Like Marsannay, Chorey-les-Beaune, Monthelier and Saint Romain, Ladoix represents an overlooked village, the vignerons of whom make affordable, but still authentic and accessible Burgundy, which our family drink, when we want a great glass of wine without thinking of bottle age and value. However, also here prices are on the rise in the world of Burgundy pricing!

The Dijon-Beaune road (RN 74) runs straight through Ladoix, and to us, as for many others, Ladoix had for many years just been a village we passed through on our way to more known villages for more than 20 years, despite being placed at the foot of the famous Corton hill. However, in 2013 we rented a Gîte in Buisson at the northern entrance to Ladoix. This allowed us to fully explore its complicated appellation and many domaines, one important one of which is Domaine Jean-Pierre Maldant, located on the bank of Lauve, where it crosses N74.

The Maldants have been winegrowers in Ladoix-Serrigny since 1895, and it was with mixed emotions that Jean-Pierre in 1998 gave up the honorable tending the vines of Hospices de Beaune to concentrate on their own vines, which up till then had been sold to négociants. Today, some three quarters of the production is bottled at the domaine (some 30,000 bottles) and sold to private clients, while the rest is sold to négociants.

Buying the building at the opposite site of the Lauve allowed the domaine to extend their bottle stocking capacity, and upgrade their tasting facilities, in addition to moving the office. A novel chai à fûtes was finished in 2015. Finally, un nouvelle cave cuverie is expected to be put into use in 2019.

Today, the domaine is headed by Jean-Pierre Maldants son, Pierre-Francois, and includes some 9 hectares placed in Ladoix, Savigny-les-Beaune, Chorey-les-Beaune and Aloxe-Corton. The following wines are presently available representing both wines for early drinking and long-keeping: Bourgogne Blanc (17a; vine age 30 years in “Les tertres”), Chory-les-Beaune Blanc “Les Beaumonts” (15a; vine age 60 years in “Les Beaumonts”), Ladoix Blanc (52a; age of vine in “Les Ranches” not stated), Ladoix Blanc “Les Buis” (planted in 2014), Corton Charlemagne GC (33a; vine age 30 years in “Le Corton”), Bourgogne rouge “La Chapelle Notre-Dame” (43a; 70% vv, the rest planted in 2010), Ladoix rouge (88a; age of vines in “Les Rauches” and “Le Seuriat” not stated), Ladoix rouge Les Chaillots (49a; age of “Les Chaillots” not stated), Ladoix rouge “Les Buis” (planted in 2014), Chorey-les-Beaune “Les Beaumonts” (25a; age not stated), Aloxe-Corton (91a in “Les Valozières”, “Les Morais” and “Les Crapousuets”), Aloxe-Corton “Crapousuets” vieille vignes, Savigny-les-Beaune (71a in Les Fourneaux and Les Pimentiers), Savigny-les-Beaune 1^er Cru “Aux Fourneaux” (30a; some 70 years old), Savigny-les-Beaune 1^er Cru “Les Peuillets” (20a; not available, replanted recently), Aloxe-Corton 1^er Cru “Les Maréchaudes” (34a in lieux-dits “les Maréchaudes” and “La Maréchaude;” some 50 years old vines), Aloxe-Corton 1^er Cru “Les Valoriziéres” (59a; 10-60 years old), Corton-Maréchaude GC (46a bordering Corton Bressandes) and Corton-Les Grandes Lolières GC (27a; some 80 years old).

An intimate knowledge and respect of the characteristics of their terroir, sustainable farming, and focus on keeping their vines as healthy as possible, enables Pierre- Francois to intervene as little as possible in the cellar, vinification and élevage being traditional. He is a somewhat shy but passionate, meticulous and talented winemaker, and his wines are precise, reflecting their underlying terroir. Quality really shines through here, and to us, Domaine Maldant is one of the top pics in Côte de Beaune for wines at affordable prices. It’s hard to recommend one or two wines here. However, we have to give an honourable mention to the domaines three village wines: Ladoix Blanc Les Buis, Savigny-les-Beaune rouge and Aloxe-Corton Crapousuets vieille vignes. Given a free choice we would always take the two 1^er Cru vieille vignes here: Savigny-les-Beaune 1^er Cru Aux Fourneaux and Aloxe-Corton 1^er Cru les Marèchaudes, both of which are very delicate, offering perfumed red fruit.

www.domainemaldant.com