Chassagne-Montrachet-based wine producer Michel Niellon began working the land with his father Marcel in the 1950s and fell in love with the process. Since then, he has crafted more than 50 vintages of superlative wines. Michel and Marcel soon graduated to selling wine in the 1960s, and the domaine is best known for its Chardonnay wines from Chevalier-Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet. Since 1991, Michel has been partnering with his son-in-law Michel Coutoux; his grandson Mathieu Bresson recently joined the team as well. Niellon believes in early harvests to preserve acidity, and to promote pest and mildew control. Often the first to act at harvest time, he insists that sooner is better than later to ensure the wine quality he is famous for: a balance of rich, ripe fruits and a pleasant minerality. The grapes are hand-harvested, again to protect the integrity of the fruit. Niellon owns 18 acres of vineyards, and the domaine produces premier cru from Les Champs-Gains, La Maltroie ad Les Chaumées.