Profile: Domaine Antoine Jobard (Meursault)

28.11.2010billn

Formerly known as Domaine François Jobard, then more recently as François et Antoine Jobard, the label changed to Antoine with the 2008 vintage. This has been a family domaine since around 1860 and is currently with its fifth generation. Antione is the only boy from three children of François and Marie-Claire Jobard, and has been responsible for about 5 years since the retirement of his father.

‘Father François’ (his brother is the other Meursault Jobard) carved out a reputation for long-lived wines that were the antithesis of ‘fleshy, oaky Burgundy’ (Coates), but I particularly liked a quote which i think comes from Jasper Morris:

“If you like Meursaults that are big, broad and oaky, and are as yellow as French headlights, then this may not be the domaine for you. However, if you like Meursaults that are taut, mineral, complex and refined, then François Jobard is your man.”

Antoine is today responsible for 6 hectares, so roughly 32,000 bottles per year. The domaine is today 100% white wine of which 95% is Meursault based – the domaine did have some pinot vines in Blagny but they have replanted with chardonnay – the ‘other part’ being a small parcel of Puilgny-Montrachet. The Meursaults cover six different cuvées; two villages and four premier crus, plus of-course that interloper from Puligny.

Emphasis here is on vineyard work to avoid work in the cuverie. Short pruning is the major tool, but ploughing and an avoidance of synthetic treatments are also avoided. Theoretitically they could be registered as ‘organic’, but the paperwork would be too complicated! In the cuverie most of barrels come from Damy (Meursault!) with a balance of Allier and Vosges with medium-long toasting. Not much is new oak though – perhaps 20% – Antoine is also happy to stay with his ‘standard’ barrel size, he sees no real value for him to experiment with the ‘à la mode’ larger demi-muids. “remember, I’m not looking for complications” he says with a smile! There is little batonnage, and that’s because the wines traditionally stayed 18 months in barrel – it’s closer to 24 months now – so no need to try and speed anything up.

The 2009s

Visited 12th October. Antoine feels there is a little extra balance and ripeness to the 08s versus the 2009s – for 2010 he is happy with his harvest; it was brought forward because of the advancing botrytis and the volume was rather low but he’s very happy with the quality of what remained.

2009 Antoine Jobard, Meursault En la Barre
Fresh with hints of vanilla, it’s a rather a comely nose. Some fat with good underlying acidity. Good length here – I find this a very comfortable wine – I could easily wind-down with a glass/bottle.

2009 Antoine Jobard, Puligny-Montrachet Le Tresin
From just above La Garenne. This is higher toned with soft and smooth aromas. It seems to be more mineral after the ‘En la Barre’. The acidity is a little more visible and lingers very well in the finish.

2009 Antoine Jobard, Meursault 1er Blagny
From Piece sous le Bois. I feel an incremental extra elegance to the aromas here. Class and elegance is a clear step up from the Puligny. Very well covered acidity – rich but not too rich – there is much to admire here.

2009 Antoine Jobard, Meursault 1er Poruzots
There is a lovely silken coating to the acidity. There is width and a late arriving watering of the mouth. Very flavoursome.

2009 Antoine Jobard, Meursault 1er Genevrières
There is also a hint of caramel in the depth of aromas. Again a soft coating to the acidity. This shows an impressive density – it is rich but for me the mid-palate concentration is of a really mineral flavour. Rich but mineral – not something you always find with this vineyard.

2009 Antoine Jobard, Meursault 1er Charmes
1 part from younger vines in Desous, 4 parts from Dessous. Very nice aromatics that are soft, pretty and inviting. There is power here but wrapped in silk. I love the balance here. The acidity is rather discrete but the wine certainly doesn’t want for more.

Domaine Antoine Jobard
2 Rue Leignon
21190 Meursault
France
+33 3 80 21 21 26
+33 3 80 21 26 44 (fax)

Agree? Disagree? Anything you'd like to add?

There are 2 responses to “Profile: Domaine Antoine Jobard (Meursault)”

  1. Rick Dalia29th November 2010 at 6:42 amPermalinkReply

    Last thursday night (our Thanksgiving holiday) I opened a ’99 F. Jobard, Poruzots. Scored this bottle for a relative song (by Burgundy standards) on an online auction site. Perhaps the seller felt it was probably oxidized, so unloaded it cheap?

    In any case, the wine was spectacular, restrained but elegant, in a nearly perfect spot now, but still youthful and would have improved for several more years. Not a hint of oxidation.

    I’ll definitely be a regular buyer of Jobard’s wines.

    • Francis14th January 2015 at 2:31 pmPermalinkReply

      The domain used to age its wines for two years in wood and add a heavy dose of sulphur at bottling to preserve ageing potential. Whilst the wines needed some airing, it was a kind of flue jab preserving them from premature oxidation. In this particular and abundant vintage I would believe this has paid-off. I really like the wines myself and Antoine is such a nice guy who has managed to add his own touch without changing everything!

  2. Carl6th January 2011 at 3:30 amPermalinkReply

    With Ente, the best white in Meursault. Still loving the atypical richness of the 06’s and many 07’s at work. Plus, perhaps idiosyncratically, I love that neither francois or antoine speak much English.

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