Meursault Les Gouttes d’Or 2002 Domaine d’Auvenay

Les Gouttes d’Or 2002 – Domaine d’Auvenay

A Meursault Premier Cru of rare pedigree, sculpted in stone and time

The Les Gouttes d’Or 2002 from Domaine d’Auvenay is an extraordinary white Burgundy from one of Meursault’s most expressive Premier Cru vineyards. Under the vision of Lalou Bize-Leroy, this Chardonnay becomes something more than wine — a deep, mineral, and complex expression of both terroir and time.

The 2002 vintage is a benchmark year in Burgundy: mature, structured, with vibrant acidity and stunning aging potential. This bottle stands as a testament to biodynamic precision and natural winemaking.

Vineyard and winemaking

Les Gouttes d’Or lies just south of the village of Meursault, on soils rich in limestone and marl. Farming is fully biodynamic, with strict hand harvesting and grape selection.

Fermentation occurs naturally with indigenous yeasts in used oak barrels, followed by over 24 months of aging on fine lees. No fining, no filtration — purity is the goal.

Tasting notes 🍐🌰⚪

• Color: Deep golden yellow with subtle amber reflections.

• Nose: Intense and layered. Ripe pear, roasted hazelnuts, light honey, melted butter, herbal tea, sea breeze, and a touch of smoke.

• Palate: Rich yet tense. Silky texture with lingering acidity. Full-bodied with mineral depth and a long, salty, nutty finish. Incredibly balanced.

Serving temperature and food pairings

Serve at 13–14 °C. A stunning match for buttered langoustines, porcini mushroom risotto, seared foie gras, soft washed-rind cheeses, or even truffle egg dishes.

Technical sheet

• Producer: Domaine d’Auvenay

• Appellation: Meursault Premier Cru

• Climat: Les Gouttes d’Or

• Vintage: 2002

• Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay

• Farming: Certified biodynamic

• Vinification: Native yeast fermentation, aged >24 months in used oak barrels, unfined and unfiltered

• Alcohol: 13%

• Residual sugar: None (dry)

• Serving temperature: 13–14 °C

• Aging potential: 30+ years

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Domaine d’Auvenay – The Hidden Soul of Burgundy

Introduction to the myth

Domaine d’Auvenay is one of the most mysterious, rare, and revered names in Burgundy—if not in the entire world of wine. Nestled in the village of Saint-Romain in the Côte de Beaune, it represents the most intimate and personal expression of Lalou Bize-Leroy, a living legend in the realm of Burgundian viticulture.

Unlike the more prominent and established Domaine Leroy, also owned by her, Auvenay is tiny and almost mystical: just around 4 hectares in total, farmed with obsessive precision and vinified without compromise.

From this quiet corner of Burgundy, Lalou produces some of the purest, most intense and long-lived white and red wines in existence—crafted with immense care, profound knowledge, and spiritual devotion.

A philosophy of total precision

In the vineyard: Biodynamics as an art form

The vineyards of Domaine d’Auvenay are cultivated with biodynamic principles and zero synthetic chemicals. Every task is carried out by hand, and each vine is treated as a living, individual organism.

No shortcuts. No machines. Every cluster is harvested by hand with surgical precision. The work in the vineyard is as detailed as bonsai cultivation, aimed at preserving biodiversity and enhancing soil vitality.

In the cellar: Slowness, gravity, and truth

Winemaking at Auvenay is deeply traditional and entirely gravity-fed. Fermentations occur spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in old oak barrels and demi-muids.

Malolactic fermentation is not always allowed, depending on the vintage. The wines mature slowly, often for extended periods on fine lees. They are neither fined nor filtered, and bottled only when Lalou deems them ready—sometimes after several years.

The wines of Auvenay

Whites: The epiphany of Chardonnay

Domaine d’Auvenay is best known for its monumental white wines, made from Chardonnay grapes grown in both prestigious and humble terroirs. From Bourgogne Aligoté to Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères, all the way up to Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, these wines offer a level of concentration, tension, and salinity that defies any classification system.

Even a so-called “village” wine from Auvenay can outshine Grand Crus from top domaines in purity and depth.

Reds: Precision and soul

Auvenay also produces tiny quantities of Pinot Noir, from rare and often forgotten parcels such as Volnay, Auxey-Duresses, Mazis-Chambertin, and others. These reds are refined, soulful, and intellectually complex—never about power, always about truth.

They offer a rare balance of transparency and depth, and they age with extraordinary grace.

Market impact and cult status

Ultra-limited, ultra-coveted

Buying a bottle of Domaine d’Auvenay is almost impossible. Production is extremely limited, distribution is tightly controlled, and the wines are sold mostly **through private allocations