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DOMAINE JACQUES PRIEUR

2018 VINTAGE EXCLUSIVE TO CORNEY & BARROW IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

“2018 was a record-breaking year, of low rainfall and exceptional sunshine.” NADINE GUBLIN, JANUARY 2020

DOMAINE JACQUES PRIEUR 2018 Domaine Jacques Prieur, or DJP as it has become known at C&B, has a list of holdings virtually unrivalled in Burgundy. I tried to include a map in this brochure, but without fold-out pages it is impossible to fit it all in… The domaine was established in 1868. The vineyard acquisitions were started by Jacques Prieur’s predecessors and continued by Jacques himself (1893 - 1965), who also went on to co-found the famous Chevaliers du Tastevin in 1934. See the next page for a more detailed history of the domaine.

The Labruyère family arrived in Meursault in 1988 with established wine roots. Their Domaine Labruyère is the oldest estate in Moulin-à-Vent. Building on the enviable holdings amassed by the Prieur family, the late Jean-Pierre Labruyère and his son Édouard Labruyère, have taken the domaine to the next level. In 1990, rising star Nadine Gublin was appointed Technical Director, a position she holds to this day. Nadine has established herself as one of the leading winemakers of her generation. As those who have met him will agree, Édouard Labruyère buzzes with energy and determination. He aims for the very top – and these 2018s are a glowing testament to that. Corney & Barrow has been the domaine’s exclusive UK agent since the 2013 vintage. As I have said here before, it is a role that we fought hard for and of which we continue to be hugely proud. The notes in this offer are based on a marathon tasting at the domaine with Nadine in October 2019, which started mid-morning and became so animated that we ended up skipping lunch altogether! It seemed like a good idea at the time – in fact it was, providing a detailed window into the genesis of these outstanding wines.

GUY SEDDON February 2020

HISTORY The Domaine Jacques Prieur story started in February 1868, with the marriage of 22 year-old Claude Duvergey to 19 year-old Marie Taboureau, both from winemaking families. Claude Duvergey (1847-1920) m. Marie Taboureau

Henri Prieur m. Hélène Taboureau

Jacques Prieur (1893-1965) 1879: Claude buys a château in Meursault, Les Herbeux, which remains the heart of Domaine Jacques Prieur to this day.

VINEYARD ACQUISITIONS – A BUSY TWO YEARS…

1889: Meursault Clos de Mazeray Monopole Volnay Santenots Clos Vougeot 1890: Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Santenots (in its entirety) Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes Le Montrachet

1891: Claude and Marie are childless. Marie's niece, Hélène Taboureau, marries Henri Prieur from Beaune. 1893: Henri and Hélène’s son Jacques Prieur is born.

MORE VINEYARD ACQUISITIONS… 1895: Musigny Vineyard swap: Clos Vougeot plot for Chambertin and Clos de Bèze 1907: Chevalier-Montrachet

1920: Claude Duvergey dies on 9th March and bequeathes his estate to Jacques Prieur. 1924: Jacques Prieur and Comte Jules Lafon establish the famous Paulée de Meursault. 1956: Following Jacques’ mother’s death, the estate is renamed Domaine Jacques Prieur. 1965: Jacques Prieur dies, followed in 1974 by his wife, leaving the domaine to their six children. 1988: Five French families, including the Labruyères, acquire the domaine. 1990: Nadine Gublin appointed Technical Director. Grands crus of Corton-Bressandes and Corton-Charlemagne added shortly after. 2008: Arrival at the domaine of Édouard Labruyère.

THE VINEYARDS Name your favourite Burgundy grand cru and Domaine Jacques Prieur is likely to have it covered… Chambertin, Musigny, Clos de Vougeot, Échézeaux, Corton-Bressandes, Corton-Charlemagne, Chevalier-Montrachet and Le Montrachet – plus a host of premiers crus traversing Beaune, Volnay and Meursault, where the domaine is located. The domaine’s 21 hectares have been worked organically since 1997 and biodynamically since 2009.

