When Didier Fornerol left a great job as vineyard manager and then cellar master for the famed Domaine de l’Arlot to return to his family’s humble estate in Corgoloin his peers were likely a bit surprised. But 20 years later Didier’s wines have accumulated a cult-like following and are easily among the most sought after in the undervalued Cotes de Nuits appellation.

The Fornerol vineyards and cellar exist in a sort of “no-man's land” of the famed Cote d’Or, just below Premeaux-Prissy and Nuits-St-Georges and just north of the hill of Corton. There are no 1er or Grand crus here, indeed there is not even a village AOC. But within the humble Cotes de Nuits appellation Didier works his magic.

Like his mentor at l’Arlot, Jean-Pierre de Smet, Didier uses a high percentage of whole clusters and ferments and ages only in oak barrels. However he uses very small amounts of new barrique (usually around 10-20%) and is generally considered to have a very light touch in the cellar.

He farms the family plots without chemicals and is the vineyards basically all the time. Decades ago this area, above the sloping vineyards of the Cote d’Or, was considered too cold and without the proper exposure to fully ripen grapes in most years. But these days getting fruit ripe is no issue, and indeed these cooler vineyard sites with less sun exposure are perfectly positioned to produce wines of balance and finesse.

Is there a possibility that some of Didier’s vineyards are eventually elevated to 1er crus? Who knows, but in the meantime we highly recommend trying some while you still can.