2019 Domaine Bizot Le Chapitre (Bourgogne Rouge)

Tasting Context

This bottle was pulled straight off the wine list at one of my favorite restaurants in Maui, and—shockingly for a Bizot—at a reasonable price. The 2019 Le Chapitre was opened alongside a truffle crab fettuccine and a Snake River Farms ribeye, and it bridged both dishes effortlessly. The wine’s lifted red-fruited perfume danced with the richness of the pasta, while its fine-boned tannins and saline edge cut cleanly through the steak’s marbling.

Wine Information

• Producer: Domaine Jean-Yves Bizot

• Vintage: 2019

• Region: Chenôve, Côte de Nuits

• Alcohol: ~13%

• Farming: Organic / minimal intervention; Bizot rejects herbicides, practices very careful sorting, low yields.  

• Vinification / Fermentation: Whole-cluster fermentation lasts ~15 days; fermentation is done without added sulfur.  

• Aging / Élevage: Matured in very lightly toasted new oak barrels for 15-18 months

Vintage Overview – 2019

2019 in Burgundy was generous: a warm, dry growing season, early heat, and stable conditions through harvest. It delivered wines of richness, generosity, and supple ripeness—but the challenge was maintaining structure and aromatic freshness. In lower-tier appellations like Le Chapitre, the risk was overripe, flabby wines without definition. Bizot’s rendition, however, manages to temper the warmth with restraint, showing airy red fruit rather than weight.

Winemaker Profile – Jean-Yves Bizot

Jean-Yves Bizot revived his grandfather’s Vosne-Romanée holdings when he assumed operations in the mid-1990s. The estate was dormant in production—his father had rented out parcels to growers, as he worked elsewhere. Bizot brought back the domaine in 1995, dedicated himself to regeneration, and phased out herbicides immediately. By 2004 he was farming organically.  

Bizot is known for a willingness to challenge viticultural norms. One radical step: he stopped trimming (hedging) in many of his blocks—letting vine tips grow naturally, believing greater carbohydrate reserves and healthier vegetative cycles benefit long-term balance.  

He also holds a PhD in oenology and geology, bringing both theory and hands-on practice to his craft.  

Vineyard Overview – Le Chapitre

The climat of Le Chapitre sits on the northern edge of the Côte de Nuits, within the commune of Chenôve, just beyond the official boundary of Marsannay. Though labeled simply as Bourgogne Rouge, this site has long been considered one of the finest “outsider” vineyards of the Côte—often described as Vosne-like in perfume and texture. Its soils are a classic mix of thin clay over hard limestone, providing both excellent drainage and a minerally backbone that belies its humble classification.

The name Le Chapitre dates back to medieval Burgundy, when the land belonged to the Chapter of the Cathedral of Saint-Bénigne in Dijon, one of the oldest ecclesiastical vineyard owners in the region. Vines have been documented here since at least the 13th century, and the vineyard has maintained an unbroken lineage of cultivation ever since.

Today the entire climat covers about 5.5 hectares, divided among a handful of growers, with Bizot farming a mere 0.50 hectares—a plot he acquired in 2007. His vines were planted in 1960, rooted deeply in the limestone that defines this slope. Farming is entirely manual and organic, with no herbicides or machine trimming; the vines are left unhedged, allowing natural canopies to regulate themselves. This unorthodox approach results in slower ripening, smaller berries, and striking aromatic lift. The result is a wine that behaves nothing like its appellation.

Tasting Notes

Served slightly chilled with truffle crab fettuccine and Snake River Farms ribeye.

Appearance: Pale ruby with crystalline brightness.

Nose:

• Wild strawberry, rose petal, citrus zest, and chrysanthemum tea leaf.

• Underpinned by chalk dust and crushed herbs.

Palate:

• High-toned red fruits with saline precision.

• Ultra-fine tannins and cool minerality.

• Light-bodied yet persistent

Finish:

• Long, floral, and saline, fading with hints of blood orange and dried rose.

Overall Impression

2019 Le Chapitre distills Bizot’s philosophy: absolute purity, minimal extraction, and natural balance. It’s a wine that thrives on finesse. Where others seek concentration in this warm vintage, Bizot finds luminosity—the kind of clarity that makes every sip feel alive.

Market Commentary

In recent years, Bizot has become one of the most collectible names in Burgundy, and Le Chapitre—ostensibly a “Bourgogne Rouge”—defies its appellation price ceiling. Upon release, bottles sold in Europe for roughly €250–300, but secondary market pricing has since multiplied. Current listings average between US $1,500–2,000 per bottle (ex-tax). Considering its 0.5 ha scale and roughly 1,500–2,500 bottle production, scarcity alone explains the trajectory—but it’s the precision and purity that sustain demand. Compared to his Vosne wines at several times the price, Le Chapitre still represents relative value in Bizot’s lineup.

Wolf Call

If you see it, buy it—to drink. Bizot’s 2019 Le Chapitre is not a speculation play; after the sharp price surges of recent years, its market ceiling is likely already built in. But its extreme scarcity—barely half a hectare’s worth of production—means it’s equally unlikely to drop in value. Think of it as a safe, steady hold: a wine to keep in the cellar for the next decade, confident that both its integrity and its market relevance will endure.