For Burgundy lovers, David Duband is a household name. He took over his family’s Côte de Nuits Domaine in 1991 and within 10 years he moved away from conventional farming, embracing a more natural approach in the vineyards. In 2006, Duband earned certification through ECOCERT. This important step coincided with the fortuitous acquisition of old-vine parcels in the grand crus of Clos de la Roche and Charmes-Chambertin, both purchased from the legendary Jacky Truchot by Duband’s friend and business partner, François Feuillet.

Not one to be complacent, Duband’s evolution as a viticulturist eventually led to changes in the cellar too. Wines that had previously reflected a bigger and more modern, oak-driven style transitioned to a refined and transparent profile. In the 2008 vintage, many noted a newfound energy, lift, and brightness in the wines. Over the years, Duband has continued to abandon opulence for elegance, working as gently as possible to reveal the differences in his terroirs with subtlety and precision. 

In 2018, Duband embarked on a negotiant project that aimed to work with appellations not represented under his eponymous label and to try new methods in the cellar such as sulfur-free vinifications and fermentation and aging in concrete eggs. Like his consulting project at Domaine Mia in the Côte Chalonnaise, Duband was energized by the prospect of experimenting with new methods while gaining an understanding of unfamiliar terroirs. The grapes are purchased from like-minded vignerons with a reputation for growing high-quality fruit. The project known as Les Terres de Philéandre, named after his twins Philomène and Léandre, was born with the purchase of grapes from the 1er Cru Les Serpentières in the village of Savigny-les-Beaune. More long-term contracts followed, giving substance and stability to the project. 

The range begins with an Aligoté that manages to be both rich and svelt, followed by a juicy and vibrant Vin de France Pinot Noir grown in the Hautes Côte de Nuits. The standout cuvée known as Célénie is Duband’s first sans soufre Pinot Noir, also from the Hautes Côte de Nuits, and reflects his deft hand in the cellar with its aromatic lift and graceful palate. All reds are produced with Duband’s signature whole cluster fermentation — 60% for the entry-level Pinots and 70% for the Savigny-les Beaune Villages and 1er Cur Serpentières. The Savignys are aged 13 months in barrel and then an additional three months in tank, offering complex and silky wines from a village that can skew a bit rustic. 

As Duband’s familiarity with these terroirs grows, so does his understanding of how to capture their essence in the glass. Through consistent observation and adaptation, the wines from Les Terres de Philéandre have quickly become some of the most compelling values we have tasted in the Côte d’Or…and it’s only the beginning!