Domaine de Chaude Ecuelle is a small estate managed by the Vilain family, who have been growing Chardonnay in Chablis since the early 20th century. The name of the estate, Ecuelle (which means "hot bowl"), comes from the tradition of vineyard workers warming up their meals in terra-cotta bowls out in the vineyards. Claire and Gerard Vilain, the current owners, work and manage the estate with their children Marianne, Marie-France, Guillaume and Jeanne. All vineyard and cellar work is done exclusively by the family. The vineyards are planted on Kimmeridgien clay-limestone marls.