Visit Domaine Antoine Jobard – tasting of the 2015s from cask

I do have my favourite estates in Burgundy – and Domaine Antoine Jobard is certainly one of them. I have tasted, enjoyed, engulfed and consumed many bottles from this estate – hence I have tasted a lot of the wines produced over the last 10 years and some even further back.

To me this estate is the solid rock to cling to in times of trouble …. These wines are dependable in the best possible meaning of the word – they always deliver top quality at a quite fair price.

I do love the focused and mineral style – without the lush exotic fruit found in so many young white Burgundies these days (apparently to please consumers in other regions of the world). The Antoine Jobard wines are the real deal … they are steely, slightly strict in their youth, very mineral driven and require time to unfold great complexity – but when they do – they maintain the refined minerally focused style, adding layers of complexity as the wines ages. These are understated purist wines, for those who value terroir, refinement and focus.

Despite my passion for these wines – my March 2017 visit to Domaine Antoine Jobard was my first – and most likely and hopefully not my last at this fine estate.

A bit of history of Domaine Antoine Jobard

The Jobard name has been present in Meursault since the French revolution, and the Domaine Antoine Jobard goes back at least five generations.

Antoine Jobard is now running the estate – he joined his father, François in 2002, when the estate was called .. François Jobard. When Antoine joined the estate the name was adjusted to François et Antoine Jobard – until 2007 when the label was redesigned and the name with it – to Domaine Antoine Jobard.

Going further back in time François began working with his father Pierre Jobard in 1957, who was running the estate his father (also called Pierre) had continued from his parents. According to Clive Coates¹ the estate dates back to the aftermath of the phylloxera crisis … although the details are not very clear.

François worked with his father until 1971 when the family estate was split between him and his older brother Charles Jobard (the father of Remi Jobard of Domaine Remi Jobard).

Estate bottling began in the mid 1970s, before this most was sold to negociant.

The current Domaine Antoine Jobard

While I seem to have consumed a vast number of bottles from this fine estate – the production is relatively limited – as this is a rather small estate – although expanded somewhat over the years.

The full area is now around 7 ha – with some recent additions².

The vineyard holdings² – mainly owned plots – include the following 1er crus:

• Puligny-Montrachet Les Champ-Gains, 0.13 ha
• Meursault Les Cru Charmes, 0.25 ha
• Meursault Les Genevrières, 0.54 ha
• Meursault Les Poruzot, 0.79 ha
• Meursault-Blagny 1er Cru 0.50 ha
• Saint Aubin Sur Sentier du Clos, 0.40 ha
• Saint Aubin Les Perrieres, 0.06 ha

At village level:

• Meursault Les Tillets, 0.66 ha
• Meursault En La Barre 1.62 ha
• Meursault – Chaumes des Perrieres, Les Corbins and Sous la Velle 0.29 ha
• Puligny-Montrachet Le Trezin 0.17 ha.

At AOC level:

• Aligote, 0.20 ha
• Bourgogne Blanc, 1.07 ha

Tasting of the 2015s from Domaine Antoine Jobard

The style of this estate is the perfect match for the rich and generous 2015 vintage – the mineral and steely style brings focus and freshness to the 2015s … hence finding a lovely balance in the wines.Expectations were therefore high when entering the cellar …. I was not disappointed!

The first wine – the Bourgogne Blanc 2015 – offered a lovely balance. Quite reduced with a cool white fruit for the vintage … nice vibrant freshness – lovely detail for this level, offering a nice detailed mid-palate fruit and a nice focused citrus infused finish with a nice touch of minerality. This may only be a Bourgogne Blanc – but it certainly has a nice impression of terroir. Good (84 – 86p)

Next up the Meursault Tillet 2015 – from a Lieu-dit quite high on the slope. The nose offer nice relatively cool fruit – quite reduced – hints of gun-powder and stony minerality. On the palate, quite generous – yet both very fresh and focused with a lovely balance. A very delicate and detailed wine for the vintage. Very Good (88 – 89p).

The main village is Meursault En La Barre 2015 with 1.6 ha .. a lieu-dit located just behind the Jobard estate in Meursault. This is more forward with less reduction present – lovely fresh fruit – a nice mineral touch with a fresh citrus reference. On the palate, lovely acidity for the vintage – lovely relatively cool fruit and focus – offering a more complete wine than Les Tillets. Very Good (89 – 90p)

Moving to Saint Aubin Sur Le Sentier du Clou – a 1er vineyard located above Les Perriéres and Les Frionnes close to/above the village of Saint-Aubin. A fine detailed nose with predominant white fruit – reductive with hints of gun-powder – nice deep minerality. On the palate, quite intense yet cool offering a lovely freshness and focus for the vintage – fine citrus infused minerality in the finish … a very good Saint Aubin for the vintage. Very Good+ (89 – 91p)

The Meursault Blagny is a further step up and a more rich and generous wine. The nose offer white and yellow orchard fruits – a bit more exotic ripe fruit – nice citrus infused minerality applying both structure and freshness. On the palate – fruit feels slightly warmer than the previous wines – yet the acidity is crisp for the vintage and with the minerality it creates a good energy and feeling of freshness. Very Good++ (90 – 91p)

To the big guns …. first is the Meursault Poruzots 2015 – a very elegant Poruzot with a lovely freshness for the vintage. The nose is offering pure and ripe white and yellow orchard fruits – white peach and pear – fine detailed minerality and a quite firm reductive note. On the palate, beautifully balanced and quite generous with a nice mineral focus. Fine+ (91 – 93p)

Moving up to the Meursault Genevrieres 2015 – a generous and refined wine for the vintage. The nose offer rich and quite cool fruit for the vintage – citrus and mineral infused – very detailed and filigree. On the palate, quite intense and rich – with a nice firm focusing minerality. Offer a lovely balance for the vintage – generous yet still balanced and focused – Very Fine (93p)

Finally – the Meursault Charmes 2015 – a quite expressive and very generous wine. The nose is quite forward – notes of lime, white peach, hint of ginger … almost seductive with a detailed or even filigree minerality. On the palate rich, balanced with an intense and quite weighty fruit – lovely saline minerality and a nice tension and energy. A very harmonious Charmes in the making – Very Fine (93 – 94p)

References & Sources:

1. Clive Coates, Côte D’Or, A Celebration of the Great wines of Burgundy (1997)
2. Kermit Lynch website