Domaine Jacques Prieur

This is made from just under a hectare of vines, adjacent to the domaine, over the road from Clos de la Barre, within the village of Meursault. Ripe and effusive, with bright white peach fruit and juicy acidity, this will hit the ground running. It is vinified in a mixture of foudre and barrel

Bourgogne Chardonnay Domaine Jacques Prieur 2018

Pure, cool citrus on the nose. Crunchy white stonefruit on the palate, which is lively and whilst not complex – in fact quite startlingly austere – has a directness and immediacy which is disarming. No makeup here, just fresh simplicity.

This is from the youngest of the Domaine Jacques Prieur vines, planted in 2003 – so already a respectable age, their youthful vigour restricted in any case by strict viticultural discipline. Bright gold, this combines apple pastries, warm and caramelised, with stone fruit and citrus elements. There is a fresh uplifting acidity, bright, a good foil to the opulent, layered fruit. Juicy, with lemon zest intensity, it will makes for smiles all round – terrific balance

White flowers on the nose, leading into a refreshingly crisp palate with elevated acidity. This was ravaged by hail in 2014 butthis year, despite a small harvest, it is back on song in a big way. Cool and precise, but with little pops of sherbet and vivacity, with viscosity building on the palate. 13 barrels were made of this, three of which were new.

The Chardonnay vines in Champs Pimont are planted on soils with a high degree of white marl, giving a marked sense of stony, mineral bite. A very attractively focused wine, with a long, shapely finish. Vinified in a mixture of foudres and barrels, with an average of 15% new oak, it’s exquisitely balanced

Champs Pimont Blanc is a 1.41 hectare holding – a fine example of a Beaune white . Textured and fruit-focused, with yellow flowers, lemon and sherbet. A toasty popcorn aspect too, with a richness and a tactile quality. One foudre and three barrels were produced, with an average of 15% new oak.

This is from the youngest of Domaine Jacques Prieur's domaine’s vines, planted in 2003. The first vintage was 2009. Fine perfume and white flowers on the nose, with a delicate crushed rock aspect. The palate has an adroit, linear build, with a crunchiness of fruit and a rigorous backbone of acidity. This is mineral-driven, with a lovely saline precision. Only eight barrels were made, two of which were new.

There is a high proportion of clay here, with more topsoil than other vineyards. Spicy and exotic, racy and bright on entry, revealing impressive density on the mid-palate. The tannins are powerful but totally fruit-coated. 15% wholebunch fermentation here, with ageing in 20% new oak.

A prestigious, quality estate, based in Meursault but with vineyards extending from the Côte de Nuits down to Puligny - wonderful sites overseen by Edouard Labruyère and his exceptional team This is a site with a high proportion of clay, with more topsoil than other vineyards. Spicy and exotic, rather flamboyant with great density. The tannins are powerful but beautifully extracted and the wine has good ageing potential, whilst tasting well young. 50% whole bunch fermentation here, with ageing in 20% new oak. Only 18 hectolitres per hectare were produced in 2016 due to frost - so something of a rarity.

Meursault Clos de Mazeray Monopole Domaine Jacques Prieur 2017

White-grey, stony limestone soils – perfect Chardonnay territory. This is saline and chalky-mineral, but also with a touch of pithy grapefruit, this flamboyance being the recurring personality of this wine. 20% new oak.

The health of the 2018 crop was excellent, with exceptional sugar content across the board. In the final analysis, the growing season temperatures were 2°C above average across the domaine’s holdings.Clos de la Féguine is a small parcel, a monopole of just 0.27 hectares, at the top of the slope, west of Grèves. White-grey, stony limestone soils – perfect Chardonnay territory. This is saline and chalky-mineral as always, with a hint of pithy grapefruit, that flamboyance which we have come to love from this site, and then a granular salty texture which anchors it rather brilliantly. 20% new oak.

This is a 1.59 hectare monopole premier cru within the 11 hectare Coucherias vineyard, beneath the wooded Montagne de Beaune. South-facing, on very thin, stony clay-limestone soil. Upbeat and energetic, this is defined by its bright red berry fruit and supple, perfume-infused tannins. 100% destemmed, as always. Aged in 25% new oak.

The majority of this vineyard is planted to Chardonnay, but there are 0.6 hectares of Pinot Noir, from which this wine is made. A darkly berried nose with some exotic spice. The palate is joyously upbeat and sweetly fruited, with peppery spice detailing the finish. Juicy and beautifully accessible, an earlier drinking style. 40% whole-bunch vinified

Meursault Santenots 1er Cru Domaine Jacques Prieur 2017

The premier cru Charmots lies directly above Clos des Epeneaux. A spiced nose of tea leaf and dried herbs, leading into a palate of exotically spiced red berries, with firm tannins (this is Pommard, after all) on their best behaviour, guiding and corralling the fruit. You have to try hard to find a better Pommard! 100% whole bunch treatment again this year, with 30% new oak. (Indeed, Nadine affirmed, “This will always be 100% whole bunch – the floral, spiced, aerian style…”)

Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru Domaine Jacques Prieur 2017

Volnay Les Santenots 1er Cru Domaine Jacques Prieur 2017

Volnay Les Santenots 1er Cru Domaine Jacques Prieur 2018

Volnay Clos des Santenots 1er Cru Monopole Domaine Jacques Prieur 2014

Volnay Les Santenots 1er Cru Domaine Jacques Prieur 2016

There is a lovely purity on the nose here, impeccably precise, mineral, bright and focused with stone fruit to the fore, complemented by understated opulence which develops on the palate. The experience becomes more languid, offering crème caramel, tarte tatin and grilled citrus – whislt still upbeat and juicy and racy

Pommard Charmots 1er Cru Domaine Jacques Prieur 2017

This is a beautiful colour, an enticing shimmering ruby. There is then a most alluring nose, spice, floral notes and summer pudding berries vying for dominance, with red fruit prevailing on the palate, very pure and fresh, rich, perfumed and spicy, supported by ripe, firm tannins throughout the very protracted, poised finish - very long.

Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru Domaine Jacques Prieur 2017

The nose here shows a dark salinity and luminous bitter cherries. Crunchy fruit, which puts on weight in the mouth, with fine tannins which are grippy from the midpalate onwards. Lovely fine ferrous minerality on the back palate, which chissels a fine finish out of the dense dark fruit

Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru Domaine Jacques Prieur 2016

Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Domaine Jacques Prieur 2017

Intense jet-ruby in colour, this presents a toasted nose, lightly mentholated with tobacco base note. The palate is rich and exuberant with ripe berried fruit, a savoury layer and spicy tannns in support