“Dear Karen, I notice that most wine companies in Burgundy refer to themselves as Domaines while wine companies in Bordeaux are usually named Château this or that. Is there any real difference between a domaine and a château?”—Mark S. (Boston, MA)
Hi Mark: In Burgundy, the term domaine is not exactly equivalent to the term château in Bordeaux. In Bordeaux, a château is a single estate composed of vineyards surrounding a building or house that is sometimes quite palatial. In Burgundy, a domaine is a collection of very small vineyard parcels owned by the same family or entity (Domaine Dujac, Domaine Leflaive, and so on). Usually, these parcels are scattered throughout many villages and appellations, and the domaine will make a separate wine from each. Thus, a typical Burgundian domaine produces many wines, all in tiny quantities. As of 2020, there were more than 3,500 domaines in Burgundy.
—Karen