Importer's Notes:

Firmly in the shadow of its next-door neighbor, the world-renowned appellation of Chablis, Côtes D’Auxerre has been known mostly for high-yield, inexpensive wines. But a small cadre of young wine-producers are changing that. Edouard Lepesme built his career in marketing for negociants in Burgundy and Champagne. In 2011, he decided to follow his dream and immersed himself in winemaking and viticulture, studying with some of the great names in France and abroad. In 2014, he purchased 33 acres from Andre Donat, whose father was a pioneer vigneron in the area when he planted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Aligote and Gamay Noir in the 1960s.

In the village of Vaux-Auxerre, Lepesme found the same chalky limestone soil, and he set out to produce a high-quality wine that would elevate his undervalued hometown terroir. Using 100% organic viticulture, Lepesme has a very hands-off approach. Manual harvesting, indigenous yeasts, low sulfur and no oak results in very pure, expressive and high tone wines. His first vintage shows great finesse and balance.