2000 Henri Jayer Echezeaux

Domaine Henri Jayer in Vosne-Romanee earned its reputation as one of the stars of Burgundy under the tutelage of the late Henri Jayer, who died in 2006. Though the domaine is only about 20 acres in size, it produces rich, opulent wines that impress collectors and wine writers. Jayer himself became a winemaker almost by accident. During WWII he was asked to take care of the vineyards of M. Camuzet, then mayor of Vosne. He later earned a degree in viticulture at the University of Dijon and became the winemaker for two of his brothers, Georges and Lucien. Henri Jayer’s wines began earning attention in the late 1970s when he changed in vinification methods and began de-stemming the grapes, as well as using new oak. He also quit filtering his wines. Today the domaine is run by Emmanuel Rouget, Jayer’s nephew.

Echezeaux is a 93-acre Grand Cru vineyard on the southern edge of the Cote de Nuits. It up the slope from Clos de Vougeot and Grands Echezeaux and is one of the largest grand crus in Burgundy. The vineyard varies in elevation from 250 to 300 meters, and the terroir includes significant clay as well as thin, rocky soil. The largest proprietors are Domaine de la Romanee Conti, with 11.68 acres; Mongeard-Mugneret with 6.25 acres, and Emmanuel-Rouget, with 3.58 acres. Echezeaux produces red wine.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.