Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux, previously Domaine Robert Arnoux, was founded in 1858, making the current incumbent Charles Lachaux the sixth generation of this family-owned estate.
Robert Arnoux, who introduced estate bottling at the Domaine, was born in 1931. His parents were Charles Arnoux and Renée Salbreux, both from winemaking families in Vosne-Romanée. On the death of Charles Arnoux in 1957, Robert took over. He was supported by his wife Clotilde Truchetet. They acquired new parcels, in 1984 adding a 0.35 hectare plot of Romanée-Saint-Vivant. In 1987, Pascal Lachaux married Florence Arnoux, one of the three daughters of Robert and Clotilde. Pascal joined the Domaine, working with his father-in-law until the latter’s death in February 1995.
Pascal and Florence extended the cellars and built a new winery in 2005. They further expanded the estate, most recently adding a 0.53 hectare holding of Latricières-Chambertin in 2008. The name of the Domaine was changed to Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux from the 2007 vintage, to reflect the coming together of the two families. The Domaine remains wholly family-owned. Charles is the eldest of Pascal and Florence’s three sons. He joined the Domaine in October 2011. He has been involved in winemaking since 2012 and has managed both the vineyards and the cellar since 2015.
The Domaine today clearly revolves around Charles who, despite his youth, appears crystal clear in his aspirations and objectives. “The three corner-stones of the Domaine are precision, definition and texture”, he stated during our first visit. He is insightful, ready to learn from his elders whilst confident enough to make up his own mind on the future of the Domaine. During the family’s first visit to our offices in London, we recorded a short interview with Florence, Pascal and Charles, which can be viewed on our YouTube channel. In this, Charles reveals a judicious eye, stating, “The weather is getting tougher and tougher, but the market has never been so good for Burgundy… I think Burgundy has brightness in front of it, but we have to be careful.” We count ourselves very fortunate to be working together and can’t wait to introduce these wines to Corney & Barrow customers.
Watch the full interview here: