From the atlas
Domaine Pierre Damoy
Gevrey-Chambertin domaine centred on grand cru vineyards, old vines and Chambertin Clos de Bèze, its flagship cuvée.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Region | France, Côte de Nuits |
| Village | Gevrey-Chambertin |
| Grand cru holdings | Nearly eight hectares |
| Signature wine | Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru, 2018 |
| Defining feature | Grand crus concentrated in three Gevrey-Chambertin climats |
The Producer
The address is 11 Rue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny in Gevrey-Chambertin. Domaine Pierre Damoy concentrates its grand crus in three climats of the commune, with nearly eight hectares devoted to these classified vineyards. In Burgundy, a grand cru is a named vineyard classification that appears directly on the label, placing the specific site above the wider village address.
Chambertin Clos de Bèze is the domaine's flagship cuvée. It receives particular attention in the cellar and bespoke ageing. The estate's history in Gevrey-Chambertin began in the early twentieth century, and its shares have remained within the family across the generations.
Place
Gevrey-Chambertin is the home village, while the listed 2018 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru belongs to the Côte de Nuits. The domaine's grand crus occupy three of the commune's nine climats. A climat is a named vineyard site in Burgundy, so each grand cru name identifies a defined place rather than a general village wine.
Chambertin Clos de Bèze carries both the vineyard name and the grand cru classification. The label therefore narrows the geography from Gevrey-Chambertin to one named climat within the commune.
Story
Julien Damoy acquired the family vineyard land after the phylloxera crisis, when viticulture was at a low point. He was born in Normandy in 1844, became a self-made businessman, and established an eponymous Paris grocery store before building his wine inheritance.
Pierre Damoy, the fifth generation, took control in 1992 after succeeding his uncle Jacques Damoy. He chose quality rather than quantity and brought renewal to the estate. The family shares remained undivided, keeping the domaine in family ownership as Pierre developed its grand cru focus.
Vineyards And Cellar
Many of the domaine's vines were planted in the 1920s. Pierre reduced yields, adopted natural compost, and stopped using herbicides and pesticides. The vineyards are ploughed, and neither herbicides nor pesticides are used in the vines.
After partial destemming, vatting can last as long as five weeks. Partial destemming removes some stems before fermentation, while long vatting keeps the wine in contact with the grapes for an extended period. That contact can build colour, tannin and flavour concentration. The 2018 Chambertin Clos de Bèze sample was assembled from three tanks.
Wines
The domaine's range is concentrated on grand cru wines from three Gevrey-Chambertin climats. Chambertin Clos de Bèze holds the flagship position. Chapelle-Chambertin and Chambertin also appear in the 2018 range, giving the bottles different named vineyard addresses within the commune.
The 2018 Chapelle-Chambertin was vibrant and perfumed, with freshness, ripe flavour and a floral finish. The 2018 Chambertin was mouth-filling and notably textured. These wines sit beside Clos de Bèze within the estate's grand cru work, while the listed 2018 bottle is a red wine from the Côte de Nuits.
In The Glass
Chambertin Clos de Bèze brings fruit and floral aromas with a distinct hint of incense. On the palate it is smooth, sensual and graceful, with an accessible shape when young and the capacity to age for 30 years or more.
The 2018 barrel sample showed an incisive, broad, mineral profile with a strongly defined shape and sweeping lines. Dark fruit, density, concentration and licorice overtones sat alongside balance and purity. The finish extended that combination of breadth and mineral drive.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose the 2018 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru. It is the domaine's flagship cuvée, from a named grand cru climat in Gevrey-Chambertin, and it receives bespoke ageing tailored to its position in the range.
The wine is accessible when young but is built for a long life, with at least 30 years of ageing potential stated for the cuvée. It gives the range a single, clearly named vineyard address and places the estate's most closely attended bottle at the centre of the cellar.
Anecdote
In the early twentieth century, Julien Damoy bought vineyard land after the phylloxera crisis, when viticulture was at a low point. His path to that purchase began far from Gevrey-Chambertin. Born in Normandy in 1844 into a family of farmers, he became a self-made businessman and established an eponymous grocery store in Paris. The Julien Damoy brand became a prosperous enterprise with several grocery stores in northern France and was described as one of the country's most important businesses during the Belle Époque. Julien's vineyard acquisition became the foundation of the Gevrey-Chambertin estate, whose shares have remained in the family.
Final Word
Domaine Pierre Damoy remains a family held Gevrey-Chambertin domaine centred on grand crus, old vines and Chambertin Clos de Bèze, a flagship wine given bespoke ageing and a long stated life in bottle.
Sources
- https://domaine-pierre-damoy.com/en/accueil-english/
- https://domaine-pierre-damoy.com/en/domain/
- https://domaine-pierre-damoy.com/les-vins-2/
- https://www.burgundy-report.com/burgundy-report-extra/11-2018/profile-pierre-damoy/
- https://domaine-pierre-damoy.com/en/produit/chambertin-clos-de-beze-2/
- https://www.burgundy-report.com/burgundy-report-extra/11-2019/pierre-damoy-2018/
- https://the-fine-wine-review.blogspot.com/p/domaine-pierre-damoy.html