Tasted with Jean-Michel Jacquin in Chablis, 11 January 2022.

Domaine Jean Jacquin
32 Rue de Chichée
89800 Chablis
Tel: +33 3 86 42 16 32
www.domainejacquin.com

This domaine is one of the last buildings on the right as you leave the centre of Chablis in the direction of Chichée. The buildings look more like those of a general farm – and for many years that’s exactly what you would have found here.

I tasted with Jean-Michel Jacquin but first met his father, Jean, who greeted me and told me a bit about the history of the domaine – a history more of cereals and cows, plus rabbits that were sold locally – of course, not as pets! It was Jean who began the domaine viticole in the late 1970s, starting with a plot rented in the grand crus – “We placed candles in the vines every single year in Fleys – until the mid-2000s.” But they had some land in the appellation so started planting vines themselves in the 1980s.

In July 2007, Jean officially retired but given that they have people parking their caravans in the large rear garden during the summer months – he still mans the domaine shop when Jean-Michel is in the vines – “They are a good source of sales – they always need something to drink,” smiles Jean. Jean-Michel concurs but laughs “Yes but my dad can talk for an hour before he even pours the first glass! But it’s my passion, being in the vines, ever since working with my dad – I’d be doing something else if I wasn’t enjoying it…”

Today the domaine, with a mix of own and rented vines, covers 7.7 hectares – 2.85 hectares in 1er crus, 4 hectares in Chablis and another 0.85 hectares in Petit Chablis. they commercialise about 5-10,000 bottles themselves per year and the rest is sold in bulk. The majority of their sales is local, though a little ends up in Belgium.

The wines…

Good, tasty wines – easy!

DIAM here – “We have no problems.”
Jean-Michel tells me that the Petit Chablis is all gone so we start with the Chablis:

2020 Chablis
Directly aromatic, some concentration – a little compact though. Supple, melting over the palate, there’s decent concentration here and slowly mouth-watering, melting flavour – that’s very tasty – it’s a good wine!

2019 Chablis Vieilles-Vignes
A single parcel of 40 year-old vines under Montee de Tonnerre (Chapelots) – 10 months in barrels for this.
A broad, silky slightly riper nose – more golden fruit. There’s a bit of oak flavour for sure but this is clean and direct with a more mineral impression – but today I prefer the Chablis 20… but this is really long and really only shows some creamy oak here…

2019 Chablis 1er Vaillons
A nose that’s brighter and with more attack. Wide, layered more acidity and intensity. Wide, structured finishing. I like the textural aspect – the phenolics – of the finish. Tatsy!

2019 Chablis 1er Montée de Tonnerre
A deeper nose – slightly golden fruit again. Fuller, more mouth-filling – here’s a fine texture, slowly melting over the palate. This is mouth-watering wine – nearly juicy. That’s a very good finish – another good, indeed very good wine.

Then Jean-Michel found one! :

2020 Petit Chablis
This nose is a little tight again. Mouth-filling, there’s good energy here – I like this – plenty of energy and a finely mouth-watering finish, indeed a concentrated finish that’s long too. That’s a very good PC!