Domaine Sylvain Morey is a small domaine in Chassagne-Montrachet making precise, mineral white and red Burgundy. The range runs from Bourgogne Aligoté and Bourgogne Rouge to the premiers crus Les Caillerets and Champs-Gains.
Domaine Sylvain Morey: a Morey from Chassagne-Montrachet
The Morey family has grown vines in Chassagne-Montrachet for generations. Sylvain's father, Jean-Marc Morey, founded his domaine in 1981, when the family estate of Albert Morey was divided between him and his brother Bernard. In 2014 Sylvain and his sister Caroline split their father's vineyards between them, and that same year the first wines were bottled under the Domaine Sylvain Morey name.
Before that, Sylvain had spent decades in the Luberon in Provence, where he built up his own estate, Bastide du Claux. He still divides his time between the two. Caroline Morey is married to Pierre-Yves Colin, so the two domaines share both family and village.
Small plots in Chassagne-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin and Santenay
The domaine is small and deliberately kept that way. Its vineyards lie in Chassagne-Montrachet and the neighbouring villages of Saint-Aubin and Santenay. The whites come from the premiers crus Les Caillerets and Champs-Gains, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Charmois and two small village plots just below the village. The reds come from Champs-Gains, Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes and Santenay 1er Cru Grand Clos Rousseau.
Alongside the big names the domaine also makes Bourgogne Rouge, Bourgogne Aligoté and Coteaux Bourguignons, an easy and approachable way into the style. Chassagne-Montrachet is one of the Côte de Beaune villages where both white and red have a long tradition, and Sylvain Morey makes both with the same care.
Natural fermentation and long barrel ageing
In the cellar Sylvain Morey uses natural yeasts for both whites and reds. The grapes are always destemmed, around a fifth of the barrels are new and the lees are barely stirred. The whites now spend 18 months in barrel before bottling, up from a year.
The result is wines with more power and a richer texture than his father's, but with the same firm, mineral structure. Chardonnay from Caillerets shows the elegant, limestone side of Chassagne, while Champs-Gains, higher up the slope, is fresher and more taut. The Pinot Noir reds are juicy and fresh.
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Sylvain Morey questions and answers
Is Sylvain Morey the same as Jean-Marc Morey?
No, but they are father and son. Domaine Jean-Marc Morey was divided in 2014 between Sylvain and his sister Caroline, and since then Sylvain has made wine under his own name.
How is he connected to Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey?
Sylvain's sister Caroline is married to Pierre-Yves Colin. The two domaines are independent, each with its own style.
How long can the wines be cellared?
The village wines are lovely after three to five years. Premiers crus such as Les Caillerets and Champs-Gains develop for ten years or more, and the reds from Santenay and Champs-Gains drink well after four to eight years.
What food goes with Sylvain Morey Chassagne-Montrachet?
White Chassagne suits lobster, scallops and fish in butter sauce, the red suits duck, chicken and mushrooms. Aligoté is a fresh match for oysters and shellfish.