These days Burgundy has steadily increasing gender diversity among its winemakers. More and more often it’s a daughter who has the interest and the skill to take over the family wine business, and the traditional barriers continue to fall. Gerard Thomas of St. Aubin had two daughters, both of whom joined him in the wine business, and their label proudly names the Domaine “Gérard Thomas et Filles.”
Because it’s found in a sideways notch of the Côte d’Or, St. Aubin has a lower profile than its neighbors Chassagne and Puligny; but its wines are now recognized as of comparable quality. The Domaine Thomas has excellent choices across the range of the appellation, and so offers delicious white Burgundy for every pocketbook. Their Bourgogne Chardonnay is raised in small oak barrels like their other wines, and offers an excellent value. The village level St. Aubin “Champ Tirant” is a genuine step up in intensity, material, and length; and the premier cru “Murgers des Dents de Chiens” (“Walls of Dogs’ teeth”) offers elegance and depth that puts it in a class with the more famous neighbors. Speaking of which, the Domaine also farms tiny plots in Meursault and Puligny. These wines are also well priced relative to others from the towns.
