Domaine Jacques Prieur

To say that Domaine Jacques Prieur's vineyard holdings are impressive would be an understatement. The domaine owns vineyards in five of Burgundy's most famous Grand Cru vineyards: Le Montrachet, Le Corton, Les Echézeaux, Le Musigny, and Le Chambertin, making it the only property in the region to do so. The domaine also has vineyards in 17 other notable appellations, totaling 21 hectares.

THE STORY

The domaine was founded in 1956 and is now owned by Edouard Labruyère, who is lovely and unassuming. Vineyards are kept immaculately clean in order to yield fruit of the highest quality. Since the Labruyère family purchased the domaine, the winery and domaine have undergone extensive renovations, and the winery now boasts world-class facilities. The Labruyère Family, supported by the successors of the Prieur Family, is at the helm of this Burgundy jewel, defending the colors of Burgundy's outstanding terroirs every day, all over the world.

Each parcel is vinified independently to bring out its distinct personality. The winemaker is Nadine Gublin, who was selected "Winemaker of the Year" by the Revue du Vin de France, the country's foremost wine publication, in 1997.

VINEYARDS

Domaine Jacques Prieur, which has been in Meursault since the 19th century, now has 21 hectares (52 acres) of vineyards (11 hectares/27 acres in Pinot Noir and 10 hectares/25 acres in Chardonnay).

Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne, Corton-Bressandes, Echézeaux, Clos Vougeot, Musigny, Chambertin, and Chambertin Clos de Bèze are among the estate's Grands Crus Appellations.

This collection includes 14 Premiers Crus: Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes, Meursault Perrières, Meursault Charmes, Meursault Santenots, Volnay Clos des Santenots, Volnay Champans, Pommard Les Charmots, Beaune Champs Pimont, Beaune Clos de la Féguine.

Finally, the winery owns Meursault Clos de Mazeray, a renowned Village Appellation.

The estate has been following sustainable farming methods for many years, led by vineyard manager Daniel Godefroy: inputs have been substantially reduced, soil tillage has replaced chemical treatments, some duties follow the lunar cycle, and so on.

The Labruyère Family's adamant desire to leave healthy terroirs to future generations, as well as the respect for each parcel's individual identity, prompted the adoption of this "high-end" and sustainable viticulture.

 

THE CAVE

To maintain the quality of the grapes, harvesting is done manually using small 15kg boxes. Every year, the commencement date of harvest is carefully selected based on sugar and phenolic ripeness. Grapes then go through a double sorting table in order to keep the best fruits only.

Destemming is required for Pinot Noir, but we are increasingly using whole bunches, depending on vintages and parcels. In temperature-controlled open wooden vats, maceration takes on average 20 days. During alcoholic fermentation, we usually make two treadings per day. Malolactic fermentations are processed entirely by us. The wine is aged in wood barrels, usually between 50 and 80 percent new for Grands Crus, sometimes 30 percent new for Premiers Crus, and occasionally in large oak casks of 2500 to 3500 liters for Premiers Crus. The selection of barrels (from a variety of sources) is based on region and vintage. The maturation period varies a lot, but it's usually around 20 months.

In a pneumatic press, full bunches of Chardonnay are pressed out. After that, the juice rests for 12 to 14 hours. Oak barrels are used for both alcoholic fermentation and maturation. When it comes to reds, the barrels used vary greatly depending on vintages and terroirs. All wines have finished their malolactic fermentation. The maturation duration varies depending on the unique characteristics of each wine, although it is usually around 20 months.

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BEHIND THE WINES

Edouard Labruyère

Edouard Labruyère, a passionate oenophile and Burgundy lover, took over the estate in 2008 at the request of his father, Jean-Pierre Labruyère, a well-known Burgundian entrepreneur and fervent supporter of outstanding French terroirs. Edouard now oversees all of the family wineries in Champagne, Bordeaux, and Burgundy.

Nadine Gublin

Since 1990, Nadine has been the oenologist at Domaine Jacques Prieur, and since 2009, she has been the technical manager (together with Domaine Labruyère in Moulin-à-Vent). She is well-known among fine wine connoisseurs, having been named "Best French Winemaker" by Revue du Vin de France in 1998. Nadine is the perfect representative of this generation of eonologists who have left their stamp on the last 20 years, as a supporter of sustainable farming, precise winemaking, and optimal ripeness.

Martin Prieur

The famed Domaine in Meursault was named after Jacques Prieur, co-founder of the famous Chevaliers du Tastevin, in 1956. Martin Prieur, his grandson, has worked and lived on the estate since 1990. He is the witness and successor of outstanding viticultural traditions, and he works as a sales manager alongside Edouard. He rounds up a trio of Burgundy experts and knows more about Domaine Jacques Prieur's history than anybody else.

Daniel Godefroy

Daniel hails from a family of winegrowers in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, and has been the vineyard manager of Domaine Jacques Prieur since 1997. Daniel and his staff are the guarantors of our terroir expressions, with 12 years of experience in Alsace, including 7 at Preiss-Zimmer House in Riquewihr and 5 at Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Turckheim. Daniel knows each parcel by heart and strives, vintage after vintage, to expose the amazing potential of our vineyards using the most environmentally friendly procedures.