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Domaine Fabien Coche - Meursault's most underrated

by Hugh French | Aug 22, 2025

"Domaine Fabien Coche ... is one of the most underrated sources of high-quality white Burgundy in the Côte de Beaune. Alain Coche took his time, leaving his wines on the lees to mature at a leisurely pace for two winters, and produced classically balanced, textbook Meursault that evolved beautifully in the cellar; today, his son Fabien follows suit, with a few small refinements: today, the Coche harvest takes two weeks, not one, with each parcel brought in at optimal maturity, and there are more larger-format barrels in the cellar alongside the regular Burgundian pièces. These are not stylized, flashy wines, and they aren’t as dramatic as some of the region’s more sought-after domaines on release, but readers with the patience to cellar them will be amply rewarded."

WILLIAM KELLEY, THE WINE ADVOCATE

Fabien Coche’s father is a first cousin of Jean-François Coche-Dury, and it's important to note that not long ago, both domains featured nearly identical labels. Fabien started working alongside his father in 1998 and took full control in 2005, establishing his own distinct labels.

Since 1998, organic farming practices have been strictly adhered to across the 40 plots of vines owned by the family. Average vine age is impressive here, with more than 60% of vines over 60 years old.

The wines are remarkable, showcasing extraordinary purity with minimal winemaker influence. New oak usage is limited to 25%, with larger barrels used prominently. Fabien's wines blend the acidity and purity of Roulot’s style without the SO2 that can overshadow younger wines, and somewhat delicate compared to the luxurious texture of Coche-Dury.

This domaine offers genuine old-vine depth, providing some of the purest expressions of each vineyard site, from Aligoté to premium cuvées.

2023 Saint-Romain Blanc

Usually $149

Now $139

Made from a blend of 2 vineyards, Sous la Velle (west facing towards the village) and Le Jarron (south facing) these sites nestled in the small valey of Saint Romain make for fresh styles of wine that offer good protection in warmer vintages like 2023. This makes for a very fresh yet ripe expression of wine coming from the limestone inflected hillsides of Saint Romain. The generosity of the vintage matched to the cool sites makes for a fresh and defined style of wine which offers more amplitude than the slightly higher Hautes Cotes vineyards surrounding.

A little nutty, spicy oak, pine needle, cool herbal fruit. High acid, chalky squeezed lemon palate. Very fresh & linear. Zippy, good length.

IMPORTER NOTES

2023 Auxey-Duresses Blanc

Usually $159

Now $145

Auxey Duresses adjoins Meursault vineyards just above the village of Meursault close to some of the most famed vineyards of the village with Les Luchets and Vireuils joining directly on to Meursault as the village points to the hills just to the west of Meursault. Here the slopes are steeper and the limestone more apparent and the wines correspondingly more fresh and mineral giving more notable acidity and a cooler aspect that works so well in the warmer vintages like 2023. These are among the sites that will benefit from global warming.

Very pale. Very stony & mineral, framed by oak. Green fruit. High tensile, wiry & stony mineral palate. Long ++, excellent.

IMPORTER NOTES

2023 Meursault

Usually $235

Now $215

Surprisigly this is the first time we have been offered this very small extremely limited village cuvee which comes from 4 small holdings on the north side of the village, namely Les Malpoiriers (planted 1957), Les Dressoles (1997 + 2009), Les Millerandes (1969) and Pre de la Manche (1961, 1963 + 2016) totalling just 1 hectare. Coche’s vines are as usual close planted with about
10,000 vines per hectare. Elevage on fine lees in barrel (20% new) for 11 months before moving all parcels to a large neutral foudre for another 7 months to blend together before cold stabilising and bottling in April 2025. The soils on this side of the village have more clay and this shows in the wine with more generosity and flesh while still remaining very fresh and composed. Text-book Meursault.

Pale. Framed by nicely nutty, praline oak. Again very cool, lean, slightly green fruited & chiselled. Opens up to show a little smoky reduction. Shows the weight of Meursault. Step up in power, some spicy reduction on palate, great tension. Long +.

IMPORTER NOTES

2023 Meursault 'Le Limozin'

Usually $255

Now $229

From a superbly sited vineyard that lies just below 1er cru Genevrières and also borders on to 1er cru Les Charmes on the south side towards the Puligny-Montrachet border. Coche’s vines here are 40-45 years old and the wine shows a step up in intensity yet still with the finesse and softeness typical of Charmes. Bottled early April 2025 after elevage of about 18 months. Very fine structure and notable length this has lovely balance already and is the most immediately approachable of all his Meursaults. A very fine village wine of considerable complexity.
‘Typical of Meursault. Rich with good tension’.

