Domaine Felettig, Chambolle-Musigny
Burgundy, France

 "Gilbert Felettig has rightly become one of Chambolle-Musigny’s newest names to drop. Over the last decade, his portfolio has expanded, and his wines have deservedly won more admirers. I am one of them...if you have not discovered this producer yet, better do it pronto."
Neal Martin

Domaine Felettig is one of those gratifying Burgundy discoveries: a proper, family-run address in Chambolle-Musigny whose wines have quietly climbed in quality over the last decade, while keeping both feet on the ground stylistically and (by modern Burgundian standards) financially.

The estate in brief

Founded by Henri (and Reine) Felettig in the 1970s and now run by siblings Gilbert (in the vines and cellar) and Christine (commercially), the domaine farms roughly a dozen-plus hectares split across a patchwork of small parcels, with an increasing emphasis on organic viticulture and doing away with chemical shortcuts.

Their range is impressively broad, with a strong core in Chambolle-Musigny, including a clutch of premiers crus, plus further sites beyond the commune and a lauded Echézeaux Grand Cru.

Why the critics keep circling back

The smart money likes Felettig because the wines routinely deliver real Chambolle character, perfume, lift, and detail, but with enough fruit density to handle the domaine’s élevage choices.

Style: fruit-forward, civilised, and refreshingly approachable

Chambolle can sometimes be served up as an exercise in austerity. Felettig tends to be the opposite: bright red fruit, floral notes, and a silky feel, with freshness rather than brute force. Winemaking is increasingly gentle (less aggressive pigeage, more precision), with a judicious use of whole bunch and oak that aims to frame the fruit, not impersonate it.

The upshot is wines that are genuinely enjoyable earlier than many of their neighbours, while still rewarding cellaring if you have the patience (or the self-discipline, which is rarer).

Value in the real world (even after Burgundy’s price hikes)

Let’s not pretend Burgundy has been a bargain recently. Liv-ex’s Burgundy 150 index rose 140% between December 2010 and December 2020, which rather tells you what’s happened to the entry ticket.

Against that backdrop, Felettig remains comparatively well-priced for the level of critical attention and the quality in bottle. In bond pricing for their range can still look surprisingly sane, with village wines often far less than the marquee names and premiers crus that, while not cheap, are still within reach for serious Burgundy drinkers.

The Beaune 1er Cru ‘Champ Pimonts’ is often a shrewd buy, 1er Cru quality, but being from a slightly less fashionable village, your money goes a longer way. The Bourgogne Rouge sells out each year almost as fast as the Chambolle 1er Crus and has a very loyal following, not least, it’s my wife’s favourite red at the moment.

Do not overlook the whites

If you want the domaine’s house style without the Chambolle tariff, start with the whites. Their Bourgogne Aligoté Vieilles Vignes is a proper grown-up Aligoté, bright, generous, and distinctly more than a frivolous aperitif, and it is often priced like a minor miracle in today’s Burgundy.

There is also excellent value in their Hautes-Côtes whites (including Chardonnay), typically fragrant and peachy with a smooth, early-drinking charm. These are ideal “weekday Burgundy” bottles, in the very best sense of the phrase.

In short

If you like your Burgundy to taste of fruit and place, not simply of scarcity and invoices, Domaine Felettig is an easy recommendation: critic-approved, stylistically approachable, and still offering a whiff of value in a region that has largely forgotten the concept.