Adèle Germain and Simon Messager come from winegrowing families from separate terroirs: he’s from the Côte de Nuits, and she’s from the Côte de Beaune. After studying at the Lycée Viticole de Beaune, they headed in different directions. Simon worked locally for several winemakers, including Robert Groffier, before returning home to take over his family domaine in 2018. Adèle worked throughout Portugal, South Africa, and New Zealand, and gained experience at Château de Pommard and Joseph Drouhin. 

In 2023, the couple took over the vineyards of Bertrand-Messager in the southern part of Côtes de Nuits in Fixin, and the exciting story of Famille Messager-Germain began. Armed with 1.5 hectares in this historically overlooked region, Adèle and Simone are producing striking expressions of Coteaux, Bourgogne, and Fixin. Their bright, bouncy reds and mineral-dense, salty whites exemplify what these limestone-rich soils can yield with the right touch.

Their focus on quality begins in their organically farmed vineyards, and their low-intervention work continues in the cellar by aging in 600L demi-mud, with low use of sulfur, and a significant percentage of whole bunch in the reds. The product is honest, pure, and incredibly fresh, both in the white and red categories. The whites have the mineral density to shine over those of the Côte de Beaune, while the reds celebrate a balance between ripeness and freshness that outshines most this far north in the Cote d’ Or. 

Next up for Adèle and Simon is the 2023 vintage, in which they will expand their offerings beyond their various Fixin-based cuvées. This vintage will include wines from Nuits-Saint-Georges, Morey-Saint-Denis, and Gevrey-Chambertin. With a new cellar, new cuvées, and new synergies between this dynamic couple, there is much to look forward to in Fixin.