Owned by the city of Dijon, with the wine made by Marc Soyard, Domaine de la Cras might be Burgundy’s most unique estate. Fold in what Soyard is doing outside of the Domaine, and you have a singular portfolio from one of France’s brightest talents.

 There are three sets to explore here: the Dijon domain, Soyard’s eponymous cuvées, and his 'Tercet' collaboration with a wine-school friend. We're digging into each.

In 2013, the city of Dijon acquired Domaine de la Cras: a farm overlooking the city with 8 hectares of vines and an existing cellar. With the intention of farming the land organically, they searched for a young steward with the experience to both farm and produce wine. They now-famously landed on Marc Soyard: a Jura-born talent who had worked as vineyard manager the previous 6 years for Jean-Yves Bizot at Domaine Bizot.

Soyard was given the keys to the Domaine, and free rein to run the estate as he pleased. His rent to the city is simply bottles from the production, and an agreement to open the winery to visitors.

He hit the ground running with what he’d learned in Vosne, farming organically and vinifying naturally. The parcels are carved out by exposition for the final wines, with the lower parts of the vineyard going into the entry-level Coteaux wines, and the top parts into the ‘Cras Monopole’ bottlings. And, although the whole site is technically Bourgogne AOC, the domaine is the sole producer allowed to use the designation Coteaux de Dijon on their labels.

Chardonnay at Domaine de la Cras, overlooking Dijon; photos via Coeur Wine Co.

Soyard also has vines and projects outside of the domain. First, he has very small holdings which he farms in Ladoix and Hautes-Côtes de Nuits and makes individual wines from (and labels under his name). Second, within the Côte d'Or he is a partner and the winemaker for Tercet, a tiny project that combines the unique talents of three friends: vineyard manager Florent Lambert, Soyard who makes the wine, and a third silent partner with access to some top sites.

Across projects, all of the wines are made in the Cras cellar with native yeasts, and reds seeing a Bizot-like use of whole cluster. Whites are direct pressed. Élevage is in a mix of old and new wood; the entry wines age about a year while the top wines are raised between 18-24 months. His self-titled wines will go even longer sometimes, depending on the vintage. The final wines see very little sulfur, some none at all (the L’Equilibriste wines below are sans soufre). 

In the end, the whole set of wines – from Dijon domaine to personal projects – is one of the most energetic and exciting in Burgundy’s vanguard. Blurring the line between fine wine and natural, Soyard is helping define the future here.

DOMAINE DE LA CRAS
2023 Domaine de la Cras Bourgogne Coteaux de Dijon Blanc $52
2023 Domaine de la Cras Bourgogne Coteaux de Dijon Rouge $52
2022 Domaine de la Cras 'L'Aigle et La Chouette' Blanc $55
2023 Domaine de la Cras Bourgogne 'L'Equilibriste' Blanc $55
2023 Domaine de la Cras Bourgogne 'L'Equilibriste' Rouge $55
2022 Domaine de la Cras Bourgogne Chardonnay Coteaux de Dijon Cras Monopole $95
2022 Domaine de la Cras Bourgogne Pinot Noir Coteaux de Dijon Cras Monopole $95
 
SOYARD'S PERSONAL WINES
2022 Marc Soyard Bourgogne Montrecul $80
2022 Marc Soyard Bourgogne 'Hermaion' $150
Marc Soyard Bourgogne Blanc 'Acte II' $240
 
TERCET
2022 Tercet Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Blanc $60
2022 Tercet Marsannay Blanc, Côte de Nuits $75
2022 Tercet Marsannay, Côte de Nuits $80
2022 Tercet Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Rouge $105
2022 Tercet Pommard 'En Boeuf', Côte de Beaune $150