AREA IN HECTARES (HA)

AVERAGE VINE AGE IN 2018 (YEARS)

Chambertin (including Clos de Bèze)

0.9

Musigny

0.8

Clos Vougeot

1.2

Échézeaux

0.4

Corton-Bressandes

0.8

Corton-Charlemagne

0.2

Chevalier-Montrachet

0.2

Montrachet

0.6

Gevrey-Chambertin

0.9

Beaune Rouge Champs-Pimont

2.1

Beaune Blanc Champs-Pimont

1.4

Beaune Rouge Clos de la Féguine Monopole

1.6

Beaune Blanc Clos de la Féguine Monopole

0.3

Beaune Rouge Grèves

1.2

Beaune Blanc Grèves

0.5

Volnay-Champans

0.3

Replanting

Volnay Clos des Santenots Monopole

1.2

Volnay Santenots

0.6

Pommard Charmots

0.3

Meursault-Charmes

0.1

Meursault-Perrières

0.3

Meursault-Santenots

0.2

Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes

1.5

Meursault Rouge Clos de Mazeray Monopole

0.6

Meursault Blanc Clos de Mazeray Monopole

2.6

GRANDS CRUS

PREMIERS CRUS

VILLAGES

THE CELLAR Winemaker Nadine Gublin destems most of the Pinot Noir, although there are notable exceptions, in particular Pommard-Charmots 1er Cru, which is habitually 100% whole-bunch fermented. There is a double sorting table, to ensure the grapes are pristine. Red wine maceration lasts around 20 days, consisting of three to five days at 14˚C before fermentation, with a post-fermentation maceration of five to seven days, protecting the surface with a cap of carbon dioxide. Pigeage, or punching-down, is done twice a day for the first three days of fermentation, then once a day thereafter,

but with no pumping-over. New oak is around 50-80% for the grands crus and 20-30% for the premiers crus. For the white wines, the grapes are pressed immediately using a pneumatic press and transferred to stainless steel vats for 12-14 hours’ settling. Around 20 months’ élevage is the norm, with 100% malolactic conversion. Since 2007, there has been no bâtonnage (lees stirring). Only natural yeasts are used. Since 2008, the red and white wines have been made in separate cellars to keep their different natural yeast strains separate.

THE TEAM Believe it or not, the team’s responsibilities are not confined to Domaine Jacques Prieur. There are another three Labruyère family estates… Domaine Labruyère in Moulin-à-Vent has been in the family since 1850. Edouard Labruyère has run the family’s estates since 2008, when he took over from his late father. The family also owns Château Rouget in Pomerol and Champagne JM Labruyère, a recently founded champagne grower-producer in Verzenay, Montagne de Reims.

Édouard Labruyère

Edouard Labruyère was born in 1976 at the original family domaine in Moulin-à-Vent. Following a short period as a diplomat in Africa, he returned to the world of wine in 2003, working as a courtier in Bordeaux from 2003 until 2008. He has run the family wine estates since 2008.

Nadine Gublin

Daniel Godefroy

Nadine Gublin has been Technical Director at Domaine Jacques Prieur since 1990. After a decade at the domaine, she was named ‘Winemaker of the Year’ by the Revue de Vin de France, two years after starting at Domaine Labruyère in Moulinà-Vent.

Daniel Godefroy has been in charge of the vineyards of Domaine Jacques Prieur since 1997. Born into a winemaking family in the Loire’s Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, he worked in Alsace for twelve years, five of which were spent at Domaine ZindHumbrecht.

This page’s images © Domaine Jacques Prieur

2018 VINTAGE NOTES Thank you to Nadine Gublin for providing a vivid description of the 2018 growing season at Domaine Jacques Prieur…

After a gloomy, very rainy 2017-2018 winter and a cold, grey March, the vines struggled to get going. The 2018 season started out on the back foot, with bud-burst long overdue. April turned things around dramatically. High temperatures and strong sunshine teed up what Nadine termed “dazzling” vine growth. In mid-April, 5-6 leaves rapidly unfurled. In a flash, 2018 went from a ‘late vintage’ to one of the three most precocious in recent years (beside 2007 and 2011).

