Koji et Jae Hwa

The History of Domaine Koji et Jae Hwa

The story begins in 1996, when Koji Nakada left Japan to study enology in Beaune. To attend classes, he first had to learn French in Dijon, where he met Jae Hwa Park, a French teacher of Korean origin. Love at first sight grew into a shared life’s work. After training in Burgundy, Bordeaux, Alsace and Champagne, Koji founded Maison Lou Dumont with Jae Hwa in Gevrey-Chambertin in 2000: a high-end wine merchant business whose name combines Lou, their goddaughter, with mont, meaning “mountain,” in tribute to the mountains of their native countries. The ideogram on the label—sky, earth and humanity—sums up their philosophy: balance among the natural elements is essential to fine wine.

In 2012, the couple realized their dream by buying their first vines in Prémeaux-Prissey and Clos La Brunelle, giving rise to Domaine Koji et Jae Hwa, based in the former cellars of Jean-Marie Fourrier’s father. In 2016, the estate expanded with parcels in Marsannay, the Hautes Côtes de Nuits and Gevrey-Chambertin, and received Ecocert organic certification that same year. Praised by international critics, recent vintages have made this discreet domaine one of Burgundy’s rising stars.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Koji et Jae Hwa

Today, the estate spans 6 hectares across some of the finest clay-limestone terroirs of the Côte de Nuits and its higher slopes: Gevrey-Chambertin, Marsannay (including the En Leautier lieu-dit), Prémeaux-Prissey, Clos La Brunelle and the Hautes Côtes de Nuits. The estate’s treasure lies in its very old vines: mostly Pinot Noir vines aged 50 to over 100 years, some planted in 1908, as well as a century-old parcel of Aligoté.

The viticulture here is exemplary: certified organic farming since 2016; biodynamic practices since 2018, following the lunar calendar and using herbal infusions; horse plowing on several parcels to protect the soils; natural fertilization; and even free-roaming chickens in the vineyards to provide natural pest control. This exceptional care for living things yields grapes of remarkable quality and balance.

Winemaking at Domaine Koji et Jae Hwa

In the cellar, Koji Nakada takes a natural approach to winemaking, with minimal intervention: rigorous hand sorting, high proportions of whole clusters (up to 80% depending on the wine), native yeasts and exceptionally gentle extraction, more like an infusion. The wines are aged in high-quality French oak barrels, made from wood from the Jupilles forest or crafted by the Chassin cooperage in Beaune. New oak is used sparingly to preserve the fruit and minerality. Sulfur use is kept to the bare minimum, and since the 2021 vintage, some wines have been bottled without added sulfur. The result is airy, vibrant, saline wines that are remarkably easy to drink and express each Burgundian climat with rare clarity.

The wines of Domaine Koji et Jae Hwa

Bourgogne Rouge Vieilles Vignes: the estate’s signature wine, made from very old Pinot Noir vines near Beaune, aged 50 to 100 years, some planted in 1908. Produced at around 3,000 bottles a year and vinified with a high proportion of whole clusters, it offers radiant fruit, notes of rose and violet, and a saline finish reminiscent of the great wines of the Côte. Exceptional depth for a regional appellation.

Bourgogne Aligoté 1908: a rare white wine from a century-old parcel of Aligoté planted in 1908. Taut, citrusy and mineral, it shows brilliantly that this long-underestimated grape can reach great heights in the hands of a skilled winemaker.

Gevrey-Chambertin: a wine from the village the couple now calls home, this distinguished Pinot Noir has aromas of black cherry, blackcurrant and spice, with the structure and depth characteristic of the appellation. An outstanding village wine built to age.

Marsannay En Leautier: from this beautiful lieu-dit in the northern Côte de Nuits, this captivating red combines aromas of violet, lilac and black cherry with a crystalline, fresh and delicately saline palate of remarkable precision.

Hautes Côtes de Nuits: born on the high-altitude slopes overlooking the Côte, this fresh, graceful Pinot Noir charms with its vibrant fruit, easy-drinking appeal and energy, in a beautifully pure style.

Coteaux Bourguignons Chardonnay: made from young vines planted in Prémeaux in 2015, this white wine has a pale gold color and a delicately toasted nose with notes of sesame and candied lemon, recalling the aging style of great Burgundian wines.

Coteaux Bourguignons Pinot Gris La Violette: a little-known curiosity from the estate, made from Pinot Gris, a rare grape in Burgundy. Its caressing texture, ripe white fruit and fine, pleasantly bitter edge make it a collector’s wine.

Champagne Nakada Park: the couple’s new venture in Champagne’s Côte des Bar, extending their pursuit of elegance and purity into the world of sparkling wine. Production is still in its infancy and very limited, yet the wines are already sought after by enthusiasts.