La Petite Empreinte

La Petite Empreinte, a vineyard in Chablis

A microWinery , founded in 2020

Winery La Petite Empreinte was founded in 2020 by Mélissa Bazin and Romain De Moor. The couple met while pursuing their work-study programs in viticulture and oenology in the Jura region: Mélissa at the Labet wWinery , and Romain at Jean-François Ganevat’s winery. Mélissa then worked in Pommard and at Bruno Clair’s wWinery in Marsannay. Romain trained under Dominique Derain, then served as assistant technical director in the Drôme region.

The sonof Alice and Olivier De Moor, leading figures in the natural wine movement in Chablis, Romain returns to the Yonne region to join the family’ Winery . Mélissa, for her part, sets out in search of vineyards to work. The first vintage of La Petite Empreinte is vinified at the De Moor family’s winery in Courgis.

Vineyard and Terroir

Winery began with 0.76 hectares in the town of Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, divided into two plots. Additional vineyards were later added around Chablis and Saint-Bris, bringing the total to approximately 2 hectares today. The plots are situated on limestone soils typical of the Yonne region, and some of the Sauvignon vines were planted in 1959.

Grape varieties 's portfolio includes Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Gamay. The wines are produced in Saint-Bris, Bourgogne Côtes d'Auxerre, and Coteaux Bourguignons.

Cultivation and Winemaking Methods

The couple handles all the work themselves—from the vineyard to bottling—without any employees. The vines are cultivated using organic farming methods (uncertified), following practices inspired by biodynamics . The grapes are harvested by hand. Fermentation takes place using native yeasts, and the wines are aged in old barrels. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration, and no sulfur is added at any stage.

Iconic vintages

• Tapis Rouge – Burgundy Côtes d'Auxerre, Pinot Noir, approximately 90% whole clusters, aged for 12 months in old barrels
• Mas a Tierra – Coteaux Bourguignons, whole-cluster Pinot Noir, macerated for about 30 days
• Persévérance – Sauvignon Blanc made in part from vines planted in 1959, aged 24 months in barrels and then 7 months in tanks

The Winery

La Petite Empreinte – 89800 Courgis (Yonne). Very limited production; wines available in small quantities.