Fluctuating temperatures in May did not prevent a quick flowering before month-end. Nadine described the heat and rain in this period as “quasi-tropical climatic conditions”. June was “quite spectacular” from a vine growth perspective. In just three weeks, the vines completed flowering and reached bunch-closure (when no space remains between the grapes). The pressure of downy mildew was increasingly felt

towards the end of June but fortunately this threat was effectively combatted. July’s very hot weather and exceptional sunshine brought on véraison (colour change) from mid-month. The first fortnight of August was very hot, with temperatures above 32°C. These “extreme conditions” (Nadine’s words) again provoked rapid growth and cemented 2018 within the run of early recent vintages which also includes 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2017. Picking began on 29th August and ended on 12th September. Harvest conditions were dry, bright and hot (very hot for the last two days). Pinot Noir and Chardonnay reached maturity around the same time, with no significant difference between the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits. The health of the crop was excellent, with exceptional sugar content across the board. In the final analysis, growing season temperatures were 2°C above average across the domaine’s holdings.

TASTING NOTES - RED WINES

BEAUNE 1ER CRU CLOS DE LA FÉGUINE MONOPOLE

MEURSAULT ROUGE CLOS DE MAZERAY MONOPOLE

This is a 1.59 hectare monopole premier cru within the pebbly Coucherias vineyard, beneath the wooded Montagne de Beaune. South-facing, on very thin, stony clay-limestone soil. Strawberry sorbet and bitter cherries, very bright and expressive. The tannins are joyously fruit-coated, with a freshness of acidity which lifts the flavours wonderfully. A happy wine. Aged in 25% new oak. 100% destemmed. Being bottled in February 2020.

The majority of this vineyard – a Domaine Jacques Prieur monopole – is planted to Chardonnay, but there are 0.6 hectares of Pinot Noir, from which this wine is made. The nose is dark and spicy, with lush forest fruits. On the palate, masses of sweet strawberry and raspberry make for a delightfully forward style. This approachability is aided by the third whole bunch vinification. Excellent.

Corney & Barrow Score 17 Recommended drinking from 2021 - 2028

Corney & Barrow Score 17 Recommended drinking from 2022 - 2028 £335/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

£310/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

BEAUNE CHAMPS PIMONT 1ER CRU

POMMARD-CHARMOTS 1ER CRU

Pimont means the foot of the hills, making this the ‘Piedmont’ of Burgundy! Over two hectares here, although a swathe is being replanted. There is a high proportion of clay, with more topsoil than elsewhere. Smokier and spicier, this is the Beaune premier cru with the greatest ageing potential. 100% destemmed this year, with ageing in 20% new oak. This will be the last of the premiers crus to be bottled.

Premier cru Charmots lies above Clos des Épeneaux. Characteristically sappy and exotic on the nose, thanks to the 100% whole-bunch fermentation, which softens its innate power. The palate combines delectable raspberry, forest fruits and firm, grippy tannins. A sensitive expression of Pommard but one which respects its muscular essence. 50% new oak, of a type more commonly used in Champagne, with very little oak flavour.

Corney & Barrow Score 18 Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2037

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5+ Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2034

£270/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK £540/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

VOLNAY 1ER CRU SANTENOTS This is the young vines cuvée of Clos des Santenots, the vines in this plot being 23 years old. It is 100% destemmed, accentuating its pure, sweetly black-fruited tenderness. This has a remarkably consistent style from year to year. Clove and sucrose-laden fruit, with fine grippy tannin making itself felt on the finish. 30% new oak. Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2032 £485/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

VOLNAY CLOS DES SANTENOTS 1ER CRU MONOPOLE

These 60-70 year-old vines are in Santenots du Milieu, the central lieu-dit, with the most powerful expression of Santenots (and arguably of Volnay). As always, there is greater aromatic finesse on the nose here compared to the young vines cuvée. Fleshier than in cooler years, but with supremely chiselled tannins and majestic grippy power on the end. This needs patience! The yield was below 20hl/ha. 30% new oak, 100% destemmed. Corney & Barrow Score 18 Recommended drinking from 2025 - 2040 £650/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN 1ER CRU These are the young vines (23 years old) of Chambertin Grand Cru, voluntarily declassified to premier cru status, from all five of the domaine’s parcels in Chambertin and Clos de Bèze. Darkly fruited, with a winning succulence. The palate is lifted by fresh acidity, which makes the blackberry and bitter cherry flavours dance. 60% new oak, all destemmed. A relative steal given its grand cru pedigree… 100% destemmed. Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 - 18 Recommended drinking from 2025 - 2035+ £550/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

THE GRANDS CRUS CORTON-BRESSANDES GRAND CRU

MUSIGNY GRAND CRU

An enigmatic grand cru, Corton ranges from the powerfully age-worthy to the delicately perfumed. The gently sloping Bressandes is one of the earliest-maturing sites, reflected in a pleasing fruit coating this year – a sweetness of raspberry fruit which overlays the terroir expression but does not obscure it. 60% new oak. Around a third wholebunch fermented again this year.

