Not to be confused with Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot, (or even Louis Boillot), Henri Boillot did not begin his wine by actually owning the vineyards he farmed. These belonged to Jean Boillot, his brother. Separated under their father’s - also Jean - management, Henri has managed to reunite his grandfather’s - also Henri - lands in 2005, and renamed the wine from Domaine Jean Boillot to Domaine Henri Boillot, to avoid confusion with Jean’s (the bother; not the father) wine. Confused? Understandable. To make matters even more complicated, Henri has recently been joined by his son Guillaume (thankfully not a Jean nor a Henri), making this the sixth generation of winemakers in the Boillot family.

Suffice to say then that Henri knows wine. Considered to be one of the best winemakers in Bourgogne he is a negociant winemaker to an astonishing 13 white wines and six reds (including six Premiers Crus and nine Grands Crus). His own label seems almost humble in comparison - just seven whites and four reds. But, like most good things that come in small packages, his wines may be low in number but they are sky high in quality. Both whites and reds perform well on the market, earning an approximate 10% per year on year. A half case of the superb 2008 Corton-Charlemagne, Grand Cru is currently trading at about 100% higher than at its release date. The 2006 Montrachet (92-93 from Robert Parker) is available for retail sale at €755. A meticulous and careful winemaker, the Boillot touch is certainly the real deal.

With prices steadily rising and an export uplift of 28% in 2017, there is little doubt that Bourgogne is the tortoise to Bordeaux’s hare. Whites are gaining in popularity across the globe, with the Asian market looking more and more towards the region. This could be because it remains relatively unknown in China, therefore making connoisseurs seem more sophisticated, or it could be that Bourgognes do not need 20-years of climate controlled cellaring before drinking. Or it could be a mixture of both; who knows? What is certain is that Henri Boillot is finally enjoying his moment in the sun.