Louis Chenu Pere & Filles
Juliette Chenu Bruot & Caroline Chenu
About
Owners & winemakers: Juliette & Caroline Chenu
Vineyards: 9.5ha across eight sites, mostly in Savigny, some in Chorey
Vineyard management: Organic since 2006
Soils: Varies by site, including sand, marl, calcareous clay, limestone, and volcanic subsoil
Grapes grown: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Aligoté
Annual production: 32,000 bottles
Quick facts:
- Juliette and Caroline are the fifth generation of their family to make wine in Burgundy. Their great-great-grandfather Louis Chenu purchased the first parcels in 1914.
- In an average year, the estate produces ten wines, from Bourgogne Aligoté to Savigny premier crus.
- Juliette and Caroline were featured in a NYTimes article about why Savigny-les-Beaune is one of the most exciting Burgundy regions today.
The first parcels of what would become Louis Chenu Pere et Filles were purchased by Louis Chenu in 1914. After working with their father, also named Louis, for a number of years, sisters Juliette and Caroline became the fifth generation of their family to make wine in Savigny-les-Beaune. They describe the wine as “part of the family.” The two sisters work as a team to handle all the tasks at the winery themselves, including in the vineyard (pruning, treatments, green harvesting) and in the cellar (racking, topping up, fining). Harvest is done by hand, and the grapes are crushed by foot. They aim to make delicate and supple reds by managing extraction: all grapes are destemmed, maceration lasts less than two weeks, and fermentation is carried out naturally at low temperatures. After at least 18 months of aging, the reds are bottled unfiltered whenever possible. Whites are pressed immediately after harvest and are fermented and aged in barrels in the cellar. After one year, they are filtered and bottled.
