DOMAINE HENRI GERMAIN ET FILS
Meursault
Based in Meursault the domaine was set up by Henri Germain in 1973. It is now his son, Jean-François Germain, who manages the 7 hectares of vineyard spread around Meursault, Chassagne-Montrachet and Beaune. In 2018, Jean-François was joined by his daughter, Lucie.
Most of the production comes from Premier Cru vineyards in Meursault including the Meursault Premier Cru Perrières, and the thought after Meursault Premier Cru Les Charmes.
The admiration that Jean-François Germain receives in the region speaks volumes about the quality of the wines produced at this address. Producers such as Olivier Lamy, Thierry Pillot and Charles Lachaux have regularly made the claim that the wines of Jean-François are the best in Meursault! Germain wines are elegant and fine while displaying incredible richness, complexity and depth of flavor.
In the Vineyard
Jean-François methods in the vineyard are very traditional. He follows organic farming principles and plough the soils. Yields are kept low and the vineyards are mostly worked is done by hand.
The grapes are hand-harvested.
In the Cellar
In the cellar, Jean-François keeps interference to a minimum.
In his cold cellar, the alcoholic fermentation can take months and the malolactic fermentation are often late.
The wines are aged on their lees and never racked. Aging lasts 18 months for the village wines and a full 22 months for the remaining wines.
New wood is used very sparingly, just to replace barrels sold when they get to ten years old. When it comes to choosing his barrels Jean-François uses a number of coopers including the Meursault based Tonnellerie Damy, Seguin-Moreau, Rousseau and François Frères.
The wines are rarely fined or filtered before bottling.
“The more Germain wines I drink, the more I admire them”
Meursault 1er Cru
Les Perrières
This Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières comes from a 0.12-hectare plot. The vines here are planted on soils made up of limestone debris.
Meursault 1er Cru
Les Charmes
Germain owns six small parcels across both the lower and upper parts of the vineyard of Les Charmes but most are at the top of the climat adjoining the Puligny 1er Crus. The youngest vines here are 35 years old.
Meursault 1er Cru
Les Poruzots
Germain owns a small 0.25-hectare parcel of 35-year-old vines in the vineyard of Les Poruzots.
His plot sits in the upper part of Le Poruzot Dessus, under the Narvaux terroir, and was inherited from Jean-François' father-in-law, François Jobard of now Domaine Antoine Jobard.
Meursault Village
Le Limozin
Limozin is a beautifully positioned site, that lies under the 1er Crus of Les Charmes, Les Genevrières and Les Poruzots. Germain's clay-rich terroir and low-yielding 75-year-old vines, make a deep and intense Meusault bottling.
Meursault Village
Les Chevalières
The chalky Les Chevalières lieu-dit sits just above the village, right next to Les Rougeots, and regularly makes wines that could easily justify a 1er Cru classification. Germain has recently replanted a section of vines here.
Meursault Village
Clos des Mouches
Meursault Village Clos des Mouches is a tiny monopole of Domine Henri Germain, entirely planted with Pinot Noir. The 0.5-hectare plot lies near the Volnay border, south of Les Santenots. The vines here were planted in 1949 and produce very low yields (under 25 hl/ha in a good year).
Meursault Village
This village Meursault is a blend of some of the best lieux-dit vineyard sites; Clos du Cromin, Dressoles and Les Pellans. The average age of the vines in these plots is 65 years old.
Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Morgeot Les Fairendes
This wine is the only white that does not come from Meursault at this address.
Les Fairendes is situated just below Les Caillerets and is told to be the finest climat of Morgeot. Germain’s plot lies in the upper sector of the vineyard, above the main road on the poorer, white soils.
Jean-Francois only started to write the vineyard’s name on his label in 2012.
Beaune 1er Cru
Bressandres
The vineyard of Bressandes lies not too far from Corton, high on the slopes above Beaune. The vines here were planted between 1960 and 1965.
Bourgogne Blanc
The Bourgogne Blanc is a blend of 4 parcels adding up to around 1 hectare of vines. 3 parcels in Meursault: Les Belles Côtes, just below Meursault Chevalières, Au Jardin, and Petit Clos, the latter a beautiful patch of vines and a true Clos, right next to the winery, in the centre of Meursault. The fourth parcel of vines is located in Chassagne.
