Morey Blanc
Summary
Morey-Blanc is a small-scale négociant operation established by Pierre Morey in the late 1990s, now run with his daughter Anne, producing site-specific white and red Burgundies from carefully selected vineyards throughout the Côte de Beaune. Their winemaking philosophy emphasizes minimal intervention with indigenous yeast fermentations, traditional Burgundian techniques, and meticulous attention to terroir expression, reflecting the same hands-on approach and quality standards they apply to their family domaine.
Heritage & Leadership
Morey-Blanc was established in the late 1990s as a micro-négociant operation by Pierre Morey, functioning as a complementary business to his family domain, Domaine Pierre Morey. Based in Meursault, this négociant venture allowed Pierre to expand his winemaking portfolio beyond the confines of his family's vineyard holdings. Pierre Morey brought substantial expertise to this project, having served as the régisseur (winemaker and vineyard manager) at Domaine Leflaive from 1988 to 2008, one of Burgundy's most respected white wine producers. The business operates under the leadership of Pierre and his daughter Anne Morey, who joined the family business after completing her oenology studies. Anne has gradually taken on increasing responsibilities in both the négociant operation and the family domain, ensuring continuity of the Morey winemaking philosophy.
Vineyards & Wines
While Morey-Blanc does not own vineyards, the operation sources grapes from carefully selected growers throughout the Côte de Beaune, with whom Pierre has developed long-standing relationships over his decades working in Burgundy. The portfolio includes both white and red wines from various appellations, including Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, and Pommard. Rather than producing generic regional wines, Morey-Blanc focuses on specific vineyard sites, including several premier cru and grand cru locations. The operation maintains strict quality standards for its grape sources, often working with growers who follow organic or biodynamic farming practices. This careful selection process allows Morey-Blanc to produce wines that reflect the distinctive terroir of each vineyard site, despite not owning the land from which the grapes originate.
Philosophy & Practice
The winemaking approach at Morey-Blanc mirrors the philosophy Pierre established at Domaine Pierre Morey, emphasizing minimal intervention and traditional Burgundian techniques. All grapes are hand-harvested and meticulously sorted before pressing. For white wines, whole-cluster pressing is employed, followed by settling of the juice and fermentation in French oak barrels. Red wines undergo careful destemming, with a cold maceration period before fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Aging takes place in French oak barrels, with the percentage of new oak carefully calibrated according to the character of each wine and vintage. Pierre Morey's background as a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture in Burgundy (having converted his family domain in the 1990s) influences the négociant operation's approach, though the certification status applies only to the family's owned vineyards. The Morey-Blanc wines are produced with a focus on expressing vineyard character through traditional methods and attentive winemaking.