Jean Grivot

The history of Domaine Jean Grivot begins in the Jura, where the family cultivated vines as early as the 17th century. The decisive turning point came at the end of the 18th century, when Joseph Grivot settled in Vosne-Romanée, at the heart of the Côte de Nuits, just before the French Revolution.

It was Gaston Grivot, son of Joseph, who established the prestige of the estate. In 1919, he acquired a major parcel in the mythical Clos de Vougeot, one of the most famous Grands Crus of Burgundy. A visionary, he had a magnificent entrance gate erected at his vines, still visible today. A pioneer, he became one of the first graduate oenologists from the University of Dijon in the 1920s.

In the 1930s, the Grivot family distinguished itself by being among the first in Vosne-Romanée to bottle and market its own wines, breaking with the tradition of selling to négociants. This approach allowed the domaine de fully control its quality and build its reputation.

Jean Grivot perpetuates the family legacy with determination. In 1984, he acquired 31 ares in the prestigious Grand Cru Richebourg, consolidating the viticultural heritage. His rigorous work has made the estate a world reference.

In 1982, Étienne Grivot joined his father and became the fifth generation at the helm of the estate. He took on full responsibility in 1987, alongside his wife Marielle. Inspired by the great vintages of 1929 and 1937, Étienne noted the impoverishment of the soils due to the excessive fertilization of previous decades. He then devoted himself to restoring the vitality of the terroirs in order to recapture the depth of the great wines of the past.

Since 2010, Mathilde and Hubert Grivot, the sixth generation, have been working alongside their parents. Mathilde, trained in viticulture, oenology, and international business, completed internships in Bordeaux and Oregon. She brings a new energy while respecting the family philosophy. Together, this intergenerational team is evolving the style of the wines toward greater depth and richness, while preserving the freshness characteristic of the estate.

The vineyard of Domaine Jean Grivot extends over 15 hectares divided into small parcels covering 22 appellations. This mosaic of exceptional terroirs illustrates the Burgundian adage that "what is small is beautiful." The estate owns vines in Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Flagey-Échezeaux, and Chambolle-Musigny.

In Vosne-Romanée, the heart of the estate, the soils are predominantly marly-limestone enriched with red clays whose color derives from their high iron oxide content. This composition gives the wines an exceptional mineral elegance and a silky tannic structure.

The three Grands Crus are the jewels of the estate. The Clos de Vougeot (1.87 hectares) extends from the bottom up to the Château de la Tour, crossing several geological strata. The fifty-year-old vines benefit from a privileged position within this mythical clos created by Cistercian monks. The Richebourg (31 ares), acquired in 1984, produces wines of unparalleled depth and complexity. The Échezeaux (0.84 hectares) is located in the climat des Cruots, planted in 1954.

Among the Premiers Crus, the estate owns six climats in Vosne-Romanée (Les Beaux Monts, Aux Brûlées, Les Suchots, Les Rouges, Les Chaumes, Aux Reignots) and three in Nuits-Saint-Georges (Les Pruliers, Aux Boudots, Roncière). Each expresses a different facet of its terroir of origin.

The average age of the vines is 45 to 50 years, with certain parcels containing vines of more than sixty years. This maturity guarantees concentration and complexity. The high planting density encourages competition between vines and deep rooting, naturally producing low yields.

The estate practices viticulture in biological research without official certification. Treatments favor biological solutions, organic fertilization is minimal, and no herbicides are used. The entire vineyard is plowed, with three hectares worked with the help of the horse Pirate to minimize soil compaction. Green harvesting and light leaf removal optimize ripening. These meticulous practices form the foundation of the wines' exceptional quality.

The winemaking philosophy rests on a fundamental principle: revealing the authentic expression of each terroir. The estate adapts its interventions to the profile of each vintage rather than applying a single recipe, favoring the harmony between energy and suavity.

Harvesting is entirely manual, at the optimal moment of ripeness. Destemming at 95% almost entirely removes the stems to promote tannic fineness. After meticulous sorting, the berries undergo a cold maceration of one to two days before fermentation.

Fermentation begins naturally with indigenous yeasts, respecting the microbiological identity of each parcel. A few gentle punch-downs precede fermentation, but Étienne Grivot refuses any punch-downs thereafter, not wishing to "mix the physical with the spiritual." Maceration lasts approximately seventeen days with delicate pump-overs once a day.

Aging takes place in French oak barrels for fifteen to eighteen months, using wood from the Allier and Nièvre forests. The proportion of new barrels varies according to the appellation: approximately 25% for village wines, 30 to 60% for Premiers Crus, and 40 to 70% for Grands Crus.

After blending in vat, bottling is carried out without fining or filtration, fully preserving the aromatic richness and aging potential. The estate vinifies exclusively its own production, guaranteeing absolute traceability and quality control. Bottling even takes into account lunar movements and barometric pressure, reflecting a holistic approach in which every detail matters.