Tasted in Meursault with Antoine, 12 October, 2015.
Domaine Antoine Jobard
2 Rue Leignon
21190 Meursault
Tel: +33 3 80 21 21 26
In terms of size, this domaine has waxed and waned since I last visited. There is still a little more than 6 hectares despite 3 new St.Aubins, this because Antoine has lost a little Poruzots and Blagny, but there is also a little extra Puligny too.
The 2015 harvest: Antoine is particularly happy with the 2015 vintage – because there was no hail, unlike the last 3 vintages! He notes that there was virtually no oïdium, which he puts down to his, ‘poudrage’ treatments; “It was magic, enveloping the flowers. It’s not my favourite work for sure, but it was very effective, and no botrytis developed either. My harvest started 3rd September and quality was top! I’m not a fan of really acidic vintages as the wines lack a little ‘core’ so this why I didn’t go too early.”
The 2014:“I started the 13th September, but it was just a quick 6 day harvest. I saw 40-60% loss in bourgogne. I have 3 parcels in Poruzots, the two higher ones were hardly touched, the lower, only 20m lower, had virtually no leaves and lost 70%. Genevrières lost about 10%. Quality; the wines have not bad material, perhaps a hint less precise than 2013, but they are tasting quite well at the moment…”
Prices:“We try to add 2-3% per year to cover the general inflation, it was more like 8% when we were hailed. For the 2013s, 3 cuvées went up the rest stayed the same. For the 2014s, all the wines will go up a little., overall it could be between 5-8%….”
The wines…
The wines were racked, part into tank, just before the harvest. Antoine is planning to bottle next year around March to April. Simply a first-class result here.
2014 Aligoté
In tank, it will soon be bottled having spent a year in 6 and 7 year-old barrels.
Wide, a silky weight with an undertow of sweetness. Nice minerality with a core of sweetness that has an engaging dry/acid balance – and balance is the word. Fresh and yum!
Half in tank, this tasted from barrel. Only Meursault vines here, from 4 parcels.
Deep, a hint tight. Lovely flavour, wide and a little cushioned, but lovely modest complexity. Very tasty wine indeed, not super-acid/energy, just super wine.
2014 Meursault En La Barre
More aromatic weight, good complexity too. Silky, some modest sucrosity, a little richness, but here is also plenty of material.
2014 Meursault Les Tillets
Higher tones but also faint reduction. More mineral and a slowly growing weight of mid-palate flavour. More energetic than the Barre, fine growth of flavour in the finish too. A wine for a different dinner plate.
2012 was the first vintage, 2 barrels. No hail there but lots of mildew that year – it didn’t make a difference to the flavour, but a big difference to the volume. Came from wife’s family – also have also Derrière Chez Eduard and Perrières now.
More herb, green herb, almost spicy, iodine and citrus. In the mouth this is broad but fresh, super intensity, both in the mid-palate and finish – this is really excellent!
2014 St.Aubin 1er Perrière
Here more clay versus the sandy soil of Clou.
Perfumed and floral. Wide, a hint more richness, floral in the finish too. Again excellent but I’ve a preference for the Clous.
2014 Puligny-Montrachet Le Trezin
A richer, more enveloping nose, not fully open. More sweetness but it’s detailed and complex. A fine balance here, fresh and a hint mineral – more than a hint in the finish, yet also rounder in the finish too – lovely…
2014 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Champs Gains
3 ouvrées. ‘For me ‘atypique’ for the domaine as these vines were treated with herbicide before I bought the plot. The first ploughing was very difficult as the roots are at the surface. I’ve tried, but I’m not satisfied so will replant after the 2016 vintage. Yes there’s some richness on the nose, it’s powerful but not the precision I want so I would rather start from zero.
Some richness and a fine floral note, violets but mixed with honey! In the mouth there’s a fine structure though and a slightly honied flavour. Reasonable length too…
2014 Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru
A part of 60 year-old vines plus dome from 2009.
Just a little reduced. Some gas but also a very fine, direct, and chiseled flavour. Chiseled indeed and faintly lemon accented, a wine of detail not weight – absolutely lovely finesse…
A deeper nose, perhaps also just a little tight, warm green herb below. Super freshness coupled to energy and complexity – all admirably balanced. Bravo! – beautiful wine! Flavours leach from your tongue for minutes afterwards…
2014 Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières
A fresh top note but like a few here, still aromatically tight from the pre-vendanges racking. Just a little richness cushions the acidity and minerality. A super, slowly developing mid-palate peak of flavour. Yum.