Dom. Dublère

Savigny-lès-Beaune, Burgundy, France Domaine Dublère was founded by an American led by his dream of becoming a winemaker in Burgundy. Amazingly, this idea only came to his mind in the 1980s, when he took his first trip to the region. Blair Pethel returned through the 1990s and he continued meeting and tasting. The trips culminated in 1999, while on sabbatical from his previous career as a political journalist in Washington. He came to work the harves and the only question remaining for him was when and how to become a winemaker. Blair moved to Burgundy with his family in 2003 and started making wine in 2004, after finishing a year-long course at the famous Lycée-Viticole of Beaune. Blair apprenticed with many of the best wine producers in Burgundy, including Patrice Rion in Prémeaux-Prissey and Jean-Marc Pillot in Chassagne-Montrachet. They emphasized working the vines with utmost care and respect. He uses this same idea in every wine he creates - both with his own vines and in the vineyards owned by others from whom he buys grapes. For Pethel, all the richness, grandeur and depth of a Burgundy wine spring from the terroir, via the grapes. Therefore, it's the vinegrower's job to optimize the vine's ability to search deep into the soil for the nourishment and minerals which give the wines their innumerable nuances. To achieve this goal, Domaine Dublère farms its vines with absolute respect for the soil and the vine itself. No chemical fertilizers are used and only organic compost is added to provide nutrients in the vineyards. The domaine will only plow between rows, as was done traditionally in the past. No insecticides are used and a biologically diverse environment is cultivated amongst the vines. Pests are controlled with pheromones. The Domaine also works closely with the farmers from whom they buy grapes for their négociant wines. They cooperate on choosing the best farming methods and they allow the Pethels to do much of the quality-improving hand work themselves in these vineyards: green-harvesting to reduce yield, pinching off secondary shoots, de-leafing. As 80% of a wine's quality comes from the work in the vineyard, Blair and his staff do all they can to assure that the Domaine’s wines reach their true potential.