Original bottle illustration — Bacchus Global
Domaine de Villaine · Côte Chalonnaise
DOMAINE DE VILLAINELa Digoine 2020
At the foot of the l'Hermitage slope in Bouzeron, a near-monopole plot called La Digoine has anchored Domaine de Villaine's red wines since the estate's first vintage in 1973. In a growing season that pushed Burgundy to some of its hottest, driest conditions in decades, the Pinot Noir grown on this shallow clay-and-limestone site produced a vintage that Decanter and Burghound both praised for its depth, structure and ageing potential.
- Wine type
- Red wine (still)
- Grape
- Pinot Noir 100%
- Appellation
- AOC Bourgogne Côte Chalonnaise
- Origin
- Bouzeron, Côte Chalonnaise, Burgundy, France
- Drinking window
- 2026–2040
- Recommended temperature
- 16–18°C
- Alcohol
- 14.5% vol
- Bottle size
- 750 ml
Domaine and Vintage
Domaine de Villaine is based in Bouzeron, at the northern edge of the Côte Chalonnaise, where Aubert and Pamela de Villaine established the estate in 1971. Pierre de Benoist, Aubert's nephew, has directed the day-to-day work since 2000, continuing a family style built on hand harvesting, indigenous-yeast fermentation and no use of new oak.
La Digoine sits as a near-monopole lieu-dit at the foot of the l'Hermitage slope, its shallow clay-and-limestone soil giving structure to the domaine's flagship red since 1973. The 2020 growing season brought markedly reduced rainfall and extended sunshine across the Côte Chalonnaise, concentrating small berries and shaping a wine built for a long drinking window.
Taste profile
In the glass
LA DIGOINE 2020
Scale1–5
BG wine structure estimate
Comparative profile within the Bacchus Global wine range.
Raspberry, rose petal, orange peel and spice, with a savoury, mineral edge and a hint of floral lift.
Medium-to-full-bodied and vibrant, with a bright, perfumed core of fruit framed by fine, youthful tannin and a long, tannic-lined finish.
Before it reaches the glass
Temperature
Serve at 16°C while young, moving toward 18°C after six to ten years of cellaring.
Timing
Drinking window 2026–2040, with a peak generally expected between 2028 and 2035.
Glassware
A large-bowled Burgundy glass (Grand Cru style), such as a Riedel Sommeliers Burgundy or Zalto Burgundy.
At the table
La Digoine's fine tannin and bright fruit core call for dishes that echo its structure rather than compete with it.
Across Japanese, Thai and Western tables, the wine performs best alongside gentle, umami-driven preparations and classic red-meat pairings that let its tannin and acidity find balance.
Japanese
- Sukiyaki (lightly seasoned)
- Shirayaki grilled eel with yuzu kosho
- Maguro akami zuke (marinated tuna)
Why it worksBroth-forward, umami-led dishes with restrained fat and sweetness soften the wine's concentrated 2020 tannin without overwhelming its fruit.
Thai
- Mild massaman beef curry
- Northern-style sai oua sausage (mild)
- Khao soi chicken (mild version)
Why it worksGentler, less chili-forward Thai preparations let the wine's tannin and structure stay in balance; dishes built on intense chili and lime would overpower it.
Western
- Roast lamb
- Duck breast
- Aged Comté cheese
Why it worksClassic red-meat and aged hard-cheese pairings match the wine's tannic backbone and fruit concentration, in keeping with Burgundian tradition; the estate itself recommends red meats and firm cheeses, avoiding soft-rind styles.
From cellar to bottle
Winemaking
Hand-harvested and sorted, fermented with indigenous yeasts in wooden vats, then aged about ten to twelve months in used barrels with no new oak, following the estate's unfiltered-leaning approach.
Product detail
100% Pinot Noir from the La Digoine lieu-dit, bottled at 14.5% alcohol by volume in a 750 ml Burgundy bottle sealed with natural cork.
Origin
Côte Chalonnaise vineyards were first planted by monks from the Abbey of Cluny in the twelfth century, on a landscape of Jurassic limestone, clay and marl that naturally limits vine vigour.
Official producer website→Recognition
Decanter (Charles Curtis MW, Burgundy 2020 en primeur report)
Awarded in Decanter's 2020 Burgundy en primeur report, which noted the site's depth of plum fruit, savoury minerality and a tannic line leading into a lingering finish, with a suggested drinking window of 2023–2040.
Burghound (Allen Meadows, en primeur tasting, October 2021)
Recognized by Burghound as 'Outstanding/Top Value' following an October 2021 en primeur tasting, which noted good verve and delicious mid-weight flavors with excellent quality for the level, suggesting a drinking start from 2026.
Wine Spectator (2020 vintage)
Wine Spectator rated the 2020 La Digoine 91 points.
The Wine Advocate (2020 vintage)
Robert Parker Wine Advocate rated the 2020 La Digoine 92 points.
Trade information
Contact Bacchus Global for product documentation, availability and trade enquiries.
