Domaine Besson's Electrifyingly Good Chablis

Big-shot venture capitalists from Silicon Valley and millionaire investors from Beijing might be scooping up properties left and right in Napa and Bordeaux, but the romance of small, family-owned winemaking is alive and well in Burgundy. Check out Domaine Benson.

The Family

Domaine Besson is a perfect example with a history extending back to 1902 and spanning four generations of winemaking. In 1902, Eugène Besson planted 7.58 hectares off vines in Chablis. Today his grandson, Alain, owns the Domaine. Alain's daughter Camille received her diploma of oenology in 2013 and leads their winemaking efforts.

The Besson family brings four generations of family-owned winemaking to the table.

The Wines

If big, tropical-style California Chardonnay is your thing, look elsewhere. These wines are all about pure elegance — but don’t be fooled into thinking they lack complexity. This is stony, minerally, super-clean Chardonnay at its finest. Light yellow and almost transparent in the glass, yet fleshy on the palate, with delicate layers of lemon, lime, grapefruit, and pear, all framed by that signature Chablis flinty minerality. They produce everything from basic Chablis to Premier Crus and Grand Crus, and every bottle shows personality, depth, and precision.

The Vineyards

Like most Burgundy growers, Alain holds a deep respect for the land. He uses minimal sprays and fertilizers and follows a non-interventionist approach to farming. Over the years, he’s secured some exceptional parcels, expanding to 21+ hectares of Chablis, Petit Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru, and Chablis Grand Cru. They produce two Grand Crus: one from Vaudésir, and the other from a tiny plot right in the middle of the legendary Le Clos vineyard.

Most of the vines planted across Bessons vineyards are 40+ years old.

The best Chablis vineyards are planted on the famous Kimmeridgian soil, loaded with millions of seashells and tiny marine fossils preserved in its chalky white limestone. This gives Chablis its trademark flinty minerality and fleshy density, with an elusive note — almost like fresh-baked bread or an almond croissant hiding somewhere nearby. It’s rare to find Burgundy wines that balance quality, character, and value so effortlessly. Since discovering this producer on a trip to Europe in 2015, we’ve imported several of their wines, and every time a new shipment lands in the warehouse, you can bet there are triumphant high fives all around. Domaine Besson is one of our best finds, and we’re always thrilled to share their wines with our customers.