Meursault Pre de Manche 2007 Domaine d’Auvenay

Pré de Manche 2007 – Domaine d’Auvenay

An unclassified Meursault with tension, purity, and exceptional depth

The Pré de Manche 2007 from Domaine d’Auvenay is one of the hidden treasures of Meursault. Though not officially recognized as a climat, this small parcel produces a wine that rivals the greatest Premier and Grand Crus in character and complexity. In the hands of Lalou Bize-Leroy, this Chardonnay becomes a beacon of minerality, energy, and transparency.

The 2007 vintage brought freshness and focus, amplifying the precise, linear style that defines Auvenay’s whites.

Vineyard and vinification

Farmed using strict biodynamic methods, Pré de Manche is treated with the same meticulous attention as the domaine’s most iconic sites. Harvesting is done by hand with intense grape selection, ensuring only the healthiest bunches are used.

The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts in used oak barrels and aged for over 24 months on the lees, without fining or filtration. This non-interventionist approach allows the wine to fully express its terroir and structure.

Tasting notes 🍋⚪🧂

• Color: Pale golden yellow with brilliant clarity.

• Nose: Refined and layered. White flowers, crushed stone, lemon peel, roasted hazelnut cream, chamomile tea, and a subtle smoky note.

• Palate: Dry and electric. Crisp acidity frames a core of mineral tension, with great volume and length. The finish is salty, chalky, and endlessly persistent.

Serving temperature and food pairings

Best served at 12–13 °C. Pairs beautifully with grilled fish, oysters, tuna tartare, and richer dishes like roast chicken with mushrooms or soft cheeses.

Technical sheet

• Producer: Domaine d’Auvenay

• Appellation: Meursault (unclassified lieu-dit)

• Vintage: 2007

• Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay

• Farming: Certified biodynamic

• Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation, aged 24+ months in used barrels, no fining or filtration

• Alcohol: 13%

• Residual sugar: None (dry)

• Serving temperature: 12–13 °C

• Aging potential: 25+ years

See all products of Domaine d'Auvenay

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