By Christine Bertoli
What it means to meet the winemaker
Domaine Dugat-Py
Tasting sits at the centre of the wine world. There are moments when the discipline of silent, systematic appraisal — pen poised, senses sharpened, distractions banished — feels essential. At its purest, this becomes blind tasting, whether in the solitude of one’s desk or under the fluorescent scrutiny of an exam hall.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is a very different encounter: tasting with the winemaker. Labels, origins, and prices are in plain view. Questions are encouraged. Context is abundant. And when the guide is the person who coaxed the wine into being, the experience becomes something more than analysis. It becomes interpretation.
Meeting the winemaker offers a glimpse into the human architecture behind the wines. Personality, philosophy, and practice all leave their imprint. The recent masterclass held at Corney & Barrow’s newly refurbished London headquarters, led by Loïc Dugat, illustrates this clearly.
A quiet custodian of a storied domaine
Domaine Dugat‑Py has always been a jewel box estate, historically rooted in Gevrey‑Chambertin, and known for producing wines of rarity and depth. Loïc represents the 13th generation of his family to work these vineyards. He joined his father in 1997 and assumed full responsibility in 2013.
Given such lineage, one might expect theatricality, even a soupçon of arrogance. Instead, Loïc arrives with the understated poise of a silent‑film actor — hair neatly slicked back, quietly composed. He is neither intimidating nor off-putting. His voice is soft, almost apologetic. But beneath the reserve lies a quietly held authority: an intimate understanding of his vines, a respect for the land, and a sense of stewardship rather than ownership.
Asked about working alongside his father, who, despite having taken a step back, remains involved in the family business, he simply shrugs: ‘C’est une histoire de famille.’ A family story, centuries in the making.
A shift in style, rooted in detail
Since 2014, Loïc has guided the domaine away from the more extracted, oak-driven style associated with the late 1990s and early 2000s. His aim is clarity of terroir, achieved through meticulous viticulture and gentler cellar work. The result is a suite of wines that retain the domaine’s trademark concentration but express it with greater finesse.
Organic certification has been in place since 2003, and Loïc speaks with particular pride about maintaining these practices in challenging years such as 2024, when mildew pressure was intense. Old vines — some planted as early as 1910 — are a crucial ally. Their deep roots and natural resilience allow them to withstand climatic stress far better than younger, less established plants.
When asked when these centenarian vines might need replacing, Loïc smiles with quasi-paternal affection. Their vigour, he insists, remains remarkable. But they are treated with corresponding care: horses are used on two hectares to avoid soil compaction; pruning is timed precisely to minimise sap loss; and their consistency, even in difficult vintages, is a point of pride.
Expanding horizons: the move into white wine and progressive viticulture
One of Loïc’s most significant changes has been broadening the domaine’s focus beyond red wine. In 2003, he acquired a tiny 0.20-hectare parcel of old‑vine Meursault — now around 90 years old — and began building a white‑wine programme from scratch. Today, the domaine spans 16 hectares across 30 appellations, with production split evenly between red and white. This includes an impressive portfolio of premier cru, grand cru and village wines.
Innovation in the vineyard has continued. Since 2018, Loïc has introduced tressage. This labour-intensive trellising involves braiding long shoots over a higher wire to create a natural bridge canopy. This protects fruit from heat in warm years and helps regulate water uptake in wet ones. In 2024, for the first time since 2000, he also carried out leaf‑thinning on both sides of the vine to improve aeration and assist ripening.
The 2024 vintage: gentle hands, patient élevage
Of 2024, Loïc says simply: ‘The wines do the talking.’ It was a year that demanded hyper-vigilance in the vineyard and conversely, restraint in the cellar. Fermentations were handled with a light touch, more infusion than extraction, reminiscent of some of the classical vintages of the 1980s. Punch‑downs were minimal, rackings rare. Élevage was extended, and the wines required a second winter before bottling.
One revelation drew an audible gasp: the Chardonnay was harvested after the Pinot Noir. Loïc explains that the white grapes, with their thicker skins, were less vulnerable to mildew and benefited from four extra days to reach the phenolic ripeness he sought.
The wines: quiet confidence, clearly articulated
Across the range, the 2024s share a common thread: stunning precision without austerity, depth without weight. Several cuvées are already open and expressive, yet all carry the architecture for long ageing. Their balance feels deliberate, their elegance unforced.
And this is where the experience of meeting the winemaker becomes unmistakably valuable. Tasting these wines in Loïc’s presence, hearing the choices, the hesitations, the convictions, casts them in a different light. The gentleness of his manner mirrors the gentleness of his extraction. His respect for old vines echoes in the wines’ composure. His refusal to shout is reflected in their quiet, persistent length.
In the end, tasting with the winemaker does not replace blind appraisal; it reframes it. It reminds us that wine is not only a sensory object but a conversation: between land and grower, between vintage and intent, and between the glass and the person who shaped it. With Loïc Dugat, that conversation is soft‑spoken, deeply considered, and all the more compelling for its restraint.
For the full vintage report and tasting notes, visit our 2024 Burgundy Hub.