Domaine Besson is located in Givry, Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy. The possessions of the domaine include 8.40 hectares of vineyards, farmed according to the sustainable approach, without certification. The viticulture is managed by the family - Xavier Besson, Guillemette Besson and their son Henri-Vital Besson.

The wines of the domaine are marked with intensive fruity flavours, freshness and balanced acidity.

The top wines of the domaine are: Beaune Premier Cru Champs Pimont and Givry le Petit Prétan. The Beaune Premier Cru Champs Pimont 2005 scored 89 and the Givry le Petit Prétan 2008 scored 88-89 by the Wine Advocate.

Robert Parker’s tasting notes on the Beaune Premier Cru Champs Pimont 2005: “From her side of the family, and high-elevation vines that they are gradually mastering, comes the Besson’s 2005 Beaune Champs Pimont, among the best wines I have tasted from them in the ten vintages I have followed. Tart red cherry, horehound, sage, clove, salt spray, and citrus zest inform the nose and palate. Smoked meat and chalk undertones and a sappy, resinous cling cap this wine of relatively modest weight but plenty of energy.”

Domaine Besson has been managed by Xavier Besson and Guillemette Besson since 1989, joined by their son Henri-Vital Besson since 2017.

The domaine was founded by Xavier Besson’s grandparents in 1938, but it is Xavier Besson who started bottling under the domaine’s label.

The estate of the domaine also includes two historical monuments: an 18th-century dovecote and an impressive 17th-century cellar with its majestic pointed arch vault 45 meters long and more than 6 meters high.

Domaine Besson is farmed according to the sustainable approach, without certification. The soils are ploughed, the vines are pruned and leaves are stripped. Green harvesting is done manually. Sorting is done on the sorting table right in the vineyards. Yields are around 40 hl per hectare. All the grapes operations are done by gravity.

The reds are destalked and pass through cool pre-fermentation maceration at 15°C with indigenous yeasts. Temperature-controlled fermentation lasts from 8 to 10 days with a few punchings down. The reds are 12 months matured, without racking.

The whites are not destemmed and settled for 24 hours after pressing. The alcoholic fermentation starts in stainless steel vats and continues in oak barrels. Whites stay in barrels for 10 months, with one to two stirrings per month. The percentage of new oak is 30 percent for village wines and 50 percent for premiers crus. The wines are sulphated before bottling. Since 2019 DIAM closures have been used.