Philippe Pacalet is one of the most talked-about winemakers in Burgundy. From his cellar in Beaune he makes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with whole bunches, wild yeast and very little sulphur, from village Gevrey-Chambertin to grands crus such as Echézeaux, Ruchottes-Chambertin and Corton Bressandes.
Philippe Pacalet: from Beaujolais and Prieuré-Roch to his own cellar in Beaune
Pacalet is the nephew of Marcel Lapierre, one of the pioneers of natural wine in Beaujolais, and learned the craft with him in the late 1980s. In the 1990s he then made the wine at Domaine Prieuré-Roch in Nuits-Saint-Georges, where he first worked with the great vineyards of the Côte de Nuits. His first vintage under his own name followed in 2001.
The cellar sits on rue de Chaumergy near Beaune railway station, in buildings that once belonged to the house of Poulet Père. Pacalet himself describes the business as pure négoce on paper. He owns no vineyards; instead he rents parcels or holds long contracts with growers, and wherever possible he and his team do the vineyard work themselves. He prefers parcels farmed organically or biodynamically.
Natural Burgundy with whole bunches and minimal sulphur
The style is easy to recognise. The reds ferment with whole clusters and with the yeast that comes in on the grapes from the vineyard. He avoids sulphur during fermentation and the first part of ageing, and the wines are neither fined nor filtered. Élevage follows the vintage but usually lasts 14 to 18 months in barrels from several coopers, with only a modest share of new oak.
The result is Pinot Noir with a pale colour, aromas of red berries, flowers and spice, and a juicy, silky texture rather than power and oak. The wines drink well young, but the best sites develop beautifully over many years. If you open an older vintage, give it a little air in a decanter.
Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny and grand cru from the Côte de Nuits
The heart of the range is the Côte de Nuits. Gevrey-Chambertin comes both as a village wine and as the premier cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques, and the same village gives the grands crus Ruchottes-Chambertin and Charmes-Chambertin, the latter in magnum. Chambolle-Musigny brings premier cru, including Les Sentiers, and the slope above Vosne-Romanée gives the grand cru Echézeaux. Village Nuits-Saint-Georges is an earthier, spicier Pacalet.
On the Côte de Beaune he makes Ladoix 1er Cru Les Joyeuses and the grand cru Corton Bressandes. The whites are Chardonnay from Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet, several in magnum, plus Monthélie 1er Cru Clos Gauthey. They share the same taut, mineral style as the reds.
Cornas: Philippe Pacalet beyond Burgundy
Pacalet has never left his southern roots behind. Alongside his Beaujolais from Moulin-à-Vent, he makes a Cornas from Syrah in the northern Rhône, again with the stems in the ferment. It shows that his method works beyond Pinot Noir: fresh fruit, spice and a fine, almost light structure.
Frequently asked questions about Philippe Pacalet
Is Philippe Pacalet a domaine or a négociant?
Formally, Maison Philippe Pacalet is a négociant based in Beaune. He owns no vineyards, but rents parcels and has fixed agreements with growers, and he takes part in the vineyard work himself.
Are Philippe Pacalet's wines natural wines?
Many count him among the most important names in natural wine in Burgundy. The wines are made with wild yeast and whole bunches, without fining or filtration and with as little sulphur as possible. He does add a small amount when the wine needs to be stable.
How is Philippe Pacalet related to Lapierre?
He is the nephew of Marcel Lapierre and learned to make wine in Beaujolais before moving to Prieuré-Roch and then founding his own business in 2001.
Which Philippe Pacalet wine should I choose?
Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges are good entry points to the style. Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru shows his elegance, while Echézeaux, Ruchottes-Chambertin and Corton Bressandes are wines for the cellar. To taste the method on another grape, try the Cornas.