Domaine Potinet Ampeau

Following the marriage of Vincent’s grandparents, the two separate domaines of Potinet and Ampeau merged. Already of high repute at the time, Vincent’s grandmother’s Domaine Ampeau were the first domaine to export wines from Meursault to the United States in 1925.
Producing wines built to age, has been at the heart of the philosophy of the domaine since the 1950s. But in those early days setting barrels aside was not always possible. In their first vintage together in 1951, due to catastrophic weather conditions, the newly merged Potinet Ampeau produced just half a barrel of wine in total! As Vincent explains. “During the ‘50s it was very lean times with at least one third of vintages producing no wine at all, another third of vintages being mediocre at best (and therefore with limited ageing potential) and then a third providing volume and hopefully quality”. It was these top vintages that enabled the domaine to survive through the difficult times.

Even during the sixties and seventies the Estate was not blessed with fortune. Vincent starts running through the vintages outlining how hit and miss the vintages were back then. In ’61 (despite it being a good vintage for many) there was no production at the estate, the same in ’63. In '65, '67 and '68 wine was produced but all were difficult vintages. Fortunately ’64, ‘66, and ‘69 were exceptional and these three vintages kept the domaine operational.
Whilst there were better volumes in the 1970s the quality was not on a par with the top vintages in the sixties. “’77 was a good vintage for whites, ’75 was horrible! ’78 thankfully was one of the vintages of the century!”

In total the domaine is made up of 10 hectares producing 18 separate cuvees roughly split 50% white wine, 50% red wine. All the wine produced at Potinet Ampeau comes entirely from the domaine’s own vineyards.