This month, we travel to the heart of the Côte de Beaune to celebrate Domaine & Maison Rémi Jobard. Based in the hallowed village of Meursault, Rémi Jobard is a dynamic fifth-generation winemaker who has quietly become one of Burgundy's most respected names. Known for his intense focus on terroir transparency and a pioneering commitment to organic farming, Jobard crafts white wines of breathtaking clarity, minerality, and superb aging potential.
The Jobard name carries significant weight in Meursault. Rémi, the son of Charles Jobard, stepped into his father's footsteps, taking the reins of the family estate in 1996. He grew up learning from a lineage of dedicated vignerons, allowing him to inherit not only an enviable collection of prime vineyard parcels but also a deep, intuitive understanding of the Meursault terroir. While honoring the traditional, restrained style of his predecessors, Rémi has injected his own profound commitment to purity, elevating the domaine to a new level of brilliance and precision.
Rémi Jobard's philosophy is rooted in the belief that great wine starts with healthy soil and balanced vines. Since taking control, he has been a trailblazer in sustainable viticulture. The entire domaine has been Certified Organic since 2008, a major commitment in Burgundy. He refuses to use herbicides or pesticides, instead opting to meticulously plough the soils, encouraging the vine roots to dig deep for nutrients and minerals. Key practices include:
Cordon Pruning: Limiting yields naturally to enhance concentration.
No Fertiliser Since 1994: Forcing the vines to struggle and express the subsoil.
Grass-Covered Vineyards: To foster biodiversity and soil health.
This tireless work in the vineyard is the essential foundation for the wines' breathtaking clarity and mineral tension.
In the cellar, Rémi’s meticulous care continues with a simple, low-intervention approach designed to preserve the pure expression of the grapes.
A defining feature of his method is his gentle, slow pressing. Grapes are pressed for at least six hours, often overnight, using vast presses to avoid extracting any bitter elements or impurities. The wines are fermented with indigenous yeasts and then matured for an extended period—often up to 18 months—in a mix of barrels. Crucially, Rémi uses very little new oak (around 20% max) and, notably, has made a significant move to use large, tight-grained foudres (large wooden vats) from the Austrian cooper, Stockinger. This choice minimizes the "oaking" effect, enhancing the wine's aromatic purity and mineral structure over sweetness or vanilla notes.
Rémi Jobard’s wines are the epitome of classic Meursault, often requiring patience to reveal their full depth. They are characterized by a chiselled precision, remarkable minerality, and immense aging potential. While many modern white Burgundies favor an early-drinking, buttery style, Jobard's wines are often tightly wound in their youth, exploding with complexity after a few years in the bottle.
His range of Meursault lieux-dits (village-level plots) are a masterclass in terroir, with the old-vine Meursault Chevalières and the deep Meursault Narvaux being particular standouts. These wines offer a sensual tour of rock and vine, featuring notes of citrus, white flower, wet stone, and a subtle nuttiness that deepens with age.
The mineral intensity and textural richness of Domaine Rémi Jobard's Meursaults make them incredible partners for a variety of dishes:
Classic White Burgundy Pairing: Pair with rich, creamy seafood dishes like Lobster Thermidor or scallops in a butter sauce.
Poultry: The weight and acidity beautifully cut through the richness of roasted chicken or Guinea fowl served with wild mushrooms.
Regional Match: Try a Village Meursault with Gougères (cheese puffs) or a classic Burgundian cheese like Cîteaux or Époisses.
The Narvaux (known for its structure) is perfect for heavier fish like Monkfish or Halibut.
The Foudre Factor: Rémi Jobard was one of the key Burgundy producers to champion the use of large Stockinger foudres—massive wooden vats. These large containers reduce the wine-to-wood surface area, ensuring the vessel influences texture and slow oxygenation without imparting heavy oak flavors.
Double Duty: The "Domaine & Maison" distinction means that while most of his wines come from his own family vineyards (Domaine), he also purchases high-quality grapes or juice from trusted neighbors to produce a few additional labels (Maison), like his excellent Bourgogne Blanc.
Unfiltered Purity: To capture all the texture and nuance of the terroir, Rémi bottles most of his wines without fining or filtration, a key factor in their depth and long-term complexity.
Red Wine Revival: While primarily famous for his Chardonnay, Rémi also makes a small amount of stunning Pinot Noir, including a Volnay 1er Cru Santenots and a red Monthélie, often utilizing whole-bunch fermentation to add freshness and spice.
