2017 Jean-Jacques Girard Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France

Jean-Jacques Girard’s family was growing grapes in Savigny-lès-Beaune back in 1529. That, as the French say, is ‘formidable’ and would make the domaine one of the oldest in Burgundy.

But really what matters to us today is what happened to the domain in the past generation. Until the late 90s, Jean-Jacques father, Georges, ran the Domaine Girard-Vollot with infectious good humor, bringing his two sons, Jean-Jacques and Phillipe, into the business as they came of age. But when father bowed out, the sons soon saw that each had his own vision and style, and the domaine was split, pretty much down the middle.

The original domain was about 38 acres. And since the split, Jean-Jacques has built his holdings back to over 40 acres, making it one of the most impressive domains in Savigny. He has been a busy man in the process, adding to his impressive array of Savigny 1er Cru vineyards with parcels in Pernand Vergelesses 1er Cru in red and white, a Beaune 1er Cru ‘Clos du Roi’, some Volnay and Pommard and a little jewel in Corton-Charlemagne.

Savigny les Beaune lies in a peaceful valley rimmed in hardwood forest. The soil make-up under the rim ranges from crumbly shale to compact clay, and expositions range from north-east to full south, giving incredible diversity within a relatively small zone. Generally, however, Savigny produces some of the most perfumed wines of the Cote d’Or, both red and white.