DOMAINE RICHOUX
Irancy, France
The Richoux family can trace their vigneron heritage in Irancy back to at least 1610: current patriarch Thierry Richoux represents the 10th generation. His sons Félix and Gabin came aboard in 2012 after completing their studies at Viticole de Beaune. They took over the management of the property in 2016, but Thierry still plays the vital role of mentorship and oversight.
Thierry insists the brothers receive both the credit and shoulder the responsibility of the domain, so it now bears their names: a modern, refreshing take in a region steeped in an emphasis on ancestry. So respected are the family in Irancy, they also manage the farming in their appellation for famed Chablis producer Vincent Dauvissat, a close family friend.
The domain comprises 20ha of vineyard. They are certified organic and practicing biodynamic (certified from the 2021 vintage). Plantings are mainly on steep slopes of limestone and clay. Everything is manually harvested. In great vintages, site specific wines are made from their oldest vines in the "Cailles," (clay-heavy) and Vaupessiot (older vine, south facing) vineyards.
In the winery, only native yeasts are used, and fermentation is done spontaneously. All grapes are destemmed. While certainly Burgundian, there is a pneuma and style of the north to these Irancy that is far more expressive than the town's reputations for simple, thin reds from a cool climate. They embody the Yonne wilderness far more than most.
Wines