I used to think of Burgundy wines as not necessarily natural, often expensive—sometimes justifiably so, sometimes not—and sometimes a bit too polished or standardized.

Then I tasted Laurent’s wines.
Laurent is a native of Fixin, and he’s been harvesting grapes since he could walk.
He’s the kind of person who refused to do military service, choosing instead to work with an association dedicated to protecting Burgundy’s natural sites.
He’s a lifelong idealist who traveled through communist countries to see for himself whether an egalitarian society could truly work.
He’s a former history teacher for special needs students.
He’s also a former shepherd, deeply in love with nature and wide-open spaces.

But how about wine? I'm getting to that part :).
Eight years before he ever thought of becoming a winemaker, Laurent and his wife bought a house near Chalon-sur-Saône to be closer to their workplaces, while still staying connected to the countryside. The house had a vaulted cellar and a small Chardonnay vineyard. He began working the vines without any pressure, just for the pleasure of it. He got into it, started sharing his wines with friends, and the feedback was great—especially from oenologist friends who were well-respected in the region.

Eight years later, the idea of becoming a winemaker had quietly taken root and finally bloomed. He decided to take over an abandoned vineyard in Culles-les-Roches. What really won him over was a one-hectare plot of old Aligoté vines growing on soil that had never been treated. It was the perfect opportunity to pursue his vision: to make clean, honest wine that truly respects nature.

From the very beginning, in 2015, Laurent committed to biodynamic farming. He encouraged natural ground cover, practiced agroforestry, and worked to build a strong, self-sustaining ecosystem. The idea was to let his old vineyards to express themselves.

Laurent is now one of the winemakers in Burgundy who uses the least amount of copper (according to Ecocert). I’m convinced this is what gives his wines their purity and their extra soul—almost as if there’s a kind of dialogue happening between the wine and the person drinking it. It takes a sip of Binchot to get what I mean.

In a difficult year like 2024, for example, this same commitment cost him 90% of his harvest. Laurent stands by his choice. He refuses to ‘poison’ his vineyard. “In the grand scheme of things, it’s alright,” he says.

He wants his wines to be honest, sincere. In a region that can sometimes feel a bit self-important, Laurent wants to show a different side of Burgundy. His wines are fresh, vibrant, salty, and fruit-forward. Yes, he uses Burgundy barrels, but very sparingly. His goal isn’t to dress up the wine.
“A barrel is a bit like makeup,” he says. “If you use just enough, it enhances natural beauty. If you use too much, it starts to look ridiculous.”

I strongly invite you to taste his wines. Not just because of the approachable price, but also for discovering that Burgundy is also down to Earth. Oh and something very exciting. On the third picture you'll see a picture that shows Laurent's side project, a Burgundian beer produced with his neighbours. Pretty awesome. Stay tuned 🍺