In 1987, most of what is now known as Domaine de L’Arlot was purchased from the Belin family of Nuits-St-Georges by the French insurance giant AXA. Jean-Pierre De Smet, expert sailor, accountant and (now) winemaker, has managed the domaine and made its wines ever since.

The domaine is composed of 15 hectares of vineyards, most of which are located in Nuits-St-Georges, with two notable exceptions in Vosne Romanee and Beaune. Two of these vineyards are monopoly holdings, both of which are Nuits-St-Georges premier crus: Clos des Foret St. Georges and Clos de L’Arlot. The domaine is named after the latter, a vineyard of 4 hectares that surrounds its formidable stone buildings and stone-paved courtyard. Although Jean-Pierre De Smet is a very new member of Burgundy’s winemaking community, he has already developed what can only be called a stellar reputation. Granted, he learned in the best school, working with Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac before taking on his new responsibilities. However, his unfaltering string of successes since 1987 indicate that he has enormous talent of his own. Jean-Pierre seems to be endowed with the ability to make winemaking choices that result in award-winning wines every year, regardless of how kind or cruel Mother Nature has been.

At Domaine de L’Arlot, as at other top wineries throughout the world, great care is taken to produce the healthiest and most concentrated grapes possible. The average age of its vineyards is 25 years, and some vineyards are older than 50. These vineyards yield very low quantities of grapes, partly due to the advanced age of the vines, but also because Jean-Pierre has a policy of severely pruning the vines in order to limit production.

Jean-Pierre does not follow a winemaking "recipe" that can be used each vintage. Rather, he seeks to intervene as little as possible, having made certain that the grapes that go into his wines are of unquestionable quality. Like Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac, Jean-Pierre prefers to "let the wines make themselves." He gives them whatever help they need in order to become wines that are balanced, complex and elegant in maturity. The wines of Nuits-St-Georges are considered to be one of the richest and most powerful of the Cote de Nuits. The wines of Domaine de L’Arlot are no exception to this rule, with their full-bodied structures, explosive bouquets, and flavours that seem to go on forever. However, these particular wines benefit from the additional qualities of balance and elegance that puts them in a class of their own.