Pale. Licorice, fennel, smoky reduction, elegant floral fruit, slight tropical note. Palate great tension, lemon verbena, mineral. Stony, precise, savoury. Long ++

IMPORTER NOTES

2023 Meursault 'Les Chevalieres'

Usually $255

Now $229

Les Chevalières lies just above the village of Meursault where the slope follows at the same elevation as the Premier Crus just a little further south. Chevalières adjoins Les Luchets which is positioned against the top part of this lieu-dit. This shows a tiny bit of struck-match complexity. Despite the hint of reduction this showed lovely fine floral lift over what is clearly a very deep and rich wine showing obvious real old vine intensity. This is a real step up in intensity and character with the cooler site adding a little more acidity and lift to the wine. A fabulous village Meursault and an absolute steal compared to the cost of Chevaliers from his cousin.

More complexity. Spicy oak, chalky, pear fruit. Bacon fatty, smoky reduction. More savoury, richness on palate compared to Luchets. Spicy & really long.

IMPORTER NOTES

2023 Meursault 'Les Luchets'

Usually $279

Now $255

Les Luchets lies above the village quite high on the slope, which is where many of the younger vignerons favour for cooler more mineral wines terroir and better natural acidity. This vineyard is the ‘signature’ vineyard of his cousins, the Roulot family. The aromas seem to show a cooler aspect with more citric acidity lifting the fruit and lengthening the palate. This shows great structure and length finishing very long with a beautifully formed line of fruit on the palate. A wine to wait a few years for.

High site, very mineral. Mossy, chalky aromatics, oak in background. Immediate drive & energy on palate. Richer than the Limozin with more power but more tension. Long +++.

IMPORTER NOTES

2023 Meursault 1er Cru 'Charmes'

Usually $399

Now $359

From vines planted 1929 in this signature 1er Cru site located on the Puligny Montrachet border. Located just below Perrières, Charmes always shows a silkier texture and rounder finer texture and flavours making this one of the most seductive and indeed charming wines of the cellar. Shows real depth and dimension of fruit from the ancient vines, great finesse and very fine acid giving great length—a very impressive 1er Cru.

A little more oak & richness on the nose. Still very airy, pure & floral with that slight bacony reductive note in the background. Extremely long & pure, richness & most mouth coating of all the wines but great energy too. Brilliant wine.

IMPORTER NOTES

2023 Meursault 1er Cru 'Goutte d'Or'

Usually $469

Now $419

From vines planted 1929 located in the middle of the appellation in one of its best 1er Cru sites which gained its name from the from the tiny flint stones which glistened in the vineyard hence the name meaning drops of gold. Notably floral and lifted this wine shows excellent old vine intensity and lively acidity giving great shape and length to the palate. Finer and more racy than the Charmes this wine wants more time to show its best. A fabulous 1er cru by any standards.

Warm terroir, tiny berries. Smoky reduction, fabulous intensity of pure floral fruit. Different shape on palate. Lots of extract & density. Power, drive, tension. Brilliant.

IMPORTER NOTES

2023 Monthelie 1er Cru 'Les Barbieres'

Usually $175

Now $155

This 1er cru vineyard sits quite high on the slope and faces full south. Made with 30% whole bunch ferment in 2023 this wine shows rich and deep aromas given some lift and finesse by the use of whole bunches in the ferment. Shows lovely floral lift and also excellent freshness with excellent depth and intensity. A serious 1er cru with only 20% new oak used and bottled after 18 months elevage. This retains freshness and finesse and shows very bright rich fruit with great polish. Fabien aims to capture the fresher side of Pinot and these reds are lithe and effortless and not at all worked.

Deeper colour. More black cherry, a little chocolate. Some box hedge, wild fruit. Meaty palate, saucisson. Long tannic finish.

IMPORTER NOTES

2023 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

Usually $1,249

Now $1,099

This comes from purchased grapes which Fabien has been buying for many years though always extremely limited and the first time we have been offered just 6 bottles total as his regular buyers always back up for this wine year after year making it extremely difficult for us to secure any at all. Coming from Aux Charmes located just below Chambertin Grand cru right in the very centre of the Chambertin vineyard. Gentle handling and extraction as with all his red wines with 20% new oak so just 1 new barrel. Shows very impressive depth with the fabulous perfume and finesse one associates with Charmes Chambertin.

Creamy blue fruits, very vivid and pure. Attractive slightly meaty and gamy fruit, licorice. Medium + bodied, lovely wine.

IMPORTER NOTES