Presentation
Domaine Pascal Prunier-Bonheur, located in Meursault, in the heart of the Côte de Beaune, continues the family heritage of five generations of winegrowers. Pascal Prunier took over the reins of the domaine in 1983 with his wife Christine Bonheur. Today, they manage 8 hectares of vines spread between Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses, Monthelie, Meursault, Pommard and Beaune. Passionate about and respectful of their terroirs, they work the soil with great care and use grass cover on certain plots to control the vigor of the vines. At harvest time, a rigorous sorting is carried out to keep only the best grapes. In the cellar, the grapes are matured and vatted for a long time, resulting in wines that are concentrated, complex and well-balanced. This approach gives the wines great ageing potential, while remaining accessible and enjoyable from their youth.
Location
At the entrance of the village, this parcel occupies the southern-facing hillside of the valley and forms a natural link with the neighboring Monthelie Premier Cru vineyards.
Terroir
The soil is a stony marl-limestone base. Combined with the great age of the vines (90 years!), these factors give the wine both maturity and a noble minerality—hallmarks of balance and the promise of a great Burgundy.
In the vineyard
Pascal began rethinking conventional viticulture in the 1990s, joining a sustainable farming group. He reintroduced soil plowing and systematically reduced both the dosage and frequency of treatments, favoring organic practices whenever possible—though without formal certification. Guided by a balanced and realistic approach, he follows the lunar calendar for vineyard and cellar tasks. Treatments are limited to sulfur and copper unless specific issues arise, and soil work is used to manage cover crops.
Harvest
Manual harvest, with grapes transported quickly to the winery to preserve freshness and integrity.
Winemaking
Depending on the vintage, whole-cluster fermentation may vary up to full destemming. Grapes are cooled to 12°C at vatting for a cold maceration lasting 3 to 6 days. The temperature then rises gradually, peaking at 32–34°C. Regular pump-overs ensure even extraction throughout fermentation. Indigenous yeasts are used to highlight the terroir’s character. Maceration lasts 15 to 21 days, with the decision to press based on tasting.
Ageing
The wine is aged for 15 to 18 months entirely in French oak barrels, with 15–25% new oak for Premier Cru wines and 10–20% for village-level wines. The oak is used to enhance complexity without overpowering the terroir. Before bottling, a light filtration is performed. All key interventions—racking and bottling—are scheduled according to the lunar cycle.
Varietal
Pinot Noir : 100%
Specifications
Age of vines : 90 years old
Serving
Its finesse allows it to be enjoyed from its third year in bottle, though it also has excellent ageing potential. Serving temperature: 15 to 16°C
Ageing potential
5 to 10 years
Tasting
The ruby robe is bright and clear. The nose is typical, with accents of red fruits—cherry, a hint of blackcurrant, and strawberry. Elegant and refined, with finesse evident even in its youth, the palate offers good length with notes of licorice. The very long finish reveals the noble minerality of fine red Burgundy.
Food pairings
This wine pairs beautifully with fine red meats, grilled or sauced, and also works wonderfully with veal or pork dishes. It’s stunning with all kinds of risottos, excellent with cheeses, and—why not—with dark chocolate desserts as it begins to age.