Aurelien Verdet
Summary
Aurélien Verdet operates his boutique négociant-vigneron domaine in Burgundy's Côte de Nuits, producing primarily Pinot Noir from his 4.5-hectare estate in the elevated Hautes-Côtes de Nuits and from trusted growers in prestigious appellations. Continuing his father's pioneering organic legacy from the 1970s, Verdet employs minimal intervention techniques including manual harvesting, indigenous yeast fermentation, and thoughtful barrel aging to create terroir-expressive wines that position him among Burgundy's most promising next-generation winemakers.
Heritage & Leadership
Aurélien Verdet established his eponymous domaine in the early 2000s in Burgundy's Côte de Nuits region. As a young négociant-vigneron, Verdet represents the new generation of Burgundian winemakers who combine both estate-grown fruit with purchased grapes. His father, Alain Verdet, was among the first vignerons in Burgundy to adopt organic farming practices in the 1970s. Upon his father's retirement, Aurelien took over the family's organically farmed vineyards and expanded operations by establishing relationships with growers throughout the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. Today, Verdet maintains complete control over his operation, personally overseeing both vineyard management and winemaking.
Vineyards & Wines
Aurélien Verdet's domaine encompasses approximately 4.5 hectares of owned vineyards, primarily located in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. These higher-elevation sites sit between 300-400 meters above sea level on predominantly limestone-clay soils. Beyond his estate vineyards, Verdet works closely with growers in several prestigious appellations, including Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny, and Nuits-Saint-Georges. His portfolio spans multiple classification levels, from regional Bourgogne to Premier Cru designations. The domaine focuses primarily on Pinot Noir production, which constitutes approximately 85% of total production, with the remainder dedicated to Chardonnay. Notable vineyard sites include parcels in Vosne-Romanée "Les Beaux Monts" Premier Cru and Nuits-Saint-Georges "Aux Boudots" Premier Cru.
Philosophy & Practice
Verdet maintains strict organic farming practices across his estate vineyards, continuing the certification his father established decades earlier. In the vineyards he manages directly, Verdet employs manual harvesting exclusively, with rigorous sorting both in the vineyard and at the winery. His winemaking approach emphasizes minimal intervention to preserve site expression. For red wines, Verdet typically destems between 70-90% of the fruit depending on the vintage and vineyard, followed by cold maceration lasting 4-7 days. Fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled tanks with indigenous yeasts. Aging takes place in French oak barrels, with new oak usage varying from 15% for regional wines to 50% for Premier Crus. Verdet bottles his wines with minimal fining and filtration. For white wines, whole-cluster pressing precedes fermentation and aging in a combination of stainless steel tanks and neutral oak barrels to maintain freshness and mineral expression.