I attended Domaine Chanson’s vertical tasting and lunch, a key agency within Mentzendorff’s portfolio. The Domaine covers 45 hectares of the Côte Chalonnaise and 43 hectares in the Côte de Beaune. Hosted at Bentley’s we kicked things off with a glass of Bollinger, which acquired Chanson in 1999, before enjoying a three-course meal paired with nine different wines. These were three sets of three vintages 2021, 2022 and 2023 of Premier Cru Burgundy wines, a white Beaune, a red Beaune and a red Mercurey.
Vincent Avenel holds court, Bentley's London, June 18, 2025
Managing director Vincent Avenel explained how Domaine Chanson has undergone changes in the past five years, due to COVID allowing time to reflect and steer in the right direction. The decision was to combine tradition and modernity to continue being successful in the market which faces constant challenges. Avenel touched on climate change, which he claimed improved the quality of the grapes but had a negative impact on the yields, citing 2016, 2021 and 2024 as particularly challenging.
One transformation that took place was in March 2023, when Domaine Chanson doubled the size of the estate in the longer-term aim of having 100% of production from the Domaine itself, ending with 50% Domaine and 50% négoce.
In 2020, Chanson ended its relationship with one winemaker, as his age-worthy styles were not in line with the more approachable style Chanson was aiming for, and he wasn’t prepared to make the adaptation.
Avenel explained the focus of the Domaine’s change from a ‘one-man-show’ to ‘no ego’, a team of specialised voices listening to other’s opinions. I think this has worked well, the style of the Chanson wines is ready to drink now instead of requiring time in the bottle to develop the quality which some other Burgundies require. This has also meant that the pricing is not too over the top which is crucial.
Another adaptation they have made to ensure the wines are protected is the use of the Diam cork since 2017. This type of cork is designed to hugely reduce the risk of TCA so that the wine will not be ‘corked’. Since the introduction, the Domaine has not experienced any damaged wines, enabling a reassurance across the supply chain.
In terms of market reach, Avenel mentioned that business with France as a proportion has fallen from 50% to 25% but considers this a sign of success. He mentioned Switzerland and particularly Japan as growing markets for Chanson. In terms of the global geopolitical situation, currently Burgundy has not felt the impact, however he feels the future is uncertain.
The Lunch and Tasting
The first course, a crab bisque with a crab ravioli and Oscietra Caviar, was paired with three Beaune Clos des Mouches whites. All wines had notes of citrus and white fruits alongside some minerality, with woody notes from the 20-25% new oak.
The 2021 was a challenging vintage and resulted in a light and delicate wine with high acidity. The 2022 was warm and powerful, particularly ripe therefore more fruit-forward and approachable. The 2023 had generosity but was not quite as ripe, a paler colour due to a higher yield of grapes and a higher level of yeasty notes which adds a richness.
The second course, a beef wellington, was paired with three Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Feves reds. Winemaking style slightly changed for this, from complete whole bunch fermentation to a balance of 50% for ‘the perfect proportion’. Vincent compared it to a ‘buttress’, with the strength and support emerging from the power of the flavour but with the elegance and delicacy on the palate.
The wines have a fresh and spicy nose with cherry and floral notes. The 2021 had a brighter red fruit flavour, with more herbaceous notes alongside some vanilla. The 2022 was a little tarter and the 2023 had a riper cherry fruit character.
The final course, a selection of cheese, was paired with three Mercurey Premier Cru Le Clos L’Eveque, a new acquisition from 2023. The wine is referenced as ‘the wine for the friends’: it doesn’t have too high a reputation due to its nature as being off the beaten path but is beautifully complex and impressive. It has a bright ruby colour, with notes of peony and ripe strawberry and cherry with some liquorice and pepper.
The 2021, made by the previous owners, has a lower acidity with smooth tannins and more strawberry and pepper. The 2022, made partly by Chanson and partly the previous owners, has a riper strawberry and darker cherry flavour, with more tannins and depth and some vanilla. The 2023, 100% Chanson, is full of energy, elegant and fresh with lighter colour, some saltiness and black cherry.
The lunch and the wines were delicious, Domaine Chanson has a lovely selection in their approachable, ready to drink style. Each vintage is unique, and it is great to see how the winemaking choices are becoming more collaborative.
The wines of Domaine Chanson are imported and sold in the UK through Mentzendorff which is a commercial partner of The Buyer. To discover more about them click here.
