Domaine Jean Grivot

The evolution of this domaine over the past decade has been remarkable. Etienne joined his father Jean in the 1980s, having already persuaded him to abandon chemical fertilizers a couple of years previously. In his formative years, he was a fan of long cold soaks and made wines of certain robustness. Gradually, over time, as he mellowed into middle age and his vineyards began to flourish without their reliance on chemicals, so his winemaking became gentler. Since the mid-noughties, the wines have become more refined, more fragrant and more sumptuous, impressive expressions of both their cépage and their terroir. Today, the domaine is one of the finest in the village, and it enters the next phase of its life in excellent health. The next phase is the transition to the next generation, namely Etienne’s children, Mathilde and Hubert, with Mathilde, the eldest by three years, taking the lead in the cellar. And one can’t mention this domaine without mentioning the breathtaking, towering new building that soars into the sky from the domaine to overlook the vineyards of the village with majestic authority. With a glass of Beaux Monts in your hand and some barbecued suckling pig on your plate as the sun sets in the distance, life is not too bad. Jumpers for goalposts.