Henri Jayer
Encyclopedia
Henri Jayer was a French
vintner
who is credited with introducing important innovations to Burgundian
winemaking
. He was particularly known for the quality of his Pinot Noir
. Jayer was born in Vosne-Romanée
. He attended the University of Dijon in the 1940s and earned a degree in oenology
. Using a 7.4 acres (3 ha) inheritance that included parcels in the Échezeaux
and Beaux Monts vineyards, Jayer began producing wine under his own label in the 1950s. Henri Jayer wines are now highly sought after and renowned for their balance and elegance, as well as their lushness and concentration. One bottle sells for thousands of dollars.
.
”A great wine is crafted in the vineyard; not in the cellar”.
- Henri Jayer
Jayer opposed extensive use of chemicals in vineyards and advocated plowing to control weed
s. Jayer was fiercely dedicated to improving vineyard techniques, believing that low yields are the foundation of truly great wines. Jayer was equally famous for his refusal to filter his wines and known to always destemming his grapes in contrast to habits of other growers in Burgundy that even today let stems go through the crusher when vintages does not provide enough tannin
s. This has the side effect of adding tannins with more green and bitter character which Jayer detested. Jayer also invented a new technique called cold-soak that is a pre-maceration
avoiding spontaneous fermentation at temperature of about 10 oC for 1-4 days. The method aims to extract more fruit, complex aromas, color, less harsh tannins and add more nose to wines. This is done directly after destemming and crushing the grapes, which was a startling innovation that worked wonderfully; today, cold-soaking is a common practice.
His minimalistic approach produced wines of undisguised purity and maximum expression of the unique characteristics of each of his vineyards. He is especially famous for doing wonders with a in a tiny parcel of the premier cru Cros-Parantoux - a very small vineyard (only 1.01 heactares) of Vosne-Romanée
at a high altitude above the famous grand cru vineyard Richebourg
. This vineyard at the time had low reputation and was considered too much work and not worth bothering with. The soil consisted of very thin layer of clay limestone sitting on a bed of rock. The soil is very poor, it is very rocky and very cold. Jayer understood early that these conditions made up for a very good natural and fresh acidity in wines. In collaboration with Madame Noirot-Camuzet, who owned the vineyard, Jayer took care of her vineyards (beginning after the war in 1945) and for that was offered to keep half of the harvest for himself. As is the custom of Burgundy, Jayer bought piece by piece through the years of this vineyard from the Camuzet family and in 1978 he was convinced that the quality was right and decided to produce his first 100% cros-parantoux wines. It was this magic wine that set his reputation in Burgundy and made him a legend.
Jayer made limited quantities of all of his wines (only about 3,500 bottles a year); today, you'll pay $2,700 to $3,800 for a single bottle of 2001 (his last vintage) Henri Jayer Vosne Romanée Cros Parantoux.
of prostate cancer
, aged 84.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
vintner
Vintner
A vintner is a wine merchant. You pronounce it like this In some modern use, in particular in American English, the term is alsoused as a synonym for winemaker....
who is credited with introducing important innovations to Burgundian
Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...
winemaking
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
. He was particularly known for the quality of his Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
. Jayer was born in Vosne-Romanée
Vosne-Romanée
Vosne-Romanée is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in Burgundy in eastern France.-Population:-Wine:It produces the region's most celebrated wines, all made entirely from the Pinot Noir grape: "There can be little doubt that in the firmament of the Cote de nuits, Vosne-Romanée is the brightest...
. He attended the University of Dijon in the 1940s and earned a degree in oenology
Oenology
Oenology,[p] œnology , or enology is the science and study of all aspects of wine and winemaking except vine-growing and grape-harvesting, which is a subfield called viticulture. “Viticulture & oenology” is a common designation for training programmes and research centres that include both the...