This is a 0.76 hectare parcel of nearly 50 year old vines in the southern part of Les Petits Musigny, just above the Clos de Vougeot. Flinty minerality on the nose, biding its time. The palate is immediately grippy and assertive, the sparse mineral tension and fine muscular tannins of Musigny making themselves felt at once. A strong sense of salty minerality. Wonderful wine, needs patience... All destemmed.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 Recommended drinking from 2023 - 2035 £660/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 - 18 Recommended drinking from 2027 - 2040 £1,625/case of 3 bottles, in bond UK

CLOS VOUGEOT GRAND CRU

ÉCHÉZEAUX GRAND CRU

This 1.28 hectare parcel lies at the heart of the large claybased Clos de Vougeot vineyard, just below the holding of Château de la Tour. Spicy dark cherry, with crushed rock minerality on the nose. The palate is upbeat and fresh on the attack, although quickly revealing an impressively powerful core – a majestic wine, for the very long term. A third whole cluster vinification was used in 2018 to soften out those tannins, with ageing in 60% new oak.

The domaine has 0.4 hectares of Échézeaux, in the lieudit Les Champs Traversin. Dried herbs on the nose, which is exotic and brims with oriental spices. The tannins are super-fine, forming a lattice-like structure and allowing a supremely elegant rose petal perfume to rise, seemingly from the very core of the wine, filling your mouth with flavour. What a wine! 100% destemmed, 60% new oak.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 - 18 Recommended drinking from 2027 - 2040+

Corney & Barrow Score 18.5+ Recommended drinking from 2026 - 2040 £1,115/case of 3 bottles, in bond UK

£760/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

CHAMBERTIN GRAND CRU This is from the domaine’s holdings in Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Bèze, totalling 0.9 hectares. The oldest vines here are over 70 years old. It is the quality of the tannins and the ‘digestability’ of the fruit which sets this apart from the young vines cuvée – true to form there is a simply thrilling combination of finesse and power here. Also an additional sense of ferrous minerality – pure class... 60% new oak, all destemmed. Corney & Barrow Score 18+ Recommended drinking from 2025 - 2035+ £1,070/case of 3 bottles, in bond UK

TASTING NOTES - WHITE WINES

BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY

BEAUNE BLANC 1ER CRU CLOS DE LA FÉGUINE MONOPOLE

This is made from just under a hectare of vines, adjacent to the domaine, over the road from Clos de la Barre, within the village of Meursault. Ripe and effusive, with bright white peach fruit and juicy acidity, it will hit the ground running. Vinified in a mixture of foudre and barrel, around half in each. Pithy orchard and peach fruit, with a phenolic twist and flashes of grapefruit and quince, finishing saline and precise. No bâtonnage.

Clos de la Féguine is a small parcel, a monopole of just 0.27 hectares, at the top of the slope, west of Grèves. White-grey, stony limestone soils – perfect Chardonnay territory. This is saline and chalky-mineral as always, with a hint of pithy grapefruit, that flamboyance which we have come to love from this site, and then a granular salty texture which anchors it rather brilliantly. 20% new oak.

Corney & Barrow Score 17 Recommended drinking from 2020 - 2023

Corney & Barrow Score 17+ Recommended drinking from 2021 - 2025

£145/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

£300/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

BEAUNE BLANC 1ER CRU CHAMPS PIMONT

MEURSAULT CLOS DE MAZERAY MONOPOLE

Champs Pimont is a 1.4 hectare holding, with a high proportion of white marl which, as in CortonCharlemagne, can give a marked sense of stony mineral bite. Brimming with life and energy, this is extravagantly exotic, grapefruit and fleshy apricot to the fore. An earlier drinking charmer. Vinified in a mixture of 20% foudres and 80% barrels, with an average of 15% new oak.

