Auxerre was once a noble city of wine, so important that its name has been a synonym for various grape varieties known as Auxerrois. Since the days of Charlemagne, Chablis - just 12 miles to the east - has eclipsed the fortunes of Auxerre, which today gives its name to light, red wines from Pinot Noir, especially in Irancy and Epineuil, and to bright and racy Chardonnays grown outside of the Chablis region. As the climate warms, these once-marginal appellations are increasingly the hunting ground of the savvy wine buyer looking for a bargain. Starting out in 1750, when the Auxerre was serving its wines at the finest tables in Europe, the Domaine has slowly and gradually increased its vineyard even as the region shrank. Now with a substantial 60 hectares spread across the regional appellations, they are standard bearers for the region, and were one of the first to estate-bottle their wines in 1956 while others only sold in bulk.