Jean-François Germain is one of Meursault’s outstanding winemakers.
The wines spend two winters in barrel yet they emerge as some of the freshest, liveliest and most weightless of Meursaults whilst carrying plenty of supporting structure. The oak is rarely new, with the barrels being kept for a decade before being sold back to the tonnellerie. The reds are also extremely stylish with vivid ample fruit and length.
For a long time this domaine operated in the shadow of the village’s more famous addresses but this is certainly no longer the case and he is hugely sought after on both sides of the channel.
General information
-
Country
France
-
Region
Meursault, Côte de Beaune, Burgundy
-
Total holdings
7ha
-
Winemaker
Jean-Françoise Germain
-
Established
1973
-
Cultivation
Organic farming
Wines produced
Wine | Grapetype(s) | Vine age | Soil type | Vineyard area |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bourgogne blanc | Chardonnay | - | Clay & limestone | - |
Meursault | Chardonnay | - | Clay & limestone | - |
Meursault Le Limozin | Chardonnay | - | Clay & limestone | - |
Meursault Chevalières | Chardonnay | - | Light friable soil | - |
Meursault 1er cru Charmes | Chardonnay | - | Clay & limestone | - |
Meursault 1er cru Porusots | Chardonnay | - | Clay & limestone with little topsoil | - |
Meursault 1er cru Perrières | Chardonnay | - | Stony limestone & clay | - |
Chassagne-Montrachet blanc 1er cru Morgeot Les Fairendes | Chardonnay | - | Clay & limestone | - |
Meursault rouge Clos des Mouches | Pinot Noir | - | Clay & limestone | - |
Beaune 1er cru rouge Bressandes | Pinot Noir | - | Reddish soil, limestone, clay & sand | - |
Viticulture / Vinification
White & Red wines
- Indigenous yeasts used for fermentations
- No bâtonnage
- No racking until bottling
- Long élevage - 18 months for village wines, 22 for the 1ers crus
- Very little new oak is used - barrels are kept for 10 years
- Rarely fined or filtered
- The primary fermentations often take months to complete
- Malolactic fermentations tend to be late, due to the cold cellars