Rémi Jobard

The Art of Slow Pressing

Two enormous presses stand in the cellar of Domaine Rémi Jobard – both sized to process the grapes with minimal pressure over many hours. Chardonnay grapes harvested in the morning are pressed for at least six hours, grapes picked in the afternoon often overnight, a full twelve hours long. This gentle method extracts only the finest must, free from bitter compounds and unwanted phenols. The result reveals itself in the glass: an aromatic purity that surprises even experienced Burgundy connoisseurs.

600 Litres versus 228

Whilst other winemakers opt for the classic 228-litre barriques, Rémi Jobard chooses a different path. His wines mature in 600-litre casks from Austrian master cooper Stockinger – crafted from French, Austrian and Slavonian oak. The larger volume means less wood contact per litre of wine, the oxygen exchange occurs more slowly and in a controlled manner. "The wood should support the wine, not dominate it," Jobard explains his philosophy. The wines spend around 15 months in these vessels, followed by further ageing in tank. Only about one-fifth of the casks are renewed annually. The result: wines with fine texture and silky tannins that tell the story of terroir rather than the barrel. Boris Champy works with similarly uncompromising principles in the Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, where transparency takes precedence over opulence.

Premier Cru Vineyard Sites with Character

Rémi's vineyards extend across nine hectares in Meursault's finest sites. More than two and a half hectares of Village vineyards yield Sous La Velle, Chevalières, Narvaux and En Luraule – each lieu-dit with its own profile. In addition come parcels in three legendary Premier Crus: Les Charmes with its velvety opulence, Les Genevrières – named after the juniper bushes that once grew here – with its taut minerality from old vines, and Le Poruzot-Dessus high on the slope between 230 and 280 metres, where clay-rich soils produce powerful, age-worthy wines. The Genevrières demonstrates the full range of Jobard's abilities: dense and mineral, yet never heavy-handed.

Organic Since the Nineties

Long before organic viticulture became a trend in Burgundy, this estate converted. In 1994, synthetic fertilisers and pesticides disappeared, in 1998 herbicides followed. Today the entire vineyard is Ecocert-certified, the vine rows are worked manually, greened and no longer fertilised. Cordon pruning naturally limits yields. "We have the privilege of owning magnificent terroir in Meursault," says Jobard. "Everything I do in the vineyard and in the cellar serves to allow this terroir to express itself transparently and unveiled." The unfiltered nature of his wines underscores this commitment – they gain their stability through two winters of ageing rather than through technical intervention.

Under the Radar to the Top

The Meursault En Luraule tastes like a Premier Cru at Village prices. Even the Bourgogne Aligoté from the En Buzigny vineyard site with old vines possesses a depth that surprises. Master of Wine Sarah Marsh noted: "Rémi's wines have become increasingly precise and intense over a decade. This is top-tier quality under the radar." Those who take their time – and these wines need time to unfold – will be rewarded with white Burgundies that, in their crystalline clarity, cool fruit and distinctive minerality, rank among the finest that Meursault produces.