Bourgogne Blanc 'Les Hauts de la Combe' 2022, Domaine Joseph Colin

A renowned benchmark for modern, crystalline white Burgundy. The Bourgogne Blanc 'Les Hauts de la Combe' 2022 originates from a distinct lieu-dit near Saint-Aubin, illustrating the exceptional talent of Joseph Colin. As the son of Marc Colin, Joseph blends historic heritage with a contemporary philosophy focused on maximal purity, laser-like precision, and unadulterated terroir drive.

In the glass, the wine presents a luminous golden-yellow hue with brilliant clarity. The nose opens with layered aromas of ripe orchard fruit, succulent white peach, yellow apple, lemon zest, and honeysuckle, backed by subtle toasted almond and a crushed-chalk minerality. While the warm, generous 2022 vintage endows the wine with a plush, enveloping, and creamy palate, Joseph's signature winemaking — barreled directly without settling (débourbage) and strictly without bâtonnage — ensures energetic tension and a pristine, saline finish.

Key Highlights

• Terroir: 100% Chardonnay sourced from the single plot Les Hauts de la Combe, a distinct lieu-dit near Saint-Aubin with clay-limestone soils providing mineral focus.
• Winemaking & Ageing: No settling (débourbage) post-pressing to preserve natural antioxidants. Fermented spontaneously using native yeasts, strictly no bâtonnage to safeguard freshness, and aged in mostly neutral French oak barrels (only 15–20% new oak).
• Sustainability: Organic viticulture practiced with low cellar intervention to honor soil health. Minimal total sulfur applied at bottling (approx. 25–30 mg/l).
• Tasting Profile: Rich, energetic, mineral-driven, and harmonious. Notes of ripe peach, citrus zest, yellow apple, white blossom, fresh almond, and a chalky saline finish.
• Ageing Potential: Alluring and texturally complex now thanks to the warm 2022 vintage, with the core structure to cellar gracefully over 4 to 6 years.

Food Pairing

• Fish & Shellfish: Outstanding alongside seared sea scallops, grilled langoustines, lobster, and pan-roasted cod in light cream citrus sauce.
• Poultry & Veal: Excellent match for roasted Bresse chicken in delicate cream sauce or seared veal medallions.
• Fine Dining & Vegetarian: Wonderful with warm goat cheese salads, grilled white asparagus, or wild mushroom risotto.
• Cheese: Ideal with soft to semi-hard French cheeses like Brillat-Savarin, Chaource, and young Comté.
• Serving Suggestion: Best served chilled at 10°C to 12°C in generous Burgundy crystal glasses to allow its aromatics and rich mouthfeel to expand.

The Terroir of Les Hauts de la Combe

The lieu-dit 'Les Hauts de la Combe' perches just below the rolling slopes of Saint-Aubin. Its subsoil of clay mixed with fragmented limestone provides Chardonnay vines in a warm year like 2022 with optimal ripening conditions while retaining fresh acidity and mineral drive, producing a Bourgogne Blanc that rivals many village-level appellations.

About Domaine Joseph Colin

Joseph Colin grew up among the vineyards of Saint-Aubin, managing the cellar of the acclaimed Marc Colin family estate for years. In 2016, he launched his own domain, now spanning 6.3 hectares across 40 micro-parcels. Driven by a low-intervention ethos — direct barrel transfer post-press without settling, zero bâtonnage, and judicious oak usage — Joseph crafts pure terroir wines that set the bar for modern white Burgundy.