The Vilain family’s wine-growing history began in 1973, when Joël, Jean-Pierre, and Philippe Vilain created the estate from scratch. Today, Loïc and Yannick are continuing the tradition, cultivating vines in five communes in the Chablis region, in the various appellations of Petit Chablis, Chablis, and Chablis Premier Cru.
After developing the family estate in Chablis, Loïc and Yannick created a vineyard in 2013 in the neighbouring village of Auxerrois, more precisely in Vermenton. Historically, this village was renowned in 1900 for the quality of its wines, but phylloxera destroyed it. The steep slopes and stony soil encouraged the farmers of the time to switch to other crops until the return of Loïc and Yannick, who have been working since 2018 to produce Côteaux Bourguignons, Bourgognes Blancs, and Crémants de Bourgogne.
In the cellar, temperature control allows the terroirs’ unique characteristics to be better expressed. No selected yeasts are used, and the aging methods tend toward very moderate use of sulphites (between 50 and 75 mg/l of total SO2). Always with the utmost respect for the products, the acquisition of an inert gas bottling line naturally protects the wines. Whether in the vineyard or the cellar, innovation and quality are the leitmotif.
Recently, Loïc and Yannick decided to remove the vintage from the wines to ensure better stock management and optimize the style of wine, thanks to the different blending possibilities. This choice also makes it easier to manage shortages linked to poor harvests.