WINEMAKER
Tino Kuban
Established in 2018 in Meursault, Burgundy
Few names in Burgundy’s new generation have attracted as much attention as Tino Kuban. His wines have become some of the most sought-after bottles among collectors and wine lovers, yet his story is about much more than rarity or hype.
A German who found his home in Burgundy, Tino has built two distinct wine projects around a shared philosophy: an uncompromising dedication to the vineyard, an obsession with detail and the belief that truly great wine begins long before the grapes reach the cellar.
But his journey to Meursault was anything but conventional. And if there is one thing you should know about Tino, it is that he doesn’t do things halfway.
Before settling in Burgundy, Tino studied oenology and trained in viticulture in Germany. But his real education took him far beyond the classroom.
His journey brought him to Mullineux in South Africa, Felton Road, Burn Cottage and Sato Wines in New Zealand, Pierre Overnoy and Philippe Bornard in the Jura, Dard & Ribo in the Rhône, and Domaine de l’Horizon in Roussillon, among others.
Quite an impressive CV, right?
These experiences exposed him to radically different approaches to farming and winemaking, from the precision of New Zealand to the uncompromising philosophies of some of France’s most iconic natural wine producers. In 2018, Tino made the move that would change everything.
He took over the legendary Domaine Bernard van Berg in Meursault, a tiny estate that had already achieved cult status among Burgundy lovers. Renamed Les Jardins Vivants, it became the foundation of his own vision.
With just 1.5 hectares of vineyards, Les Jardins Vivants is a world of its own. The vines are cultivated organically, with biodynamic practices and an extraordinary amount of manual work. Many are trained individually on wooden stakes, known as échalas, rather than conventional trellising.
Yields are exceptionally low, sometimes just 8 to 10 hectolitres per hectare. Harvesting can involve several passes through the same vineyard, picking only when the grapes have reached the desired level of ripeness.
In the cellar, Tino continues with the same meticulous approach. Gentle pressing, spontaneous fermentation, long macerations and carefully selected Stockinger NEW barrels are all part of his winemaking.
The result? Wines of extraordinary concentration, depth and precision, produced in quantities so small that some cuvées consist of only a few hundred bottles.
But Tino wasn’t finished. He created Maison Glandien!
Maison Glandien started as a small side project, giving Tino the freedom to explore different vineyards, grape varieties and styles beyond Les Jardins Vivants.
What began as a micro-négociant has since evolved into something much more personal. Today, Tino has taken over all the vineyards behind Maison Glandien, bringing everything from farming to winemaking under his own control. The wines have changed considerably over the years, becoming increasingly precise, structured and complex while retaining their signature energy and freshness.
And Tino’s goal? Not to produce more bottles, but to gradually bring Maison Glandien to the same level of precision, depth and quality as Les Jardins Vivants. Quality over quantity. Always.
