La Petite Empreinte, which translates as ‘The Small Footprint’ is the very new estate of Romain de Moor and his partner Mélissa Bazin.
Mélissa has spent time in the Jura at Domaine Labet and, before that, internships in the Ardèche, where she comes from, with several vignerons including Sylvain Bock, Gérald Oustric and Gilles Azzoni. She also worked with Domaine Bruno Clair.
Romain has also worked in several estates including Jean-François Ganevat and Domaine Lapierre and, of course, with his parents on the family estate before heading to other parts of France.
What a wonderful selection of teachers they both have had! They have also both had formal training as part of their ‘apprenticeship’ prior to embarking on the La Petite Empreinte project from 2020. We are excited to be working with them and grateful to have made the connection via Romain’s parents.
Their micro-estate consisted originally of less than a hectare of vines in Saint-Bris-le-Vineux and Vincelottes, both communes in the Yonne department in the north of Burgundy. They have slowly added to it and planted new vines but it is still tiny. They currently have Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Sauvignon Blanc vines but the two wines we have for our first offering are both made from 100% Pinot Noir. The work organically in their vines, which are in clay and limestone soils, and are part-way through the process of conversion to achieve organic certification.
In the cellar they ferment their wines naturally and neither of these wines have any additions. They also do no filtration or fining. The wines are very pure and very good.
If you would like to learn more about their work you can follow their Instagram account here. They have two very young children which has slowed down their Instagram posting but there is still lots to discover about their work in their vineyards and cellar.
La Petite Empreinte Côteaux Bourguignons Mas à Tierra (Pinot Noir) 2022
The grapes for the Mas à Tierra Pinot Noir come from Mélissa and Romain’s plot of Pinot Noir, planted in 1990, in the commune of Vincelottes (which is about fifteen kilometres south of the town of Auxerre) in the Yonne department on a hill with a westerly exposure.
The soil is the famous Kimmeridgian limestone which provides the all-important minerals for the vines. Pinot Noir, in particular, loves limestone. The vineyard is currently in conversion to organic.
The whole bunches were macerated for 21 days with one or two punch downs. The 21 days of keeping the skins in contact with the juice ensures that the anthocyanins (which provide the colour) and the tannins (which help preserve the wine) are sufficiently extracted.
After pressing it was aged for 11 months in barrels without racking. No sulphites were added to this wine. This is the lighter of the two wines.
This wine carries the appellation Côteaux Bourguignons which is a reasonably broad appellation covering wines from throughout Burgundy. The appellation ws first proclaimed in 1937 under the name Bourgogne Grand Ordinaire and later Bourgogne Ordinaire.
RRP: $93 (SOLD OUT)
La Petite Empreinte Bourgogne Côte d’Auxerre Tapis Rouge 2022
Planted in 1978, these vines are situated in Saint-Bris at the top of a south-facing Portlandian limestone plateau. The vines are currently in conversion to organics.
A brief word about the Saint-Bris commune where these vines grow and the Côte d’Auxerre appellation is one that can be applied to Pinot Noir grown in the area.
There are a number of appellations that could be used here for red grapes. These are Côteaux Bourguignons and Côte d’Auxerre for Pinot Noir and Saint-Bris for white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc (the only place in Burgundy where this grape variety is permitted).
The juice had 30 days of maceration of whole bunches with two punch downs. After pressing it was aged for 11 months in barrels without racking. No sulphites were added at any time.
RRP: $93 (SOLD OUT)
La Petite Empreinte Arrosé 2023
This is the delicious, summery rosé from Mélissa and Romain that we are looking forward to releasing soon.
This cuveé has been made from grapes picked from their plot of land in the Sain-Bris Le Vineux commune which is an interesting area as it is the one spot in Burgundy where it is possible to plant Sauvignon Blanc and use the Saint-Bris appellation.
However this wine is made from Burgundian favourite, Pinot Noir which is from their plot which is planted on a plateau where the rocks are Portlandian limestone. The vines were originally planted in 1978, so are around 45 years old – a perfect age for Pinot Noir vines. The vines are currently in conversion to organic
The grapes were harvested manually and sorted prior to being slowly direct pressed to create some colour at the end of the press. Fermentation, of course, only with the indigenous yeast and then 3 months in wooden barrels without racking.
It was bottled in December, 2023 without added sulphites.
RRP: (To Be Released Soon)
You can read about the Saint-Bris appellation which permits the use of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris within the Burgundy region in our Wine Talk newsletter number 109 here.
