Vincent Dancer
Vincent Dancer grew up in Alsace, where he inherited a love of wine and photography from his father. After studying engineering, his father suggested that Vincent spend some time in Burgundy, where his family owned some vines that were being rented out to cousins. Dancer was immediately hooked, and decided to settle in Chassagne-Montrachet and make wine from the 5.5 hectares of well-situated vineyards. The winery is small even by the standards of Burgundy, and despite Dancer’s reclusive nature, the wines are well known to a small circle of restaurateurs and wine-lovers who reliably take their miniscule allocation year after year.
Dancer was the first producer in Chassagne to become certified organic, and there remain less than a handful of others. He remains quietly individualistic, creating his own pure, bright, and savory style of winemaking, trusting his instincts and experience to make the best possible wine in his own way. His cellar practices are as minimal as possible: native yeasts, no enzymes or acids, natural malo, no battonage, no fining or filtering. Each cuvée, however, is truly a reflection of the terroir — from the rich, unctuous Meursault Perrieres to the incisively fresh Chassagne Tete-du-Clos. It is not an exaggeration to say that the wines from Vincent Dancer are majestically unique, exceptionally delicious, and well worth the effort of seeking out.
“The highly gifted perfectionist, Vincent Dancer, incarnates the new generation of young, dynamic wine growers.” -La Revue du Vin de France
Wines
Bourgogne Blanc
Varietal: Chardonnay
Color: White
Farming Practice: Certified Organic
Certified organic. Sourced from two different vineyards, one in Meursault (planted in 2001) and one in Puligny-Montrachet (planted in 1990) mixed together. Clay-limestone soils. Native yeast fermentation with no additions, natural malo, and no battonage. Aged in approx. 20% new oak for 17 month. After assemblage the wine is racked back into stainless steel to age for an additional 5-6 months before bottling. Bottled with no fining or filtration.
Chassagne-Montrachet
Varietal: Chardonnay
Color: White
Farming Practice: Certified Organic
Certified organic. From vines planted in 2000 and 2002 grown in clay-limestone soils. Native yeast fermentation with no additions, natural malo, and no battonage. Aged in approx. 20-30% new oak for 17 months. After assemblage the wine is racked back into stainless steel to age for an additional 5-6 months before bottling. Bottled with no fining or filtration.
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘La Romanée’
Varietal: Chardonnay
Color: White
Farming Practice: Certified Organic
Certified Organic. From vines planted in 1994 and 1980 on south & south-east facing vineyard located on the steep limestone slope above the village of Chassagne. Native yeast fermentation with no additions, natural malo, and no battonage. Aged in approx. 50% new oak for 17 months. After assemblage the wine is left to age for 5-6 months in stainless steel before bottling. Bottled with no fining or filtration. “La Romanée” is the fullest and richest of Dancer’s Chassagne wines.
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘Tête du Clos’
Varietal: Chardonnay
Color: White
Farming Practice: Certified Organic
Certified Organic. Tete du Clos, located inside of the 1er Cru Les Morgeots, is a small walled-in parcel containing the very best part of the vineyard and is rightfully considered a “super” 1er Cru. Here, at the apex of the vineyard, bordered by La Romanée to the north and Les Embrazées to the southwest, the soil is very rocky and white, giving a more mineral, tensile expression of Chassagne. Dancer’s parcel comes from vines planted in 1954. Only Dancer and one other producer bottle a Tete du Clos. Native yeast fermentation with no additions, natural malo, and no battonage. Aged in approx. 50% new oak for 17 months. After assemblage the wine is racked back into stainless steel to age for an additional 5-6 months before bottling. Dancer’s Tete du Clos is a linear, mineral-driven Chardonnay.
Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
Varietal: Chardonnay
Color: White
Farming Practice: Certified Organic
Certified organic. Dancer has a miniscule 0.10-hectares of Chevalier, planted in 1952, that sits in the very highest part of the top left hand corner of the vineyard where it has the same elevation as Le Montrachet. It’s worked by horse and Dancer makes only a single pièce (or barrel), reflecting the tiny yields he achieves. Native yeast fermentation with no additions, natural malo, and no battonage. Aged in all new oak for 17 month. After assemblage the wine is racked back into stainless steel to age for an additional 5-6 months before bottling. Bottled with no fining or filtration. Only a handful of bottles (around 300) are produced each year from this archetypal white Burgundy vineyard.
Meursault ‘Les Corbins’
Varietal: Chardonnay
Color: White
Farming Practice: Certified Organic
Certified Organic. From a lieu dit planted in 1986 on Bathonian limestone mixed with pebbles. Les Corbins is located just north of the village of Meursault, next to Les Criots and Clos de la Barre, on the lower section of the slope. Native yeast fermentation with no additions, natural malo, and no battonage. Aged in approx. 20-30% new oak for 17 month. After assemblage the wine is racked back into stainless steel to age for an additional 5-6 months before bottling. Bottled with no fining or filtration. The wines produced by Les Corbins tend to have rich texture with the classic weight of Meursault.
Meursault ‘Les Grands Charrons’
Varietal: Chardonnay
Color: White
Farming Practice: Certified Organic
Certified Organic. Les Grands Charrons sits just underneath another excellent Meursault lieu-dit, Les Tessons, and nearby the Les Goutte d’Or vineyard made famous by Lafon. Dancer has a small 0.29-hectare parcel here in the ideally situated mid-slope of the hill. Calcareous clay. The vines were planted in 1958 and it shows in the wine’s intensity. Native yeast fermentation with no additions, natural malo, and no battonage. Aged in approx. 20% new oak for 17 months. After assemblage the wine is left to age for 5-6 months in stainless steel before bottling. Bottled with no fining or filtration. This is a vineyard that always produces a firmer, more restrained style of Meursault.
Meursault 1er Cru ‘Les Perrières’
Varietal: Chardonnay
Color: White
Farming Practice: Certified Organic
Certified Organic. Dancer has only 0.29-hectares of this great terroir. Drawn from vines planted mostly in 1963 (but also a parcel planted in the late 1970’s, right next door to Jean-Marc Roulot’s vines). Native yeast fermentation with no additions, natural malo, and no battonage. Aged in approx. 50% new oak for 17 month. After assemblage the wine is racked back into stainless steel to age for an additional 5-6 months before bottling. Bottled with no fining or filtration. This wine is classic Perrières with deep texture shot through with chalky, racy mineral notes.