Back in issue 6 of Noble Rot in December 2014, we were alerted to the God-like genius of Claire Naudin. Traditionally minded yet forward-thinking, her sensual Burgundies have the balance, intensity, and depth of flavour of appellations much further up the cru hierarchy.
The youngest daughter of Henri Naudin, Claire took over the running of her family’s domaine in 1994. Although the estate includes some of Burgundy’s most prestigious climats, such as Echezeaux Grand Cru and Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru, she has garnered particular acclaim for her wines from more modest (though increasingly exciting) vineyards in Côtes de Nuits Villages, Côtes de Beaune Villages, and the higher elevation slopes of the Hautes-Côtes.
The domaine’s vineyards are farmed organically and Claire takes a pragmatic, low-interventionist approach. She favours whole-bunch fermentation to bring out the lifted perfume in her wines. Her wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered and see minimal chemical additions – relatively susceptible to sulphur herself, Claire made the domaine’s first SO2-free cuvée in 1999.
Enjoying ever-increasing attention from Burgundy lovers, Claire Naudin is producing classy but affordable wines that outperform their humble origins.
