Domaine Coquard-Loison-Fleurot — Burgundy’s quiet riser with six Grands Crus
The Domaine Coquard-Loison-Fleurot, often abbreviated CLF, is a family address based in Flagey-Échezeaux on the Côte de Nuits. Across around 9 hectares of vineyard, holdings are spread over six Grand Cru sites — Grands-Échezeaux, Échezeaux, Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, Charmes-Chambertin and Clos de Vougeot — together with Premier and village sites in Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin. The domaine is among the most exciting rising stars in Burgundy today and works predominantly with very old vines.
Three families, one domaine
The estate brings together inheritances from three families: the vines in Morey-Saint-Denis come from the Coquard family’s holdings; the sites around Échezeaux and Flagey go back to the Loison family, supplemented by holdings of the Fleurot family. For generations the harvest was very largely sold to the négoce. The turning point came comparatively late: only from the 2009/2010 vintage has the bulk of production been bottled under the domaine’s name.
A generational change with Thomas Collardot
The responsible winemaker today is Thomas Collardot, born in 1984, son of Maryse Collardot (née Coquard). He has had sole cellar responsibility since the 2011 vintage. Working alongside him in day-to-day operations is his cousin Claire Fleurot, who heads the commercial side. Maryse Collardot remains a formal co-shareholder, representing the mothers’ generation.
Philosophy
CLF pursues a careful, classical approach. The vineyards are ploughed and farmed on organic principles, though without formal certification. Thomas Collardot puts it openly: an uncompromising organic line does not match his temperament; practice remains pragmatic. His stylistic aim is concentration without weight and ripeness without lushness. Collardot is closely befriended with Sébastien Cathiard; the vinification methods are similar, but the results each bear a distinct signature.
Sites and terroir
The portfolio shows a notable density of Grands Crus. Grands-Échezeaux (0.18 ha) includes a parcel with vines from 1929. Échezeaux (1.29 ha), together with declassified material, yields the unusual Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru, made predominantly from Échezeaux grapes. Clos de la Roche (1.17 ha) is partly planted from 1933. Clos Saint-Denis (0.17 ha) was planted in 1936. Added to these are Charmes-Chambertin (0.32 ha) and Clos de Vougeot (0.64 ha). In addition the house farms 1.68 hectares of Vosne-Romanée Village, 0.8 hectares of Chambolle-Musigny and 0.21 hectares of Gevrey-Chambertin. Much of the planting material is first-class: massal selections from the 1950s and earlier dominate the picture.
Vinification
The grapes are hand-harvested and carefully sorted in the cellar. Destemming is largely complete, with the reservation that in suitable vintages a small whole-cluster share may be added. During fermentation, punch-downs are gentle. Once alcoholic fermentation is complete, the wine moves directly to barrel and remains there for 15 to 18 months without racking, fining or filtration. Thomas Collardot has significantly reduced the new-oak share: village wines age in around one-third new barrels, most Grands Crus in 50 to 66 per cent. The highest new-oak share is reserved for Clos Saint-Denis and Grands-Échezeaux, whose small productions can carry the oak influence.
Key wines
The Grands-Échezeaux, with its vines from the late 1920s, is one of the house’s most distinctive flagships. Clos de la Roche shows the mineral and powerful side of the Morey-Saint-Denis Grands Crus, while Clos Saint-Denis offers straight-lined elegance and floral perfume. The Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru — with a marked Échezeaux share — is a rarity and evidence of Collardot’s stylistic range.
Style
The wines combine concentration with tension: deep colours, ripe red and black fruit, fine spice, velvety texture. Oak serves as carrier, not as flavour. In youth the cuvées feel precise and pure; with age they unfold a kaleidoscopic aromatic register. Jasper Morris MW has rated the 2022 vintage as Collardot’s best showing to date.
Ageing potential
Village wines reach drinking maturity from six to eight years. Premier Crus and smaller Grands Crus unfold between ten and eighteen years. The top Grands Crus — Grands-Échezeaux and Clos de la Roche — can age twenty to thirty years in bottle.
Market prices (Europe, EUR)
Based on current Wine-Searcher listings and iDealwine market data, the following ranges apply for recent vintages:
- Bourgogne Rouge around 40 to 70 euros
- Chambolle-Musigny Village around 80 to 120 euros
- Vosne-Romanée Village around 130 to 200 euros
- Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru around 250 to 400 euros
- Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru around 300 to 400 euros
- Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru around 220 to 350 euros
- Échezeaux Grand Cru between 220 and 400 euros (Wine-Lister £175 average, younger vintages higher)
- Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru around 400 to 600 euros
- Clos de la Roche Grand Cru around 250 to 400 euros
- Grands-Échezeaux Grand Cru around 500 to 700 euros (Wine-Lister £376 average); magnums significantly higher
The secondary-market trend is clearly upward; CLF is regarded as one of the most convincing rising houses of the younger Burgundy generation.
Buying guidance
Newcomers will find an ideal stylistic calling card at still-accessible prices in the Vosne-Romanée Village or the Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru. Collectors should prioritise Grands-Échezeaux, Clos de la Roche and Clos Saint-Denis — the combination of scarcity, high vine age and rising international attention makes these cuvées the most interesting bottles in the house’s range.
FAQ
Who runs Domaine Coquard-Loison-Fleurot?
Thomas Collardot (born 1984), son of a Coquard, has been responsible for vinification since 2011. His cousin Claire Fleurot heads the commercial side; Maryse Collardot remains a formal co-shareholder.
Where is the estate located?
The domaine is based at Rue Haute 5 in Flagey-Échezeaux, a village on the Côte de Nuits between Vosne-Romanée and Vougeot.
How many Grands Crus does CLF produce?
Six: Grands-Échezeaux, Échezeaux, Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, Charmes-Chambertin and Clos de Vougeot.
Are the wines produced organically?
The vineyards are ploughed and farmed on organic principles, but without formal certification. Thomas Collardot describes his line as pragmatic.
How old are the vines?
Most vines date from the 1950s or earlier. The Grands-Échezeaux has vines from 1929, the Clos de la Roche from 1933, and the Clos Saint-Denis from 1936.
When did estate bottling begin?
CLF has bottled wine under its own name only since the 2009/2010 vintages. Before that, most of the harvest was sold to négociants.
Significance within the wine world
CLF is among the most fascinating rediscoveries in Burgundy of the past 15 years. An exceptional concentration of old Grand Cru vines, combined with a young, technically accomplished generation at the helm, has catapulted the domaine into international top-tier conversation within just a few vintages.