. Using a 7.4 acres (3 ha) inheritance that included parcels in the Échezeaux
Échezeaux
Échezeaux is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée and Grand Cru vineyard for red wine in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, with Pinot Noir as the main grape variety. Échezeaux is located within the commune of Flagey-Echézeaux, on a strip of land between the territory of the communes...
and Beaux Monts vineyards, Jayer began producing wine under his own label in the 1950s. Henri Jayer wines are now highly sought after and renowned for their balance and elegance, as well as their lushness and concentration. One bottle sells for thousands of dollars.
Innovations
Jayer pioneered the now-universal idea that great winemaking begins in the vineyardVineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
.
”A great wine is crafted in the vineyard; not in the cellar”.
- Henri Jayer
Jayer opposed extensive use of chemicals in vineyards and advocated plowing to control weed
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
s. Jayer was fiercely dedicated to improving vineyard techniques, believing that low yields are the foundation of truly great wines. Jayer was equally famous for his refusal to filter his wines and known to always destemming his grapes in contrast to habits of other growers in Burgundy that even today let stems go through the crusher when vintages does not provide enough tannin
Tannin
A tannin is an astringent, bitter plant polyphenolic compound that binds to and precipitates proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids.The term tannin refers to the use of...
s. This has the side effect of adding tannins with more green and bitter character which Jayer detested. Jayer also invented a new technique called cold-soak that is a pre-maceration
Maceration (wine)
Maceration is the winemaking process where the phenolic materials of the grape— tannins, coloring agents and flavor compounds— are leached from the grape skins, seeds and stems into the must. Maceration is the process by which the red wine receives its red color, since 99% of all grape juice is...
avoiding spontaneous fermentation at temperature of about 10 oC for 1-4 days. The method aims to extract more fruit, complex aromas, color, less harsh tannins and add more nose to wines. This is done directly after destemming and crushing the grapes, which was a startling innovation that worked wonderfully; today, cold-soaking is a common practice.
His minimalistic approach produced wines of undisguised purity and maximum expression of the unique characteristics of each of his vineyards. He is especially famous for doing wonders with a in a tiny parcel of the premier cru Cros-Parantoux - a very small vineyard (only 1.01 heactares) of Vosne-Romanée
Vosne-Romanée
Vosne-Romanée is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in Burgundy in eastern France.-Population:-Wine:It produces the region's most celebrated wines, all made entirely from the Pinot Noir grape: "There can be little doubt that in the firmament of the Cote de nuits, Vosne-Romanée is the brightest...
at a high altitude above the famous grand cru vineyard Richebourg
Richebourg
-Places:Richebourg is the name of several communes in France:* Richebourg, Haute-Marne, in the Haute-Marne department* Richebourg, Pas-de-Calais, in the Pas-de-Calais department* Richebourg, Yvelines, in the Yvelines department...
. This vineyard at the time had low reputation and was considered too much work and not worth bothering with. The soil consisted of very thin layer of clay limestone sitting on a bed of rock. The soil is very poor, it is very rocky and very cold. Jayer understood early that these conditions made up for a very good natural and fresh acidity in wines. In collaboration with Madame Noirot-Camuzet, who owned the vineyard, Jayer took care of her vineyards (beginning after the war in 1945) and for that was offered to keep half of the harvest for himself. As is the custom of Burgundy, Jayer bought piece by piece through the years of this vineyard from the Camuzet family and in 1978 he was convinced that the quality was right and decided to produce his first 100% cros-parantoux wines. It was this magic wine that set his reputation in Burgundy and made him a legend.
Jayer made limited quantities of all of his wines (only about 3,500 bottles a year); today, you'll pay $2,700 to $3,800 for a single bottle of 2001 (his last vintage) Henri Jayer Vosne Romanée Cros Parantoux.
Later years
In 1996, the French Government told Jayer that he must either retire or forfeit his pension. In response, Jayer transferred his vineyards to his nephew, Emmanuel Rouget, but was still responsible for half the wine being bottled under Rouget's name until 2002. Jayer's last vintage was in 2001. Jayer died in Dijon, FranceDijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
of prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
, aged 84.