Domaine Garrey 

Vigneron Philippe Garrey’s is the 6th generation of the family to live on and care for his family’s estate in the southern end of the Mercurey appellation. In 2011, his was the first estate in the Côte-Chalonnaise to receive the biodynamic certification from Demeter. Philippe wants his wines to be an honest expression of his family home. Through laborious, attentive work, he achieves this goal, producing beautiful wines with elegance, purity and finesse.

Philippe farms his entire 4.5 hectares property of old vines (60-100 years old) by himself. Unlike neighbouring estates, he has no interest in expanding his vineyards, preferring to remain a scale he can care for single-handedly. In the vineyard, no chemicals of any kind are used and the rows are grassed over. If needed, only natural treatments (infusions of nettle, chamomile, etc) are used.

In the winery, fermentation takes place with native yeasts only and in stainless steel – each parcel being vinified separately. Philippe keeps 50% to 100% whole cluster and the maceration is long but gentle. All wines are aged in oak for around 15 months with a maximum of 10% being new. Finally, the bottling is done by hand, with gravity, 6 bottles at a time. Philippe even takes care that the bottles, corks and wines are all at the same temperature at the time of bottling, to ensure it the most gentle process possible.