The story of this Domaine is one we have seen often: an old family domaine with excellent terroir becomes a wonderful source for wine when the generations change and a new winemaker of particular talent takes the reins. Vincent Boyer took over winemaking at the Domaine Boyer-Martenot about a decade ago, began producing at the very highest level, and slowly the wine world began to notice. For us the earliest validation came when a Master Sommelier then in charge of the wine program at the Mandarin Oriental began buying the wine with both hands, always asking “why aren’t these guys more famous?” Since then they are more famous — Burghound and Vinous both lavish praise on Vincent’s work and score the wines well into the nineties.
At Boyer-Martenot, “excellent terroir” means some of the world’s best white wine vineyards. They are one of only five producers owning vines in Puligny-Montrachet’s premier cru vineyard “En Cailleret,” the only premier cru that abuts Montrachet, the greatest white wine vineyard of them all. They own vines in Meursault 1er cru “Perrieres,” which is the likeliest white wine candidate for elevation to Grand Cru status. Add to this fine plots in Meursault 1er cru Charmes and Genevrieres, and you have an embarrassment of riches like few others.
At the village level, there is only excellence. Meursault’s “En l’Ormeau” has the domaine’s oldest vines (at more than 90 years) and there are other fine choices in Narvaux, Tillets, and the Cuvée Fernand Boyer.