Yann Durieux is an exceptionally talented young winemaker who has already made his mark in Burgundy. A fourth generation winemaker from Nuits-Saint-Georges, he vinified his first vintage solo aged thirteen, followed by a steep learning curve and mentorship at Domaine Prieuré-Roch in 2007.
As the official UK importer, Wine Source offer you a first look at his ex-cellar release for 2023. Covering the range of his spine-tingling micro-cuvées, in short Yann Durieux is the future of Burgundy.
These rare cases will be collected from the domaine cellars in the late Spring; secure your allocation whilst you can.
Yann Durieux
PRICES IN BOND
THE WHITE CUVÉES
– We request balanced orders only, please –
2020 Love & Pif
£180
per case of 6 x 75cl
2019 Manon
£510
per case of 6 x 75cl
2019 Dame Huguette “DH” Blanc
£660
per case of 6 x 75cl
2019 Pernand Vergelesses “PV” Blanc
£810
per case of 6 x 75cl
THE ORANGE CUVÉES
PRICES IN BOND
2020 Les Grands Ponts Blancs
£570
per case of 6 x 75cl
THE RED CUVÉES
PRICES IN BOND
– We request balanced orders only, please –
2020 La Gouzotte
£300
per case of 6 x 75cl
2020 Les Ponts
£360
per case of 6 x 75cl
2020 Night Cost
£420
per case of 6 x 75cl
2019 Les 1er Ponts
£420
per case of 6 x 75cl
2019 Chorey-lès-Beaune “CR”
£570
per case of 6 x 75cl
2019 Pernand Vergelesses “PV”
£660
per case of 6 x 75cl
2019 Cote de Nuits “CDN”
£450
per case of 6 x 75cl
2019 Les Boutières “BT”
£570
per case of 6 x 75cl
2019 Tete de Ponts
£690
per case of 6 x 75cl
2019 Les Grands Ponts
£1,200
per case of 6 x 75cl
2019 Gevrey-Chambertin “GC”
£1,320
per case of 6 x 75cl
A LIMITED RUN OF MAGNUMS (1.5L)
& JEROBOAMS (3L) AVAILABLE ON REQUEST
TERMS & CONDITIONS
All wines are offered in bond, subject to remaining unsold & final confirmation, E. & O.E.
Please note that our en primeur and in bond GBP prices exclude VAT and Duty but include shipping from the producers to our UK warehouse.
Payment is kindly required on invoice so to secure reservation.
Estimated stock arrival from the Domaine: June 2023
Limited quantities are available
The 2023 Release
NOTEWORTHY…
The domaine name “Recrue des Sens” comes from Yann’s wish that we engage our senses deeply when we drink his wines. The acronym RDS is also Yann’s nod to his revolutionary manifesto of winemaking: it stands for résiste; désobéir; sans soumettre.
THE WHITE CUVÉES
Love & Pif
Fresh and rich Aligoté, from vines in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, situated under the ancient l’Abbaye de la Saint Vivant. Bottled raw: unfined and unfiltered, to preserve its freshness. Elevage in vat.
Manon
Chardonnay situated underneath l’Abbaye de la Saint Vivant at the peak of the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. Named for Yann’s daughter. Elevage: 24 months in barrel.
Dame Huguette “DH” Blanc
Chardonnay vines situated at 500 metres, from Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru vines, on a limestone plateau. The soil is just 10-20 cm deep – in some places there is no topsoil at all – and the vines’ roots burrow deep into the bedrock. It was Yann’s grandfather who delineated this vineyard and Yann grew up here. Yann harvests this wine only when the all other wines are in barrel (except Les Ponts). This late harvest gives such small yields that the concentration gives a super intense flavour. Elevage: 24 months in barrel, 25% new.
Pernand Vergelesses “PV” Blanc
A few Chardonnay vines within a parcel of Pinot Noir located in Pernand Vergelesses. This has yielded the domaine just one or two barrels per year!
THE ORANGE CUVÉE
Les Grands Ponts Blancs
Very tiny parcel of Aligoté situated above Les Grands Ponts, vinified in the same way as Les Ponts Blancs. Three weeks maceration on skins. Elevage in cuve.
THE RED CUVÉES
La Gouzotte
A fine, incisive wine which brings to mind the “gouzotte”, the winemaker’s pruning knife. Fruit-forward, Pinot Noir made without wood.
Les Ponts
From Pinot Noir vines not far from Grands Ponts, on the border between the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits and the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune. This is a beautiful terroir, which offers a fruit- driven, fresh cuvée. Drink it like an elegant fruit juice! Elevage in vat.
Night Cost
A parcel of Côte de Nuits Village Pinot Noir, situated close to Nuits-Saint- Georges. This wine is all about the fruit, created with no wood.
