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
This wine comes from a historic parcel formerly owned by the Hospices de Beaune, located mid-slope in the heart of Beaune’s Premier Cru zone, on the Pommard side. Half of the vines were planted in 1953, the other half in 1981.
Terroir
Soil: Marl with streaks of iron-rich veins
Exposure: Southeast
Topography: Mid-slope with excellent drainage
Vine Age: 40 to 70 years, contributing depth and complexity
In the vineyard
Since the 1990s, Pascal has embraced sustainable viticulture, joining a group focused on reasoned farming. 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%
Serving
Ideally, this wine should be aged for 5 years before drinking, and can be cellared for up to 15 years or more depending on the vintage and storage conditions. It may also be enjoyed from its third year in bottle. Serving temperature: 15 to 16°C
Ageing potential
5 to 10 years
Tasting
This wine presents a clear, brilliant robe of intense ruby. The nose reveals notes of small red fruits such as redcurrant and blackcurrant. Generous and fleshy on the palate, it shows a fine yet assertive structure, complemented by a light touch of oak. The overall impression is one of balance and long-lasting aromatic persistence. A true ageing wine, its character is reminiscent of Pommard.
Food pairings
A full-bodied wine with great concentration, it pairs beautifully with marinated or sauced red meats. If you have the opportunity, serve it with pigeon. And of course, it’s a perfect match for refined, well-aged cheeses.