The Bollinger Group has bolstered its presence in Burgundy by purchasing the 50-hectare Château d’Etroyes estate for an undisclosed sum. The company made its first foray into the region when it snapped up Domaine Chanson in Beaune back in 1999. It has now returned to acquire Château d’Etroyes, which owns some of the best plots of land in Mercurey and Rully, located in the heart of the Côte Chalonnaise.

The acquisition is designed to complement the wine offering of Domaine Chanson, which produces exclusively premiers and grand crus in the Côte de Beaune. Étienne Bizot, chairman and CEO of the Bollinger Group, said Burgundy is ‘one of the most recognised wine regions in the world, if not the most recognised, for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay’. He added: ‘With this acquisition Maison Chanson continues its value strategy by expanding its range of high-quality estate wines in these village and premiers crus appellations.’

The group is primarily renowned for owning Champagne Bollinger and Champagne Ayala, but it has also built up a portfolio of high-quality estates from across France and around the world.

They include Chanson in Burgundy, Langlois-Chateau in Saumur, Hubert Brochard in Sancerre and Ponzi Vineyards in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. It has also branched out into spirits production with Cognac Delamain and Anaë organic gin.

Vincent Avenel, MD at Chanson, said: ‘Acquiring Château d’Etroyes represents a unique opportunity to consolidate our estate with the addition of 50ha of great terroirs from the Côte Chalonnaise.

‘Our vines in Côte de Beaune will obtain organic certification in 2024 and it is quite natural that we have set ourselves the objective to convert the vines of Château d’Etroyes within the next five years.’