At the helm of Domaine du Couvent are the father-and-son duo, Philippe and Paul Chéron. Philippe brings a legacy rooted in the Côte de Nuits, having steered the Vougeot-based Domaine Misset-Chéron for over a decade. The recent merger with the historic Domaine des Varoilles in Gevrey-Chambertin, another piece of the family’s heritage, marks an exciting new chapter. Meanwhile, Paul Chéron, a trained agronomist who has apprenticed all around the world (most recently with Clément Boillot-Barthod,) is a whirlwind of energy, brimming with innovative farming and winemaking ideas. Most center around how to continue crafting elegant expressions of Burgundy despite the climatic challenges—a topic whose echo grows louder and louder upon each visit to the region.

The vineyard Les Barreaux occupies a prestigious position in Vosne-Romanée, perched at the top of the slope near the forest’s edge. Neighboring the famed Grand Cru Richebourg and Premier Crus such as Petits Monts, Aux Brûlées, Aux Réas, and the iconic Cros Parantoux, this terroir is home to some of Burgundy’s most coveted red wines. Its soils are defined by fine, chalky sand layered over significant limestone deposits, a hallmark of these exceptional sites. Historically, Les Barreaux’s higher elevation rendered it too cool to warrant Premier Cru classification. However, in today’s warmer vintages, achieving full ripeness is no longer a challenge. For me, Domaine du Couvent’s magnificent Les Barreaux stands shoulder to shoulder with its more famous (and pricier!) brethren.

This dynamic duo has knocked it out of the park with their Vosne-Romanée Les Barreaux: a modern-day classic, brimming with aromatic complexity, vibrant energy and extraordinary length. It is an incredible, old-vine site, first planted in 1929, that yields aromatic complexity, depth of fruit and length more typically found in Grand Cru wines. The nose is redolent of violets, red berries and baking spice, which soar from the glass while the lush, pure fruit glides seamlessly into an elegant, persistent finish. This wine embodies refined Burgundy with its velvety texture, vibrant energy and a fine mineral streak that promises exceptional aging potential. Sleek, silky, and utterly seductive, this is Burgundy at its finest—a wine without peer in the vinous world, a true vin de garde!