Description: Côte Chalonnaise Les Clous Aimé 2023 | Wine Estate de Villaine
The Côte Chalonnaise Les Clous Aimé 2023 from Domaine de Villaine is one of the most endearing cuvées from Southern Burgundy. Formerly known as “Les Clous,” it was renamed “Les Clous Aimé” in homage to Aimé de Villaine, the wine estate’s guiding figure. Pierre de Benoist oversees the winemaking process with the quiet precision of someone who knows each of the seven plots of old Chardonnay vines that make up this cru by heart.
Terroir and Grape Variety
The seven plots that make up this cuvée are nestled in the Bouzeron valley, in the Côte Chalonnaise. The vines face due south, sheltered from the north wind. This dual advantage promotes even ripening, without excess. The predominantly clay-limestone soil imparts the tension and chalky minerality that characterize this wine.
Viticulture and Winemaking
The wine estate has been certified organic since 1997. The grapes are harvested by hand, then pressed as whole clusters using slow pneumatic pressing. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in oak barrels, vats, and casks. Ageing in oak barrels and vats slowly rounds out the wine’s profile. Each step respects the raw material without attempting to alter it.
Côte Chalonnaise Les Clous Aimé 2023 | Domaine de Villaine: the sommelier’s review
Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin
Domaine de Villaine is one of the hidden gems of Southern Burgundy—those wine estates that lend prestige to appellations that would be wrongly labeled as “small.” Pierre de Benoist produces wines of remarkable consistency here, vintage after vintage. The 2023 Côte Chalonnaise Les Clous Aimé is the most convincing demonstration of this: minerality, complex fruit, and tension come together with rare fluidity. This Chardonnay from Bouzeron is every bit as good as the whites of the Côte de Beaune—provided you give it the time it deserves. It is expected to reach its peak drinking period between 2030 and 2037: a minimum of five to seven years of cellaring before opening the bottle. Paired with roasted Bresse chicken and a morel sauce, the wine truly comes into its own.
The Nose
The nose opens with notes of fresh citrus, white peach, and fresh herbs. A hint of pine nuts adds a subtle herbal note. After a few minutes of aeration, pear and a delicate floral note round out the profile. In the background, the chalky minerality of Bouzeron limestone comes through with lovely clarity.
Palate
On the palate, the attack is full-bodied and generous, without being heavy. The texture is fluid, almost silky, with a distinct body. Notes of pear and white peach linger, offering a rich, indulgent flavor. The salinity and floral touches refine the overall profile, lending it precision and length. The finish, taut and mouthwatering, invites a second sip.
The Côte Chalonnaise: An Appellation Worth Rediscovering
The Côte Chalonnaise stretches south of the Côte de Beaune, between Chagny and Montagny. It encompasses appellations such as Mercurey, Givry, Rully, and Bouzeron, on predominantly limestone and clay-limestone soils. Here, Chardonnay expresses a freshness and minerality that are often—and mistakenly—associated solely with the great appellations of the north. The region still lags behind its prestigious neighbors, making it one of the best balances between complexity and approachability in all of Burgundy.
Made from a blend of seven plots of old vines, Les Clous Aimé embodies the purity of the clay-limestone terroirs of the Côte Chalonnaise. Pierre de Benoist has made this a cuvée, representative of the appellation at its most ambitious.
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