New project celebrates cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in collaboration with seventh-generation Burgundian Étienne Grivot of Domaine Jean Grivot in Vosne-Romanée
July 10, 2025 (Carmel, CA) — Julie Fette and Luc Messier are excited to announce the launch of Domaine Messier, a single-estate wine project on California’s Carmel coast dedicated to crafting exceptional Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wine from a distinct and emerging coastal winegrowing region near Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Pictured L to R: Chris Vita, Luc Messier, Julie Fette, Greg Vita, Marielle Grivot, Etienne Grivot
A high elevation site, sitting at 1,000 feet with a direct sightline to the Pacific Ocean just seven miles away, the off-the-grid and organically farmed vineyard totals 93 acres with 20 acres planted equally to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 2018. Influenced by the marine layer and rooted in loamy and weathered Monterey shale soils, the vineyard produces wines reflecting energy, verve and longevity unique to the region. The Domaine Messier vineyard is included in the pending Carmel Coast AVA application.
“We looked far and wide and were really captivated by this site, which we believe shows promise and harnesses the potential to be one of California’s great sites for cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay,” Messier said. “We are excited to help lead the effort in defining the region in the years to come and establishing Carmel as a benchmark for collectible wines.”
Burgundian winemaker Étienne Grivot of Domaine Jean Grivot in Vosne-Romanée consults on the project alongside California based father and son team Greg and Chris Vita, both highly regarded winemakers in the region. Together they lead with low intervention winemaking to craft classically styled wines of elegance and finesse.
With an interest to explore time-honored traditions from Burgundy and California with a shared winemaking philosophy, Domaine Messier crafts two cuveés of Pinot Noir each vintage from the same vineyard blocks but with variations in fermentation and barrel regimes. Both aim to highlight the purity of fruit from the vineyard site.
The Chardonnay is marked by minerality influenced by the soils and acidity from the marine cooling, and is aged in barrel to provide ideal structure and aging potential.
“Our wines bring together the best of both worlds – the Old World traditions that have defined what benchmark Pinot Noir is today and the techniques of the New World to refine our understanding of what is capable for California into the future,” Messier added.
The brand is inspired by owner Luc’s namesake, translated to “guardian of the harvest” in old French, as well as French astronomer Charles Messier and his catalogue of Messier Objects consisting of 110 nebulae and star clusters. The wine labels feature artfully interpreted images of Messier Objects that correspond to the vintage “number” for a distinctive look.
The wines are available direct to consumer and in select wholesale locations. For more information, contact Steph Oettinger at [email protected].
ABOUT DOMAINE MESSIER
Domaine Messier creates single-estate wines from coastal terroir in Carmel, California. The high elevation vineyard features a unique soil profile and is planted to organically farmed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay where the grapes are nurtured to optimal ripeness by the marine layer. A collaboration between owners Julie Fette and Luc Messier, legendary Burgundian winemaker Étienne Grivot and acclaimed California winemakers Greg and Chris Vita, Domaine Messier crafts wines reflecting an energy, verve and longevity unique to the region and aims to foster a deeper connection with nature, history, place and time. For more information, please visit domainemessier.com or follow on Instagram @domainemessier.