You've come to know us over the years. You know what a pleasure it is for us to introduce you to young talents who are presenting their wines for the first time. So today, it's with a certain emotion that we'd like to talk to you about William Rouxel;

William isn't exactly a youngster. Trained as a horticulturist and nurseryman, he took to the vineyards on a whim, or rather on a crush, for Burgundy to be precise. Initially working for some of the great estates of the Côte de Nuits, he then decided to set sail to explore other horizons, notably Australia. 

"I discovered a Pinot Noir philosophy that suited me: vinification in whole bunches, pumping over rather than punching down? Gentle methods to get the best out of the grape variety. I also discovered the importance of choosing the right barrels. This was to be his guiding principle.

For several years now, William Rouxel's expertise has been recognized by all those who love gentle treatments and biodynamic viticulture, as well as by those who seek to obtain the best possible grapes while paying careful attention to the balance of the vine and its ecosystem (don't be surprised if you come across a huge anthill in the middle of a row).

William is a scientist who never tires of telling you about the importance of plants. We experienced this for ourselves when we first met him 3 years ago. His vineyard, located in the Hautes Côtes de Nuits, on the heights of Nuits Saint Georges, left us speechless. It's a magical place, with majestic views and discreet neighbors (mainly birds). So we were eager to see what William would come up with from a terroir and environment like this. 

Relentlessly, he worked his 3 hectares to give back all its strength to this clean vineyard, but which lacked a little vigor. With his friend Arnaud Lopez (Maison Pinot Noar), with whom he shares part of his grape production, he learns to read this terroir, to understand its subtleties. And then, in 2022, came the first harvest and the first vinifications. Arnaud advised him to vinify without sulfur. William took the risk, went for it, and never looked back. He also followed his guiding principles: whole grape harvest, gentle extraction, a lot of feeling, follow-up and confidence in the grapes he had pampered for months, ageing in old barrels and in a small pottery, bottling a year later, and here is his very first cuvée, soberly named "Les Larrets", after this parcel, his little paradise.

The label is sober and discreet. It's a far cry from the current codes for natural wines, where everyone competes in originality (sometimes bordering on good taste) to stand out from the crowd. William has chosen to let his grapes, his experience and his method speak for themselves. In a world of images and pomp, this may seem anachronistic, but curiously enough, we like it.

After a few weeks' rest, the wines were finally ready to leave the nest. William delivered at the beginning of the week. We couldn't resist opening a bottle with a few visiting friends. We rediscovered the lovely fruit that had seduced us during our barrel tasting a few months earlier, as well as the beautiful earthy structure so typical of Nuits Saint Georges terroirs. Unsurprisingly, we're a long way from the little glouglou. This is a serious wine, which might give the impression of a certain form of austerity, but which, in reality, just needs to be waited for a few years to reveal its full potential.