Domaine Jacques Prieur

The history of one of Burgundy's oldest estates

The great story of Domaine Jacques Prieur began on February 24, 1868 with the marriage, in Bligny-les-Beaune, of Claude Duvergey and Marie Tabourneau. Marie was the daughter of winemaker-labourers, while Claude was the son of winemakers. The latter founded Maison Duvergey-Taboureau, and initially prospered in the wine and brandy trade. In 1879, he acquired the "Herbeux" property in Meursault, now the heart of Domaine Jacques Prieur, and began buying vines. These survived the phylloxera epidemic then raging in the Côte d'Or, and he continued his acquisitions, most notably the Clos de Mazeray Monopole at the southern entrance to Meursault in 1889.

On his death, Claude Duvergey bequeathed his estate to Jacque Prieur, grand-nephew of Marie Tabourneau. In 1924, he introduced the "Paulée de Meursault" to celebrate the end of the harvest with all the Murisaltiens winegrowers. He gave his name to the estate in 1956 and bequeathed it to his children on his death in 1965.

Today, this jewel of Burgundy is managed by the Labruyère family, supported by the heirs of the Prieur family.

Commitments

Daniel Godefroy, head of vineyard management, has for many years adopted a "culture raisonnée" approach to managing his vines. Inputs have been drastically limited, the soil is worked mechanically rather than chemically, and certain tasks respect the lunar calendar (a step towards biodynamics!).

The Labruyère family has a deep-seated desire to bequeath healthy terroirs to future generations, and to pass on respect for the unique expression of each parcel. The result is a sustainable, haute-couture viticulture.

Harvesting is always done by hand, in small crates to avoid crushing the grapes.

Terroir

Established since the 19th century, the estate's vineyards today cover 21 hectares, including 11 hectares of Pinot Noir and 10 hectares of Chardonnay.

The estate boasts a third of Burgundy's Appellations Grands Crus: Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Corton-Charlemagne, Corton-Bressandes, Echézeaux, Clos Vougeot, Musigny, Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Bèze. There are also fourteen Premiers Crus and one Appellation Village.

The soils are predominantly clay and limestone.

The wines

The Puligny-Montrachet les Combettes 1er Cru is made from 100% Chardonnay grapes grown on clay-limestone soils with a strong presence of pebbles favoring good ripeness. Luminous gold-green in color, it develops a subtle, fine nose with notes of acidity, lemon, dried fruit and currants. On the palate, it's fresh and chiselled, with a warm, salivating finish.

Le Musigny Grand Cru is a 100% Pinot Noir with a highly expressive nose offering a magnificent floral bouquet and lovely aromas of violets and roses. Its intense reddish-black color reveals a sweet palate of fresh fruit, with a hint of acidity. The finish is characterized by fine, spicy, sapid and easily digestible tannins.

Le Clos Vougeot Grand Cru is a 100% Pinot Noir that draws its power and structure from the clay that dominates the soils. Its color is a dark ruby tinged with purplish highlights. The nose is very complex, with notes of flowers, berries and sweet spices. The palate is dense and easy to digest, with fleshy, fresh, spicy tannins.

The Beaune Clos de la Féguine 1er Cru "monopole" is a 100% Pinot Noir. Its ruby-red color, marked by an intense purple disk precedes a seductive nose with notes of red fruits that evolve on contact with air to roasted and spicy notes. On the palate, it's warm, round and almost velvety, with excessively tasty ripe fruit and a finish of silky, easily digestible tannins.