Introduction to Domaine Robert Groffier

The Groffier family has cultivated some of Burgundy’s most prestigious vineyards, including the renowned Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses. Its winemaking origins date back to Frédéric Groffier in the 19th century, followed by Jules Groffier; Robert Groffier started to bottle the wines at the Domaine, subsequently passed on to his son Serge Groffier. Today, Nicolas Groffier, grandson of Robert Groffier taken the helm.

Under Nicolas Groffier who joined his father Serge in 2006, the domaine has refined its winemaking style while remaining true to tradition. Nicolas has introduced greater elegance and finesse, reducing new oak usage (around 15-25%) and incorporating whole bunch fermentations. The vineyards are farmed sustainably.

Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses

Groffier is the largest owner of Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses with over 1 hectares of vines. Les Amoureuses translates to “The Lovers”, adding more allure to the wines from this vineyard. Les Amoureuses is a Premier Cru and is located at the southern end of Chambolle-Musigny and is above the Vougeot village and below Musigny.

It also covers a range of soil: the limestone at the top end and the richer-clay soil at the bottom of the vineyards towards the Vougeot Village. The sum of the parts make Groffier Les Amoureuses special.

Groffier’s Les Amoureuses : A Changing Visage

Vintage 2006, 2009, and 2015

A Journey Through Vintages (Or should you say something like how the cross generational involvement has made the domaine even more deserving of praise? That is really the setup here.)

The 2006 vintage reminds you of a summer evening with touch coolness, with its crisp acidity and firm structure. The 2009 vintage is like a warm embrace, rich and comforting. And the 2015 vintage is a perfect balance of elegance and power, a testament to the skill of the winemaker.  Each vintage tells a unique story, shaped by climate, the soil, and the meticulous care of the Groffier family.

Vintage 2006

The 2006 vintage was marked by an icy winter, cool spring, hot dry summer and a rainy harvest, followed by a cooler, humid August and a warm September that rescued the vintage. Despite these conditions, there are some pretty nice red wines which are aromatics, lighter with elegance.

Domaine Groffier Les Amoureuses 2006 is drinking well with a crisp acidity, firm tannins and spicy oak finish well supported by the red cherries raspberries. Subtle earthiness, forest floor notes intertwine with a mineral touch. The wine offers a glimpse of Groffier Les Amoureuses as Nicolas joined the team in 2006.

Vintage 2009

The 2009 vintage was overall warm and sunny, resulting in rich, full-bodied wines. The wine is characterised by its opulence and generosity.

Domaine Groffier Les Amoureuses 2009 has evolved to offer a fruit focus, spicy version of Les Amoureuses. The nose is filled with ripe red fruits (touch of jammy notes) together with warm spices and a hint of oak added structure. The palate is lush and velvety, with round tannins and a long fruity spicy finish. The wine is fresh yet showing the ripeness and generosity of the vintage, given Groffier’s holdings included the richer-clay soil at the bottom of the vineyards towards the Vougeot Village. Stems and whole brunch were being increasingly used in the wine making which enriches the aromatics.

Vintage 2015

Mild winter and spring provided good foundation for the crop, followed by a warm and dry summer with heat spikes that led to water stress on younger vines, a cool yet breezy August with light rainfall helped and provided some relief to the vine. Overall the vintage provided concentrated grapes with great ripeness and intensity.

Domaine Groffier Les Amoureuses 2015 is expressive with lots of energy. The aromatics are complex with arrays of ripe red and blue fruits, lots of cherries notes, together with the rose petals floral nuance and very subtle saline minerality. On the palate it offers great balance, finely structure with silky fine tannins together with firm yet well poised oak spices to rein in the core fruit offering a long lingering fruit and mineral finish and subtle earthiness, where that touch of lift at the end provides freshness to the wine. The wine includes 50% whole brunch fruit which provided a more elegance touch on both aromatics and on palate, which highlights the beginning of Nicolas Groffier style which aim to balance tradition with modern winemaking techniques, resulting in a wine that is both classic and contemporary.

The next chapter of Groffier Les Amoureuses

<<La délicatesse des sables>>  and  <<La grâce des argiles>>

The journey through vintages, such as 2006, 2009, and 2015 have showcased the evolution of Domaine Groffier under Nicolas Groffier, where modern styles and concepts have been seamlessly integrated. Since 2022, Nicolas has two cuvées of his Amoureuses: The “La délicatesse des sables” cuvée showcases the elegance of wines from the sandier soils, while “La grâce des argiles” captures the richness of those from the red clay soils. This allows connoisseurs to experience the diverse expressions and nuances of Les Amoureuses, offering a new dimension of appreciation for this renowned vineyard.