Meet winemaker Marion Mothe, daughter of Thierry Mothe, of Domaine du Colombier, which was founded in 1887. Since Guy Mothe, Marion’s grandfather, began to specialize in Chablis in 1957, Domaine du Colombier has grown to include 55 hectares of Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru, and Chablis Grand Cru vines, and it began selling its wines in bottle in the 1980s.
Marion started working with her family at just 21 years old. Now, years later with much-gained experience and injecting fresh energy into the family-run business, she launched her very own ‘Domaine Marion Mothe’.
Marion’s approach reflects a blend of the tried-and-true and a contemporary sensibility. “Working with my father taught me to combine traditional and modern techniques, and bring my feminine touch to wine,” she says. “The new generation is closer to nature by practicing plowing for the soil, letting indigenous yeasts do their work for winemaking, but always innovating with modern containers such as the amphora.”
While Domaine du Colombier maintains its roots producing classic Chablis wines, Marion has adapted to today’s trends. To meet the growing demand for fresher, lighter wines, the estate now harvests earlier, employs low-temperature fermentation, and shortens the aging process. “Consumers are looking for fruity, light, refreshing wines that are meant to be drunk young,” she explains, highlighting how the domaine is making subtle adjustments without losing sight of its heritage.
Marion is also keenly aware of the environmental challenges Chablis faces, leading the estate toward sustainability. “We need to respond to societal demands by using cultural techniques that require fewer inputs and dry materials that can reduce the carbon footprint,” she says, showing that the future of Chablis is not just about innovation in the cellar but also in the vineyard. While she acknowledges the challenges of recent vintages, particularly due to climate change, she remains optimistic about Chablis’ future. “Chablis remains, in my view, an essential white wine of the world,” she says. For Marion, and the next generation she represents, the future of Chablis is bright, forward-thinking, and still deeply rooted in its terroir.