Domaine Huber-Verdereau
One of the best things about my life as an importer – no, make it THE best thing, is the friendships I’ve developed with our producers over the years. I’ve learned so much – about life, wine, joy, friendship, and family from an amazing group of people. The Burgundians and Champenois are a warm and welcoming breed of human beings, and I feel a strong connection with our producers – perhaps none more so than with Thiébault Huber of Domaine Huber-Verdereau in Volnay.
His zest for life, his joie de vivre, is truly without peer. This is a man who is always upbeat, always has a smile for everyone, is ALWAYS ready for a party, is the first person to work in the morning and the last one to leave at night, and who works harder and plays harder than anyone I’ve ever known. Thiébault and his family have become dear friends, and getting to know them has been a great joy.
It’s been exciting to watch Thiébault develop his domaine and build his reputation. His domaine has been one of Burgundy’s top rising stars in recent years and his trajectory is still on the rise. His wines were in the very first group that we launched our import company with, starting in the 2004 vintage. He has taken a tiny 7-acre domaine and expanded it to nearly 20 acres now, with holdings in a number of the top appellations in the Côte de Beaune.
The biggest development happened in 2011, when Thiébault was able to purchase the wonderful Clos du Colombier – a 2.14-acre walled-in vineyard in Pommard. (Colombier is French for dovecote, an ancient one of which occupies one corner of the property.) Situated smack in the middle of the village and between the two slopes that peel off on either side, the Clos is ideally and uniquely situated to produce Pommard of not only great richness but refinement and elegance as well. As Thiébault is the sole owner of the Clos, it is therefor a Monopole of the domaine (the French term for a vineyard with only one proprietor.)