Domaine Jean-Marc Vincent

Anne-Marie and Jean-Marc Vincent inherited most of their vines, principally located in and around the village of Santenay in the southern Côte de Beaune, from Jean-Marc’s grandfather, André Bardollet-Bravard. They produce three premier cru reds and two premier cru whites from Santenay, in addition to a red and a white Auxey-Duresses. The Vincent wines are characterized by rich, layered fruit, intense expression of individual terroir, and solid structure.

Their Auxey-Duresses Blanc “Les Hautés,” which thankfully happens to be their highest production wine (that is, more than two barrels produced), is a gem and a role model for other producers of the appellation. This is the wine that first attracted Kermit to the domaine. “I had rarely had an Auxey-Duresses that excited my taste buds,” he said, “I knew I was on to something.” And indeed it reaches the heights of many a white Burgundy with a greater pedigree. It also evolves well in one’s cellar. The Vincents’ wine operation is a family affair and A-M and J-M split their time between the vineyards, cellars and their young children. Their miniscule production always sells out quickly to a small group of devoted clients. All of their wines are a testament to the importance of vigneron talent in a given appellation. While a great vigneron can make over-achievers from any appellation, a great appellation will never be great in the hands of mediocrity.

Technical Information

Wine	Blend	Vine Age	Soil Type	Vineyard Area*
Bourgogne Blanc	Chardonnay	11 years	Clay, Limestone	.30 ha
Auxey-Duresses Blanc Les Hautés	Chardonnay	20, 55 years	Marly Limestone	.90 ha
Santenay Blanc	Chardonnay	10 years	Clay, Limestone	.13 ha
Santenay Blanc Les Potets	Chardonnay	45 years	Clay, Limestone	.23 ha
Santenay Blanc 1er Cru Le Beaurepaire	Chardonnay	11 years	Marly Limestone	.27 ha
Santenay Blanc 1er Cru Les Gravières	Chardonnay	60 years	Clay, Limestone	.06 ha
Montagny Blanc 1er Cru	Chardonnay	40 years	Clay, Limestone	.47 ha
Puligny-Montrachet Corvée des Vignes	Chardonnay	40 years	Silt	.25 ha
Santenay Rouge	Pinot Noir	50 years	Clay, Limestone	.60 ha
Santenay Rouge “Gravité”	Pinot Noir	70 years	Clay, Limestone	.60 ha
Santenay Rouge 1er Cru Le Beaurepaire	Pinot Noir	11 years	Marly Limestone	.45 ha
Santenay Rouge 1er Cru Le Passetemps	Pinot Noir	7 - 50 years	Clay, Limestone	.81 ha
Santenay Rouge 1er Cru Les Gravières	Pinot Noir	50 - 60 years	Clay, Limestone	1.23 ha
Auxey-Duresses Rouge 1er Cru Les Bretterins	Pinot Noir	50 years	Clay, Limestone	.21 ha
Bourgogne Aligoté “Soler’Al”	Aligoté	n/a	Clay, limestone	n/a
* "ha" = hectares; one hectare equals roughly two and a half acres

VITICULTURE / VINIFICATION

• All grapes are harvested by hand, with several passes through the vineyard to pick grapes at the optimal point of maturity

• Sorting happens in the vineyard with each grape being inspected by the harvesters

• The goal of the vinification and aging is to let the wine develop at a very slow pace
• Vinification without sulfur, small amount of sulfur added at bottling

Whites:

• Grapes are pressed immediately after harvest under low pressure and must is transferred by gravity to new oak casks for fermentation

• Wines are aged in 10% new oak barrels

• Wines are never racked

• Wines are aged for a minimum of 15 months

• Lees are stirred 3 or 4 times per month up until Spring, then left on the lees until aging is finished

• Bourgogne Blanc is sourced from the southwestern stretches of Chassagne-Montrachet, near the village of Remigny

• Montagny Blanc 1er Cru: A blend of 1er cru L’Épaule with a small percentage of 1er cru Creux de Beauchamp

Bourgogne Aligoté “Soler’Al”:

• A blend of several vintages of Aligoté. “Soler” as in solera, “Al”, as in Aligoté.
• Grapes are harvested late compared to other varieties, and are vinified without sulfur
• After one year in barrel, new vintages are added each year, thus adding their unique characteristics, and enriching the wine
• 10-15% of the solera wine is pulled and bottled each year

Reds:

• 30 to 60% of grapes are de-stemmed (depending on parcel and vintage)

• Grapes undergo a slow, temperature controlled maceration for 20 days

• Wine is aged in 25% new oak barrels

• Wines are never racked

• Wines are aged for a minimum of 15 months

• Santenay Rouge “Gravité”: Vinification entirely done by gravity, aged for 20 months, blend of AOC Santenay, 1er Cru Le Passetemps, 1er Cru Les Gravières