Laurent Cognard's parents and grandparents sold the grapes from their small vineyard in Buxy to local cooperatives. Laurent began domaine bottling his family's wines in 1997, returning each year for harvest, but also working as a wine seller in Lyon and Paris. He returned to Buxy permanently in 2006 and today farms 26 acres of vines in the appellations of Montagny, Mercurey, and Pouilly-Loch?. The specialty of the domaine is white wine made in a fresh and balanced style, though a small amount of Mercurey rouge is also produced.?Laurent practices lutte raison?e (?reasoned struggle?) and is converting to organic farming. The region of C?te Chalonnaise extends 25 kilometers from the southern end of the C?te d'Or to the Maconnais in the south. The region includes five village appellations: Bouzeron (white wine from Aligot?), Rully, Givry, Mercurey (white, ros?, and red wines), and Montagny (white wine only). The soil is like the C?te de Beaune with weathered limestone and clay, but lacks the protection from wind provided by the C?te d?Or's escarpment. Laurent Cognard's 26 acres are spread across Bissey-sous-Cruchaud (for Cr?mant de Bourgogne), Montagny, Mercurey, and a small holding Pouilly-Loch? in the Maconnais.?
