Monts Luisants, Domaine des
Summary
Domaine des Monts Luisants is a small family estate in Morey-Saint-Denis in Burgundy's Côte de Nuits, crafting primarily Pinot Noir wines from their namesake premier cru vineyard and surrounding parcels. Their hands-on approach includes hand harvesting, careful grape selection, and judicious oak aging, while their unconventional planting of Aligoté in premier cru land demonstrates their willingness to honor tradition while pursuing distinctive expressions of their terroir.
Heritage & Leadership
Domaine des Monts Luisants is a small estate located in Morey-Saint-Denis in Burgundy's prestigious Côte de Nuits region. The domaine takes its name from the "Les Monts Luisants" premier cru vineyard where it holds parcels. For many years, the estate was owned and managed by Jean-Marc Dufouleur, who maintained the domaine's focus on traditional Burgundian winemaking. A significant transition occurred in 2004 when Dufouleur passed the estate to his nephew, who continued to build upon the established winemaking philosophy while guiding the domaine forward. This current owner should not be confused with Jean-Marc Roulot of Meursault, who is a different winemaker.
Vineyards & Wines
Domaine des Monts Luisants maintains vineyard holdings in Morey-Saint-Denis, with its namesake parcel in the premier cru "Les Monts Luisants" vineyard representing a centerpiece of their production. The estate is relatively small, characteristic of traditional Burgundy producers, with holdings primarily in Morey-Saint-Denis at the premier cru level. The domaine's production focuses on Pinot Noir wines, as is typical for the Côte de Nuits region. What distinguishes Domaine des Monts Luisants is their production of a notable white wine from their "Les Monts Luisants" vineyard made from Aligoté rather than the more common Chardonnay—an unusual choice that has become a signature offering of the estate.
Philosophy & Practice
The winemaking approach at Domaine des Monts Luisants adheres to traditional Burgundian methods with a clear emphasis on expressing the unique terroir of their vineyards. Their production techniques include hand harvesting and careful sorting of the grapes to ensure only the highest quality fruit enters the winemaking process. For their red wines, the domaine employs partial or complete de-stemming depending on the characteristics of each vintage. The aging process takes place in French oak barrels, with a moderate percentage of new oak used to complement rather than overwhelm the wines' natural characteristics. This balanced approach to oak aging helps preserve the distinctive expression of their Morey-Saint-Denis terroir while providing structural support to the wines.