Although this is the domaine’s only village holding, it is a special wine, being a monopole, in sole ownership. It is almost three hectares in size: a respectable chunk of Meursault, in the centre of the appellation, just south of the village. Softly apricot- and peach-fruited, with a glimpse of pink grapefruit. It was vinified a third in foudre, two thirds in barrel, with an overall total of 25% new oak.

Corney & Barrow Score 16.5 Recommended drinking from 2021 - 2024

Corney & Barrow Score 16.5 Recommended drinking from 2021 - 2025

£245/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK £290/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

BEAUNE BLANC 1ER CRU GRÈVES

MEURSAULT 1ER CRU SANTENOTS

This is among the youngest of the domaine’s vines, a stony/gravelly half-hectare plot planted in 2006, the first vintage from which was 2009. Habitually salty and clipped, this speaks eloquently of its chalky soils. The strong sense of minerality, which Grèves does so well, is firmly in the driving seat here. There is an outer coating of ripe white peach fruit which adds approachability and flesh to what is, at heart, a serious wine.

This is a 0.8 hectare site, next to Domaine Marquis d’Angerville’s plot. The domaine’s Santenots holdings were replanted from Pinot Noir to Chardonnay in the 1990s. The first white vintage was 2000. This tends to be an excitingly austere, no-makeup style of Meursault. It is a little more powerful this year, with a certain 2018 fleshiness and amplitude that rather suits it. Lots of nervy limestone tension, with a salty clipped finish. 30% new oak.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5 Recommended drinking from 2020 - 2025

Corney & Barrow Score 17+ Recommended drinking from 2023 - 2030

£280/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK £385/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

MEURSAULT 1ER CRU PERRIÈRES

MONTRACHET GRAND CRU

The domaine’s holding in Perrières is a tiny parcel, 0.3 hectares of three decade-old vines. The power of this site is very much evident on the palate, which has a driven charge of extract, a corporeal density of white peach fruit and a powerful tapering finish, on which that strong sense of minerality persists. The natural weight here is more than a match for the 50% new oak. Brilliant wine.

The domaine has 0.6 hectares of this most hallowed of vineyards. This has an open weave texture, with a forceful, chalky energy. Unlike some years, in which Montrachet seems totally apart from its Puligny or Chassagne siblings, when tasted in October 2019, it showed a distinct resemblance to Chevalier – fine and chalky, with a long, tapering finish. “It’s a baby”, Nadine muses as we taste it, seeming to read my mind. This will stay in barrel until May or June 2020.

Corney & Barrow Score 18 Recommended drinking from 2024 - 2029 £790/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

Corney & Barrow Score 18 - 19 Recommended drinking from 2023 - 2033 £1,795/case of 3 bottles, in bond UK

PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1ER CRU LES COMBETTES

CORTON-CHARLEMAGNE GRAND CRU

The domaine’s Combettes is made from a 1.49 hectare plot in this most majestic of the Puligny premiers crus. There is an impressive meeting of powerful white stonefruit and stony minerality here, making for a fine yet potent wine. This demands a few years in bottle to come out of its shell, but it is already showing better and more openly than usual, with a fine clipped finish. Vinified in a third new oak.

Of the great white grands crus, Corton-Charlemagne sits alone at the northern end of the Côte de Beaune. This geographical distance is reflected in a totally different personality. These vines are on the high slopes of the hill of Corton, on the mineral-rich white marl soils. In 2018, the trademark chalky mineral backbone is fleshed out with a gratifying stone-fruited density and a structural “seriousness” (Nadine’s word). Pretty white flower perfume lingers on the long finish. Fabulous.

Corney & Barrow Score 17.5+ Recommended drinking from 2022 - 2029

Corney & Barrow Score 18 Recommended drinking from 2023 - 2031

£475/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK £1,215/case of 6 bottles, in bond UK

CHEVALIER-MONTRACHET GRAND CRU A tiny 0.2 hectare holding of over 50 year-old vines, at the south-west corner of Chevalier-Montrachet, on the upper slope. Yellow flowers and honeysuckle on the nose. The palate is nervy and with a very fine salty mineral texture. Violets too, in Nadine’s opinion, who adds that this character is “très Chevalier”. Picking started here on 2nd September – early, but it was ready. Only two barrels were produced. Corney & Barrow Score 18.5 Recommended drinking from 2023 - 2028 £1,115/case of 3 bottles, in bond UK

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