Les 1er Ponts
Aromatically this wine sits between Les Grands Ponts and Les Ponts. The Pinot Noir vines from which Les 1er Ponts is made are situated on the hillside of l’Abbaye de la Saint Vivant. This is elegant Pinot Noir. Elevage: 24 months in large oak barrel.
Chorey-lès-Beaune “CR”
Selection in plot of Chorey-lès-beaune of the most beautiful bunches of grapes. Powerful and aromatic vine. Aged 24 months in barrels.
Pernand Vergelesses “PV”
A selection of Pinot Noir made by Yann in his Pernand Vergelesses parcel of only the most gorgeous fruit, this is created with 24 months in new wood.
Cote de Nuits “CDN”
A new cuvée from a Pinot Noir parcel in Côte de Nuits Village, situated close to Nuits-Saint- Georges, this wine spends 24 months in barrel.
Les Boutières “BT”
From vines situated in Savigny-Les- Beaune, around the Villages delineation. These old vines are planted on deep “limon”, a particularly rich silty soil, which gives an incredible depth to this wine, with subtle but powerful expressiveness. Despite the terroir, these vines are extremely low yielding. Elevage: 24 months in large oak barrel.
Tete de Ponts
Because all barrels must be new once, Yann vinified part of his Pinot Noir 1er Ponts in new oak barrel. He forbid himself to blend it with 1er Ponts, however, instead creating this wine, where risks can be taken…
Les Grands Ponts
A tiny parcel located on a gentle hillside, parallel to the Côte, producing just two barrels a year. This most rich and deep Pinot Noir earns its title “Grand”. Elevage: 24 months in large oak barrel.
Gevrey-Chambertin “GC”
Pinot Noir grapes purchased from trusted grower whose philosophy aligns with Durieux. The power with the finesse of the beautiful village.
Elevage 24 months in barrel.
Philosopy & Terroir
YANN DURIEUX
The Roots
Burgundian native, proprietor and winemaker Yann Durieux harbours a deep understanding and love for his land, having followed in the footsteps of his great-grandfather, grandfather and father to make wine here in Nuits-St-Georges. He is a perfectionist, and evangelical about working in harmony with nature. For those lucky few fortunate to share a bottle of ‘domaine’ Recrue des Sens; his wines never fail to stun in their purity, delicacy, freshness, and elegance.
The Land of Ancestors
There is a saying, “If you want to find good vines, look for the church”; monks and nuns took the best land to produce their wine. Yann’s flagship vineyard – Les Dames Huguettes – is to be found at the Abbaye St Vivant, the oldest church in Burgundy. This is a stunningly beautiful and well exposed vineyard, without a doubt one of the best terroirs in the Hautes-Côtes, of Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru quality. It was Yann’s grandfather who delineated this vineyard and it was here that Yann grew up. Yann is now rebuying the lost vineyards of his grandfather, after the family domaine was split up and put under contract. He is slowly but surely regaining these family plots in beautiful terroir; this is the land of his ancestors.
The Mentor
Yann Durieux vinified his first vintage solo aged just a green thirteen. Sharing his winemaking philosophy and deep love of nature, and its expression through vines and terroir, Yann was mentored by the late Henry-Frédéric Roch (of Prieure Roch and DRC fame); Henry-Frédéric encouraged Yann to vinify his early vintages, 2008 and 2009, in the cellars at Domaine Prieuré Roch – where incidentally Philippe Pacalet also undertook a tenure of winemaking under the very same roof.
After a stint at Prieure Roch, Yann pressed on to reclaim his lost family vineyards in the Hautes Cotes de Nuits, and launched domaine ‘Recrue des Sens’. Here, where Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is his neighbour, he owns old parcels and works with tiny plots in magical terroirs not many have heard of. He is an entirely uncompromising artist – an iconoclast and an evangelist for working in harmony with nature. His wines are stunning for their purity, delicacy, freshness and utter pleasure they provide.
Winemaking
The grapes are picked by hand and whole cluster pressed, then fermentation is carried out only with natural yeasts, with no chaptalisation, and no additives at all. Yann does not rack during élevage, so that the lees can nourish the wine, and protect it against oxidation. He practises foot treading of the grapes to be constantly in touch with the progressions in the winemaking process. Yann’s philosophy can be summed up as a deep, unerring respect for the entire natural process of winemaking
“The vines are cultivated organically and biodynamically. The Domaine does not practice foliage cutting; instead, all the vines are braided into bridges to manage the canopy. I want to limit and finally stop the use of copper in the vines. It is for this reason that the Domaine uses herbal remedies to support the health of the vines. This balance and reinforcement of the vines allows me to work more gently in the cellar. The Domaine’s wines are, without fail and always, made without any additives: chaptalisation, added sulphur and other practices offensive to good taste are prescribed at the Domaine.”
– Yann Durieux, Winemaker
These idiosyncratic wines belong to the small circle of rare bottles stopping you in your tracks, making you redefine what Fine Wine should taste like. A new, and at the same time ancient concept of Fine Burgundy.
