Domaine Desvignes 2022 Givry "Champ la Dame" 750ml

Gautier Desvignes represents a genuinely new chapter for a family estate with genuinely old roots. Domaine Desvignes has farmed in Givry since 1870, with cellars dating back to the 17th century — but for generations, like many producers in the Côte Chalonnaise, the family simply sold their fruit to the big négociant houses of the Côte d'Or, their Pinot Noir clones historically selected for quantity rather than quality. Gautier, the fifth generation to run the domaine, took over in 2016 after honing his craft abroad, including time spent working in Oregon — and he represents a broader generational shift happening across Burgundy's less celebrated appellations, where young winemakers are returning home with new ideas and a refusal to settle for their region's historic reputation as an afterthought to the Côte d'Or.

William Kelley of The Wine Advocate has taken notice, writing that "the young Gautier Desvignes continues his rapid ascent at this 11-hectare Givry estate... elegant, sumptuous reds and bright, chiselled whites are the order of the day." Champ la Dame is the domaine's flagship village-level red — sourced from a specific 1.7-hectare lieu-dit southwest of Givry, near the small hamlet of Poncey, where 30-year-old Pinot Noir vines grow on clay-limestone soils on a gently sloping, east-facing site. The 2022 vintage arrived at the end of a genuinely demanding growing season — Burgundy's largest drought since 1976, punctuated by summer heatwaves — that nonetheless produced fruit of real quality and generous yields, following a cold winter that delayed budburst and spared most vineyards from April frost damage.

The grapes are entirely hand-harvested and 100% destemmed, given a brief cool maceration on the skins before a gentle stainless-steel fermentation, then aged twelve months in used French oak barrels before a further six months of marrying in stainless steel prior to bottling. Only 9,000 bottles were produced. The result is a poised and precise Givry Rouge that demonstrates exactly why this Côte Chalonnaise village has become so exciting: raspberry, blackberry, and cherry leap from the glass, married with subtle hints of chocolate and black pepper spice, alongside a savory touch of licorice. Velvety on the palate with fine-grained, well-integrated tannins, driven by vibrant acidity onto a long, lingering finish. This is serious, terroir-transparent Burgundy at a fraction of the cost of its more famous Côte d'Or neighbors — from a young winemaker whose reputation, vintage after vintage, keeps climbing.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Domaine Desvignes is based in Givry, in Burgundy's Côte Chalonnaise, with a history stretching back to 1870 and cellars dating to the 17th century. Gautier Desvignes, the fifth generation of his family to run the domaine, took over in 2016 after gaining winemaking experience abroad, including a stint in Oregon — an outside perspective he has brought back to modernize an estate whose fruit had historically been sold off to négociants in the Côte d'Or rather than bottled under its own name. The domaine farms 11 hectares classified across Givry Village and Givry Premier Cru, all hand-harvested with rigorous selective sorting to retain only the most promising bunches, and has practiced reasoned, chemical- and herbicide-free cultivation since 2003.

Champ la Dame is sourced from a specific 1.7-hectare parcel southwest of Givry near the hamlet of Poncey, on gently sloping, east-facing terrain planted with 30-year-old Pinot Noir vines on clay-limestone soils. The hand-harvested grapes are 100% destemmed and rigorously sorted, then given a brief cool maceration on the skins with gentle pump-overs before fermentation in stainless steel. Following fermentation, the wine ages 12 months in used French oak barrels, after which the final blend is assembled and left to marry for a further six months in stainless steel tanks before bottling. The 2022 vintage yielded 9,000 bottles. Vinification across the entire Desvignes range follows a minimal-intervention philosophy, with the 2022 Burgundy growing season specifically marked by a cold winter that delayed budburst (sparing most vineyards from April frost), optimal spring conditions, a hot and dry summer tempered by late-June rain that replenished water reserves, and a harvest running from late August through mid-September that yielded excellent fruit quality with vibrant aromatics and balancing acidity.

Critics Reviews

No numerical critic score is confirmed for the 2022 vintage at this time.

William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (domaine-level assessment):
"The young Gautier Desvignes continues his rapid ascent at this 11-hectare Givry estate… Elegant, sumptuous reds and bright, chiselled whites are the order of the day."

Liberty Wines (importer, official tasting note):
"A poised and precise Givry Rouge that demonstrates why this Côte Chalonnaise village is so exciting. Aromas of raspberry, blackberry and cherry leap out of the glass and are married with subtle hints of chocolate and spice. Velvety on the palate with fine-grained tannins and a vibrant acidity that drives the flavours onto the lingering finish."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Brilliant ruby red with purple reflections, signaling the wine's youth and vivacity. Raspberry, blackberry, and cherry leap from the glass with immediate, expressive freshness. Subtle hints of chocolate and black pepper spice add warmth, alongside a savory touch of licorice.

Palate
Velvety and elegant, with fine-grained, well-integrated tannins carrying real silkiness. Vibrant acidity drives the fruit forward, delivering a beautiful richness and lively energy without ever tipping into heaviness. The clay-limestone terroir and 30-year-old vines contribute genuine depth and precision.

Finish
Long and lingering, with the red fruit and spice character persisting cleanly. Delicate, silky tannins carry the close, confirming the poise and precision that has made Gautier Desvignes's Givry one of the Côte Chalonnaise's most closely watched rising reputations.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• Beef tenderloin with duck foie gras
• Duck breast
• Cheese platters
• Mushroom risotto
• Classic Burgundian cuisine