Alain Jeanniard

History of Domaine Alain Jeanniard

The history of Domaine Alain Jeanniard has its roots deep in the 18th century. As early as 1755, the Jeanniard family was already established in Morey-Saint-Denis, where they practised a mixed farming including vines and blackcurrant, two iconic productions of historic Burgundy. For more than two centuries, the Jeanniards passed on this heritage from generation to generation, but it was in 1999 that a truly new adventure began: Alain Jeanniard, then an executive in industry, decided to make a radical career change and return to his family roots. In 2000, he officially took over the estate, which at the time amounted to a modest half-hectare.

Driven by an unwavering passion and fierce determination, Alain Jeanniard gradually expanded his vineyard through purchases and farming agreements, while simultaneously managing prestigious parcels for the Hospices de Beaune until 2007. He also established a négociant activity in 2003 to broaden his range. Today, the estate covers approximately 7 hectares of vines spread across emblematic appellations of the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune. Alain Jeanniard is supported by his family: his daughter Clémence, present both in the vines and in the cellar, and his nephew Alexis, who has assisted the winemaker since 2011. This family and human dimension forms the very soul of the estate.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Alain Jeanniard

The vineyard of Domaine Alain Jeanniard spans approximately 7 hectares straddling the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune. The historic heartland remains Morey-Saint-Denis, with notably century-old parcels planted in 1929 by Alain's grandfather. The estate also cultivates vines in Gevrey-Chambertin, Chambolle-Musigny (on the lieu-dit Les Maladières), Fixin (en Combe Roy), Nuits-Saint-Georges, Côtes de Nuits-Villages, Ladoix, Pommard (in Premier Cru Les Saussilles), and in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits in both white and red. This patchwork of parcels offers a great diversity of clay-limestone terroirs typical of Burgundy.

Viticulture is conducted according to the principles of reasoned farming, with a strong environmental commitment: herbicides are never used and the soils are regularly ploughed to preserve their microbial life and structure. Harvesting is done by hand, with rigorous sorting in the vineyard to select only the healthiest and ripest berries. The principal grape varieties are Pinot Noir, omnipresent in the Côte de Nuits, and Chardonnay, present on a few parcels in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. Alain Jeanniard's philosophy can be summed up simply: every appellation, from the regional to the Premiers Crus, is vinified with the same care as a grand cru.

Winemaking at Domaine Alain Jeanniard

In the cellar, Alain Jeanniard practises a traditional Burgundian vinification, attentive and minimally interventionist. The use of sulphur is kept to a minimum, in a spirit of respect for the fruit and the terroir. Fermentations take place in vats with gentle extraction, without excessive pigeage or pump-overs, in order to preserve the finesse and freshness of the Pinot Noir. Each parcel is vinified separately to fully respect the identity of its terroir of origin.

Ageing takes place in oak barrels, with a proportion of new wood carefully controlled according to the cuvée and the vintage, as well as in vats for certain more accessible cuvées. The ageing period allows the wines to develop progressively, refining their tannins and gaining in aromatic complexity. This approach gives birth to balanced, structured and deep wines with an excellent ageing capacity, where the signature of each appellation is fully expressed. As Alain Jeanniard is fond of recalling, faithful to the famous Burgundian saying: a wine resembles the winemaker who made it, and his cuvées all bear the mark of his elegant and structured character.

The Cuvées of Domaine Alain Jeanniard

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Blanc: Chardonnay sourced from cool parcels in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, on clay-limestone soils. The wine offers a beautiful aromatic expression of white fruits and flowers, underpinned by the vivacity and minerality typical of this high-altitude appellation.

Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Rouge: Pinot Noir from the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, fresh, fruity and elegant. A gourmand cuvée with a fine structure, to be enjoyed young or cellared for a few years — a perfect introduction to the world of the estate.

Cuvée Quintessence: a rare blend of the estate's two finest vines, combining 45-year-old vines on the lieu-dit Les Maladières in Chambolle-Musigny with thirty-year-old vines at Les Vignes Blanches in Chevannes. An elegant, deep and complex wine, the confidential signature of Alain Jeanniard.

Côtes de Nuits-Villages Vieilles Vignes: Pinot Noir sourced from old vines of the Côtes de Nuits-Villages appellation, structured and deep. A well-balanced wine marked by red and black fruits and a mineral backbone, which reveals the hidden nobility of this appellation.

Ladoix: a village cuvée from the Ladoix appellation, at the northern tip of the Côte de Beaune, beneath the hill of Corton. A fresh and fruity Pinot Noir with a fine structure, expressing with elegance the clay-limestone and stony soils of the climat.

Fixin En Combe Roy: a cuvée from a 38-are farming parcel at the lieu-dit En Combe Roy in Fixin, a northern appellation of the Côte de Nuits. A deep, structured wine with firm yet silky tannins, built for ageing.

Chambolle-Musigny: an iconic village renowned for the finesse and delicacy of its Pinot Noirs. The estate's cuvée captivates with its floral nose (rose, violet), its airy palate and silky texture, faithful to the delicate signature of the appellation.

Gevrey-Chambertin: a neighbouring village to the family's home base, celebrated for the depth and thoroughbred power of its wines. Alain Jeanniard's cuvée delivers a fleshy, structured Pinot Noir marked by dark fruits, gentle spices and a beautiful length.

Morey-Saint-Denis: the village cuvée from the family's home base, sourced from various parcels in Morey-Saint-Denis. A deep, balanced and silky Pinot Noir, blending juicy red fruits, elegant flesh and round tannins — a perfect representative of the appellation.

Morey-Saint-Denis Vieilles Vignes: the estate's emblematic cuvée, crafted from 90-year-old vines planted by his grandfather in 1929 and from two 70-year-old parcels on the lieux-dits Les Cognées and Clos Solon. The wine exudes aromas of dark fruits and spices, a rich palate, silky tannins, and notes of blackberry, cherry and liquorice, forming an ensemble of great ageing potential.

Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Poisets: a cuvée sourced from 80-year-old vines complemented by farmed parcels covering 30 ares of Premiers Crus Les Cailles and Les Saint Georges. A deep, thoroughbred wine with great ageing potential, one of the estate's finest expressions in Nuits-Saint-Georges.

Pommard Premier Cru Les Saussilles: an iconic Premier Cru of Pommard, cultivated over approximately half a hectare. A fleshy, structured Pinot Noir marked by intense dark fruits, spices and dense tannins destined for a long ageing, one of the estate's flagship red wines.