Burgundy’s grand vineyard merry-go-round

There is nothing new about vineyards changing hands in Burgundy. Were it so, much of Burgundy would still belong to the Church. Nor does the acquisition of choice vineyards by outside investors—luxury brands, banks, insurance companies, or wealthy individuals—cause more than a light ripple of surprise. But several recent sales, mergers, and reshuffles of vineyards merit more than a raised eyebrow because of the importance of the appellations traded. 

In September 2022, French billionaire François Pinault, owner of Château Latour and other distinguished wine estates, extended his influence in Burgundy from his holdings in the Côte de Nuits (Clos de Tart in Morey-St-Denis and Domaine d’Eugénie in Vosne-Romanée) to the Côte de Beaune, as his wine company Artémis Domaines merged with Maisons et Domaines Henriot. The latter included Bouchard Père & Fils and Domaine William Fèvre in Burgundy, together with Maison Henriot in Champagne and Beaux-Frères in Oregon—“A partnership in which Henriot is a minority partner and all the important decisions will be made by Artémis,” explains Vincent Pépin, recently appointed commercial director for Bouchard Père & Fils.

Within the Henriot portfolio, Domaine Bouchard, with its extensive land holdings in the Côte d’Or, was the main prize. Henriot Champagne was quickly disposed of to Terroirs et Vignerons de Champagne, while Fèvre was put quietly on the market. Why? Because the Fèvre family held onto their vineyards when they sold to Joseph Henriot in 1998—an arrangement that doesn’t align with Artémis’s approach to vineyard ownership. And so, on January 9,