Patrick Javillier

From two hectares to a name people know

The story begins in 1945. Raymond Javillier returned from the war and inherited a small plot of land that had long been owned by the Javillier family in Meursault, a vineyard spanning approximately 2 hectares.

1974 was the year everything began to change. When Patrick Javillier returned after obtaining the Diplôme National d'Œnologie, his father handed over management of the estate, and for the first time, he took sole responsibility for the harvest and winemaking. It is generally believed that he worked as a wine broker before devoting himself to the estate.

From the 1980s through the early 1990s, Patrick and his wife, Catherine, steadily acquired vineyards and also purchased some plots from Catherine's family. Starting in 1990, they began bottling wines under their own label directly at the estate.

The transition of management to the next generation took place in two stages. Marion, Patrick's eldest daughter, joined the business in 2005 after studying business administration, winemaking, and viticulture, and took charge of red wine production, aging, and sales. In 2011, Pierre-Emmanuel Lamy, who was married to Laurène, Marion's younger sister, joined the business and took charge of vineyard management and white wine production.

Marion and Pierre-Emmanuel represent the third generation. Although Patrick no longer spends day and night at the winery, the wines still fully embody the distinctive character he instilled in them.

The vineyards

Domaine Patrick Javillier cultivates 11 hectares of vines in the Côte de Beaune, and these plots are not located in a single contiguous area. The plots are scattered across five communes, stretching from Puligny-Montrachet in the south to Pernand-Vergelesses, with Meursault, Savigny-lès-Beaune, and Aloxe-Corton located in between.

These scattered plots result in 14 appellations spread across 11 hectares, which places a significant administrative burden on small wineries. The estate's holdings span the entire classification system: from regional appellations, including the relatively recently designated Bourgogne Côte d'Or, to village appellations, and finally to Premier Cru and Grand Cru.

For the top classifications, the domaine owns only one Premier Cru parcel and one Grand Cru parcel, the latter of which is located in Corton-Charlemagne.

Terroir: why Meursault whites vary so much

Meursault spans approximately 400 hectares of vineyards in the Côte de Beaune region, which is by no means homogeneous. The soil types vary, the sun exposure differs from one area to another, and each section of the slope has its own unique microclimate. As a result, wines produced from adjacent vineyards can taste noticeably different.

Rather than trying to standardize this diversity, Javillier actively embraces these characteristics. Through its widely distributed plots ranging from Puligny-Montrachet to Pernand-Vergelesses, the domaine has secured several distinctive sections within the Côte de Beaune region, each with its own unique soil and sun exposure. Furthermore, the winemaking process is designed to allow these differences to shine through rather than blending them away.

Two grape varieties

White wines are made exclusively from Chardonnay, including Bourgogne Côte d'Or and Cuvée Oligocène, while red wines are made exclusively from Pinot Noir.

Winemaking

White grapes are sorted immediately after harvest and then transported straight to the winery, where it is fed into a pneumatic press (a press that gently squeezes the grapes using an expanding bladder). The juice is then transferred to oak barrels for fermentation.

The fermentation process is carried out entirely by the fruit and the natural yeasts already present in the winery. Malolactic fermentation, which converts sharp malic acid into mild lactic acid, is allowed to proceed until it is fully complete. Afterward, the wine is aged in oak barrels for 16 to 18 months along with the lees (the residue of spent yeast).

At Domaine Patrick Javillier, the red wine production process differs. The grape clusters are completely destemmed before undergoing natural fermentation in concrete tanks.

In the vineyard, the family works with the environment in mind, striking a balance between sustainability and quality rather than treating either as an absolute priority. Extended aging and the use of natural yeast are the two key elements that drive most of the process.

The wines

The domain's lineup is ranges from village wines from various communes, the Premier Cru and Grand Cru plots, and the Pinot Noir red wine.

The Grand Cru wine is the Corton-Charlemagne. It measures 0.17 hectares and comes from Les Pougets on the Aloxe-Corton side of the hill, which is south-facing on clay-limestone. 

The Premier Cru wines is the Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes. 0.06 hectares, producing around 400 bottles. 

The village wines are Meursault Tête de Murger, Les Tillets, Clos du Cromin, Les Clousots, Puligny-Montrachet Les Lévrons and Savigny Montchenevoy.

And there is the Bourgogne Côte D'Or Cuvée Oligocène is a regional wine made from 100% Chardonnay;

Bourgogne Côte d'Or is a relatively new appellation; since it restricts local Burgundy wines to grapes grown exclusively within the Côte d'Or itself, it ranks one level above standard Bourgogne Blanc. For many wine enthusiasts, this wine serves as an entry-level option to experience the winery's style.