Domaine Michèle et Patrice Rion

France

Bourgogne

Michèle and Patrice Rion created the estate in 1990, at a time when Patrice was still in charge of his family’s domaine (Daniel Rion).

Patrice’s reputation was launched in the early 1980s, when he vastly increased the presence of his family domaine on the international market. Research and innovation, both in winemaking and farming (use of screwcaps, farming to increase leaf surface area...) gave him a reputation as an innovator.

Their son Maxime joined Patrice and Michèle in 2005 after completing oenology studies in Dijon. He apprenticed with a number of well-known winemakers in different regions, such as Nadine Gublin in Meursault, Hubert de Boüard in Saint-Emilion, and Dr Neil McCalum in Martinborough.

The estate now stretches over 6 hectares across Nuits-Saint-Georges and Chambolle-Musigny appellations, and mostly produces red wines from Pinot Noir, although 1.30 hectare in Nuits-Saint-Georges is used to produce white wines from chardonnay (90%) and pinot blanc (10%).

The approach to viticulture is rigorous. The vines are pruned short and bud selection is very strict. Leaf-canopy surface is optimized for greater photosynthetic activity, yields are limited, and disease and pest control is carefully managed. All this allows to farm naturally, although they have not registered for any organic certification yet.

No weed-killers are used, as soil maintenance is done through light plowing, and sometimes even hoeing! As excessive plowing can be bad for the soil and the vine, Patrice sows a natural grass during the winter, which helps avoid erosion and promotes soil fauna.

Domaine Rion aims above all to produce balanced wines, and does not believe that “maximum” is “optimum,” particularly when it comes to extracting phenolics, tannins, and colour.

They like clear, precise, and complex wines, with good fruit. They are dedicated to maintaining the freshness and minerality of Burgundian Pinot. For them, harmony in the mouth, with silky, round tannins, is the best quality that a wine can have.

Michèle and Patrice Rion created the estate in 1990, at a time when Patrice was still in charge of his family’s domaine (Daniel Rion).

Domaine Rion aims above all to produce balanced wines, and does not believe that “maximum” is “optimum,” particularly when it comes to extracting phenolics, tannins, and colour.