Domaine Launay-Horiot

This domaine dates back all the way back to the late 1700s and has a history that is both remarkably inspiring and deeply frustrating in equal measure. Mélanie Laly, armed with vineyards from her father, married Ferdinand Launay and took up résidence in Pommard at the beginning of the 19th century.

Over time the domaine was extended to 11.5 hectares, with vineyards in both the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune. In the late 1990s and early noughties Xavier Horiot, Raymond Launay’s grandson, was busy doing his best impression of Tom Cruise in the French Air Force with little indication of an imminent future in the wine industry. But after an eighteen-year career in the skies, during which he was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour, he was persuaded by Raymond to swap his goggles for a pipette and take on the family business. However, internal family politics meant this would prove to be one of Xavier’s most enduring battles to date. It took a full ten years to resolve the issues, during which time the original 11.5 hectares had been whittled down to a more artisan 4!

Still, Xavier’s enthusiasm was not dampened; if anything, the delay merely served to heighten his determination to succeed, and succeeded he certainly has.