Antoine Jobard

History of Domaine Antoine Jobard

The Jobard family has grown vines in Meursault since 1860, making it one of the village’s oldest winemaking families. The estate as we know it, however, came into being in 1971, when Pierre Jobard’s property was divided between his two sons, Charles and François. With just a few hectares, François went on to build a formidable reputation among the most discerning wine lovers, steadfastly rejecting the fashion for opulent, oak-driven whites.

Antoine Jobard, François’s only son, joined his father at the estate in 2002 after working alongside him for several years. He took full responsibility in 2007, when François retired, and the property was renamed Domaine Antoine Jobard. The fifth generation to lead the estate, he modernized its methods without ever compromising its longstanding priorities: impeccable grape quality and age-worthy white wines that remain true expressions of Meursault’s terroir. Under his leadership, the vineyard converted to organic farming and received certification in 2019, while the range expanded to include new climats, among them Les Tillets.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Antoine Jobard

The vineyard, covering around six hectares, is concentrated almost entirely in the commune of Meursault, offering a particularly complete expression of its terroirs. Its Jurassic clay-limestone soils vary considerably with altitude: deeper, clay-rich soils at the foot of the slope, stony scree midway up, and exposed limestone slabs and very thin soils higher up. Les Tillets, a high-altitude, exceptionally stony lieu-dit, perfectly illustrates the latter, while En la Barre occupies a carefully tended plot just behind the family home.

The Blagny sector, high on the slope at the border with Puligny-Montrachet, brings freshness and tension thanks to its altitude and marl soils. The estate has replanted the few remaining rows of Pinot Noir there with Chardonnay, confirming its exclusive focus on white wine. A few plots in Puligny-Montrachet and Saint-Aubin complete the holdings. Vineyard management is meticulous, encompassing plowing, soil cultivation, measured leaf removal, controlled yields and hand harvesting, all now carried out in accordance with organic farming standards.

Winemaking at Domaine Antoine Jobard

The cellar philosophy comes down to one idea: letting Chardonnay express itself over time, with finesse and elegance, without dressing it up. The grapes are pressed slowly and gently, then carefully settled before the juice goes into barrels. Fermentations proceed without being forced, malolactic fermentation is completed in full, and bâtonnage is kept to a minimum to preserve tension.

Aging on the lees takes place in two stages, a hallmark of the estate. The wines first spend around twelve months in barrels, with a deliberately low proportion of new oak—about fifteen to twenty percent. They are then blended together and rest for a further six to seven months in tank, allowing them to settle, become more harmonious and regain energy before bottling. This approach explains the house’s unmistakable profile: wines with little overt richness or oak, marked in their youth by notes of autolysis and refined reduction, with excellent bitter notes and exceptional aging potential.

The Cuvées of Domaine Antoine Jobard

Bourgogne Aligoté: a little-known, refreshing cuvée made with the same rigor as the crus. Lemon, green apple and chalky notes make for a lively, taut white, perfect as an aperitif or with shellfish. A direct, unadorned introduction to the range.

Bourgogne Chardonnay: regularly cited as one of the appellation’s best white Burgundies, this cuvée far exceeds expectations for its classification. The nose is expressive and citrusy, with beautifully integrated vanilla notes from aging. The palate combines liveliness, unusual tension for a regional wine, a touch of richness and hints of almond. A long, fresh citrus finish.

Meursault En la Barre: from a plot just behind the winemaker’s home, this village-level wine is one of the estate’s classics and offers remarkable value for money. The nose, highly characteristic of the house, combines autolytic and toasted notes, refined reduction, lemon and white flowers. The palate shows noble austerity, powerful tension, quality bitter notes and abundant energy, without richness or butteriness. A wine with a long future ahead of it.

Meursault Les Tillets: a more recent addition to the range, this high-altitude lieu-dit with very stony soils, also celebrated for Roulot’s wines, produces a village-level wine of excellent quality. Bright straw-yellow in color, it has a citrusy nose with a slight fern note and a palate that opens on citrus before quickly gaining body. Precise, taut and citrusy without ever being sharp, it is equipped for long aging.

Meursault 1er Cru Blagny: from the elevated Blagny sector on the border with Puligny, notably the La Pièce sous le Bois and La Jeunelotte climats. The altitude and marl soils lend it an added elegance compared with the other cuvées, with acidity beautifully wrapped in texture. Rich without excess and unmistakably refined, this premier cru is among the most distinguished wines in the range.

Meursault 1er Cru Les Poruzots: situated alongside Les Genevrières, this climat produces a generously proportioned wine whose acidity is wrapped in a silky texture. Deeply flavorful, it offers aromas of white fruit and hazelnut, with a salinity that makes the mouth water long after each sip. A harmonious, inviting expression without heaviness.

Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes: a blend of plots in Charmes Dessus and Charmes Dessous, combining the finesse of the upper slope with the richness of the lower slope. Ripe white fruit, fresh almond and brown butter unfold against a taut, saline backbone, in a style far more linear than is usual for this climat.

Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières: the estate’s flagship and one of Meursault’s finest premiers crus. A hint of caramel adds to the nose’s impressive aromatic depth; the palate shows remarkable density and acidity gently cushioned by texture. Its mid-palate concentration is profoundly mineral in character—rich yet mineral—which is not always the case for this climat. A fine wine built to age.

Puligny-Montrachet Le Trézin: the estate’s sole venture into the neighboring village, from a high-altitude lieu-dit with thin, limestone soils. The wine emphasizes crystalline freshness and chalky minerality, with citrus and acacia blossom aromas and a clean, saline finish. A finely etched Puligny, true to the house style.

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Gain: planted in poor, very stony soil high on the slope, this premier cru produces a firm, sculpted wine. Green apple, fennel, almond and warm stone play off one another along a straight, lingering palate. A demanding cuvée that needs patience to reveal its full complexity.

Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Les Perrières: from Saint-Aubin’s steep slopes and highly calcareous soils, it charms with its verve and precision. The nose blends lemon, flint and white flowers; the palate is focused, saline and energetic. Excellent value within the range, to be enjoyed over the next five to eight years.

Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Sur le Sentier du Clou: a high-altitude climat with thin, stony soil and an orientation that preserves freshness. The wine shows pronounced tension, aromas of green citrus and struck flint, and a persistent chalky finish. An age-worthy Saint-Aubin with character, it perfectly illustrates the estate’s ability to let each terroir speak without disguising it.