The History of Domaine Cottenceau
Maxime Cottenceau is a young and talented winemaker based in Buxy, in the Côte Chalonnaise. After training with the renowned winemaker Vincent Dureuil (Dureuil-Janthial), he took over his parents' vineyards in 2018 and launched his own estate. The estate, which spans approximately 6 hectares, produces wines from Burgundy's emblematic grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Aligoté.
Viticulture and Winemaking: The Philosophy of the estate
In the vineyard, Maxime prioritizes sustainable agriculture to preserve biodiversity and achieve optimal grape quality. He began converting to organic farming in 2020. In the cellar, Maxime uses indigenous yeasts for fermentation, and his white wines benefit from extended aging on fine lees in oak barrels, often up to 18 months, to develop complexity and structure without imparting too much wood into the wines. The winemaking practices are quite minimalist, limiting the addition of sulfites to maintain the purity and freshness of the wines.
The Wines of Domaine Cottenceau
Maxime produces a majority of white wines spread across Givry, Montagny, and Bourgogne Aligoté appellations, which have balanced profiles with a lovely structure focused on freshness. For the reds, Maxime offers wines from Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Givry Champ Pourot, and Mercurey La Chagnée appellations, which are noted for their delightful drinkability.
