FRANÇOIS MILLETET FILS
Corney & Barrow started as exclusive UK agent for De Vogüé in the 2003 vintage, since when we have come to know François as much for his wines as for his poetical-philosophical descriptions of them.
François lives his wines viscerally, categorising them in his mind as either ‘mineral’ or ‘structural’, and using descriptors so considered and evocative that it brings their personalities to three-dimensional life.
Maison François Millet et Fils was established in 2016, but 2017 was the first vintage produced due to the harsh 2016 frost, which has sadly seen a parallel this year’s release of the 2021s.
François works with his wife Michelle and two sons, who are in their thirties. Older son Julien is also Technical Director at Domaine des Astrelles in Gevrey-Chambertin, whilst Adrien works in the vineyards, as a viticulturalist at Domaine Roumier in Chambolle-Musigny.
Grapes and must are bought in, from five or six domaines across the Côte d’Or and Côte Chalonnaise. As François describes it, “It’s really a partnership – you know these people, you need to have a very close relationship.” The wines are raised in the cellars below the family house in Chambolle-Musigny. 10,000 bottles per year are produced.
Although the quantities here are tiny thanks to the devastating 2021 frost, we are excited to be offering the second vintage of these elegant wines, from a longstanding friend of C&B. They are already in the UK and, for the most part, can be enjoyed from now onwards.
GUY SEDDON
HEAD OF FINE WINE BUYING
JULY 2024
WHITE WINES
BOURGOGNE BLANC HAUTES CÔTES DE BEAUNE EN VALLEROT
The name Les Vallerots comes from Vallère or, in ancient French, Valière, meaning a small valley or hollow. The bright lychee aromas here come, according to François, from this site’s indigenous yeast strain. The palate is succulent and peachy, apricotty and citric, offering lime zest and coming to a fresh, focused finish. 12.5% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5
Recommended drinking from 2024-2029
£285 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
MARSANNAY BLANC LA CROIX DE BOIS
This new wine comes from just 0.3ha, in the village of Batayard, in the commune of Couchey, from a holding which is planted to both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This is a mid-slope site. Aromas of pastry and white peach, leading into a palate of fleshy, exuberant stone-fruit and apricot. 13% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5
Recommended drinking from 2024-2029
£360 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
CÔTES DU JURA BLANC L'ÉCHENAUD 2020
Note that this is from the 2020 vintage. The only wine from outside the Cote d’Or in the line-up comes from just under a hectare of vines in Saint-Lothian, 15km south-west of Arbois. François took over these vines from his father-in-law in the 2019 vintage. A relatively low 7,000 vines per hectare. Approximately 80% Chardonnay and 20% Savagnin. Pure, peachy aromas with white flowers, honeysuckle and caramelised demerara. The full-bodied palate is bright and energetic, the fleshy stone-fruit and orange zest flavours lifted by fresh acids. Long, tactile and vinous. Barrel aged, with no new oak or lees stirring. 14% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5+
Recommended drinking from 2024-2029
£265 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
RED WINES
BOURGOGNE HAUTES CÔTES DE NUITS PETITE VIGNE
Segrois is a tiny village of 60 inhabitants on the other side of the hills above Vosne-Romanée, on the combe side-valley, facing west. This was the last plot to be picked, on 8th October. Despite the afternoon sunshine here, there is 100m more elevation, making it 2-3°C cooler. Dark, shiny blackberry and cherry fruit, with a luminous precision and fine peppery spices. Great tension. In Francois’ words, this is a wine of “minerality and light”. 12% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5
Recommended drinking from 2025-2030
£260 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
BOURGOGNE ROUGE LES RUES
Les Rues is at the bottom of the village of Chambolle-Musigny, on the other side of the Route Nationale. The stones are very important here, making for excellent drainage. A dark, perfumed nose of blackberry, fresh mint leaf and white pepper. The palate is more red-fruited, with blood orange and a zesty citric lift, buoyed on fresh acids. 12% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 17+
Recommended drinking from 2025-2029
£275 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
VOLNAY LES GRANDS POISOTS
Les Grands Poisots is at the northern (Pommard) end of Volnay, below Les Brouillards. Poisot, from the ancient French Puisets Puits, refers to water sources and streams. Wonderfully aromatic – roses and fine dark spices. The palate is fine, pliant and supple and with an insistent flavour saturation. A friendly, melded wine. 13% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5
Recommended drinking from 2025-2032
£495 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
VOLNAY 1ER CRU LES ANGLES
On the road into Volnay, this premier cru offers masses of black pepper whatever the vintage, with the structural stamp of Volnay. As François says, you have to be cautious with this place and its pronounced minerality – “you can make a monster”. There is a lot of active limestone in Les Angles. An intense nose of black and red berry fruit, with grippy limestone definition. Textured and focused, with quite plush sucrosity coating the chalky tannins. 13.5%.
Corney & Barrow Score 18
Recommended drinking from 2025-2035
£825 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
MARSANNAY LE POTET
Based in Couchey, this tiny lieu-dit was once a muddy, marshy place. ‘Potet’ can be used for something humid and silty. These are Marsannay’s typically sandy marl soils. Paler ruby in colour. Rose petal and violet aromas – a pretty, crystalline nose. The palate is delicate on the entry, finding a supple pliancy on the mid-palate. Crisp acidity lends definition. This works very well. 12.5% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5+
Recommended drinking from 2025-2032
£360 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
FIXIN EN L’OLIVIER
Fixin, at the northern end of the Côte de Nuits, is a rising star in Burgundy, in part thanks to its vein of limestone, which is perhaps its main differentiating factor from the clay and marl of Marsannay. En l’Olivier is at the same level on the slope as the two premiers crus of Fixin. Pale-mid ruby colour. A nose of aromatic red berry fruit and white pepper. The palate is supple, with fine tannins and a fine textural minerality. Or as François put it, “A flow of minerality – there’s something swift, like a river about this minerality.” 12.5% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 - 18
Recommended drinking from 2025-2033
£360 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN LA CROIX DES CHAMPS
The two Gevreys – this and the next wine – form a complementary pair, very different in character. La Croix des Champs is between Morey-Saint-Denis and Gevrey-Chambertin. In François’ words, this is “both structural and mineral – minerality is leading the path of vinification.” Ripe aromas of blueberry and dark cherry – the primary fruit hits you first. On the palate, the fine mineral seam is revealed, with dark, polished berry fruit, chalky minerality and peppery spices. 12.5% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 18
Recommended drinking from 2026-2036
£650 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN LE FOURNEAU
Le Fourneau (the furnace) is only 100m away from La Croix des Champs, the previous wine. A more classical Gevrey-Chambertin, Le Fourneau is the only wine for which punching-down is used – done by foot, two-thirds of the way through fermentation. Structured, potent dark berry fruit with a citric, orange rind lift, framed by fine, chalky tannins. A powerful wine and perhaps one for the classicists, finishing so elegantly. 12.5% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 - 18
Recommended drinking from 2028-2038
£650 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK
CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY LES FOUCHÈRES
To the north of Musigny and upslope from Amoureuses, Les Fouchères is close to Les Porlottes, the main component of Comte Georges de Vögue’s Chambolle village. This is terroir which François knows well and you can sense his enthusiasm for this plot. Intense dark berry fruit, framed by refined tannins, with a limestone-rich drive and momentum. A very modest 12% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 18
Recommended drinking from 2026-2036
£835 / case of 6 bottles, in bond UK