw her lose around 70 percent of the crop, Claire Naudin is much happier with 2017. She still didn’t get a full crop, though, because the frost had damaged the vine, stunting the following year’s growth and limiting the crop to 80 percent of a full yield. The vintage certainly suits her style, with wines that are all about elegance, finesse and delicacy. These are appetising wines which always give great pleasure, on even the grandest occasions. As ever the wines are made with 100 percent whole bunches.

From vines in Magny-lès-Villers, this wine displays a beautiful mid-purple colour with a glowing intensity of fruit on the nose. The palate has brambly notes, plums, dark raspberry and a little bit of spice. There’s much more weight than usual, with a firm structure. Drink 2018-2022.
Jasper Morris MW, Wine Buyer


Since 1994, Claire Naudin, one of Henri Naudin-Ferrand’s three daughters, has been in charge of this small domaine based in the Hautes Côtes at Magny-lès-Villers, a village that sits astride the dividing line between Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Hautes Côtes de Nuits. Claire is relatively susceptible to sulphur and uses the product as little as possible. Her most exciting wines are those which are vinified with whole bunches (all the stems) and without sulphur, though some SO2 is added at bottling to ensure that the wines remain stable thereafter. Claire’s theory, which her wines bear out admirably, is that there is none of the harshness sometimes evident when the bunches are vinified with their stems if sulphur is not used. Instead a magical floral perfume emanates from the wine.

Claire Naudin has made beautiful wines in 2015, though not in great quantity, as the year’s dry conditions restricted volumes. The wines from the Hautes Côtes are little more than 12 degrees alcohol but have impressive density. All the wines were vinified without sulphur, but have had sulphur added before bottling to ensure stability thereafter.

Fine, rich, dense purple with an exotic perfume, this is very floral yet also has vibrant raspberry notes. A very graceful, sensual wine – if anything it is longer and finer than Orchis. Drink 2018-2022.
Jasper Morris MW, WIne Buyer


Since 1994, Claire Naudin, one of Henri Naudin-Ferrand’s three daughters, has been in charge of this small domaine based in the Hautes Côtes at Magny-lès-Villers, a village that sits astride the dividing line between Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Hautes Côtes de Nuits. Claire is relatively susceptible to sulphur and uses the product as little as possible. Her most exciting wines are those which are vinified with whole bunches (all the stems) and without sulphur, though some SO2 is added at bottling to ensure that the wines remain stable thereafter. Claire’s theory, which her wines bear out admirably, is that there is none of the harshness sometimes evident when the bunches are vinified with their stems if sulphur is not used. Instead a magical floral perfume emanates from the wine.

Claire Naudin has made beautiful wines in 2015, though not in great quantity, as the year’s dry conditions restricted volumes. The wines from the Hautes Côtes are little more than 12 degrees alcohol but have impressive density. All the wines were vinified without sulphur, but have had sulphur added before bottling to ensure stability thereafter.

Damodes is the high vineyard bordering Vosne- Romanée. Claire has a quarter of a hectare. As you would expect, this is not the most powerful example. It is understated with a charming perfume, before the strength of the terroir takes over. But do not let the ease of expression of Claire’s wines deceive you, for this will age very gracefully. Drink 2023-2030.
Adam Bruntlett, Wine Buyer

Since 1994, Claire Naudin, one of Henri Naudin-Ferrand’s three daughters, has been in charge of this small domaine based in the Hautes Côtes at Magny-lès-Villers, a village that sits astride the dividing line between Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Hautes Côtes de Nuits. Claire is relatively susceptible to sulphur and uses the product as little as possible. Her most exciting wines are those which are vinified with whole bunches (all the stems) and without sulphur, though some SO2 is added at bottling to ensure that the wines remain stable thereafter. Claire’s theory, which her wines bear out admirably, is that there is none of the harshness sometimes evident when the bunches are vinified with their stems if sulphur is not used. Instead a magical floral perfume emanates from the wine. Claire Naudin’s farm and winery may look ramshackle, but there’s an attention to detail here which is admirable. The rather old-fashioned look of her tanks and equipment seems to hark back to gentler times, and her wines certainly reflect that. The frosts were drastic here, and Claire lost 70 percent of her crop, and two 70-year- old parcels of Aligoté were completely destroyed. Previously Claire has made two ranges, one with more standard winemaking, but this year everything is made with low SO2.

Made from vines which are at least 60 years of age and fermented and aged in tank, this is an exceptional wine. There is rich peach and pear fruit, plenty of generosity and crisp, precise, steely acidity. This is officially classified as Vin de France because the authorities regularly refused to accept it as a “typical” Bourgogne Aligoté. Forget whatever preconceptions you have about Aligoté; this is an exceptional wine in its own right. Drink now to 2025.

The vineyards for this are in cool, limestone-rich sites in Pernand-Vergelesses and Magny-lès-Villers. No sulphur was used at all until the autumn. There is stinging acidity which defies the warm vintage, beautiful citrus fruit and a cleansing, mineral finish. A wine which really punches above its weight. Drink now to 2026.

From three parcels in Magny-lès-Villers and Pernand-Vergelesses, the plant material is so good that it is all whole-bunch fermented. Juicy and very ripe, this may not be Claire’s preferred personal style of wine, but it is a guzzling, irresistibly delicious, summery and inclusive wine. Drink now to 2024.

Myosotis is forget-me-not. From between Magny-lès-Villers and Villars-Fontaine, this vineyard has a lot of active limestone and the resulting wine is delicate with, in 2018, vivid blackcurrant scents. Lots of whole-bunch gives a succulence to the wine’s fresh cassis style. Drink now to 2024.

Damodes is high on the hill on the border with Vosne-Romanée. Claire has some old vines, but the 0.23-hectare parcel is too small to separate them. This is plummily intense with earthy cumin spice. Drink 2023-2028.