Domaine Dujac
Domaine Dujac was founded by someone who had neither a family-owned vineyard nor any connection to the Burgundian lineage. Jacques Seysses started out in the family's cookie business, learned winemaking while working the harvest at Volnay, and purchased an old winery in Morey-Saint-Denis to produce wine properly. Today, the domaine is run by the next generation: Jeremy and Diana Seysses, together with Jeremy's brother Alec, while Jacques and Rosalind continue to lend a hand nearby.
Most of the vineyards are located in Côte de Nuits, with Grand Cru vineyards in Morey-Saint-Denis and the neighboring village, and a small vineyard for white wine in Côte de Beaune. The estate has been certified organic since 2011. The style of the wine is determined first and foremost by the vineyard, and the family makes this with the character of their wines very clear.
The history of domaine Dujac
Jacques Seysses grew up surrounded by wine. His father was an avid foodie and collector who took his son along on every visit to the finest winemakers of the time, and those experiences left a deep impression on him.
After working for several years at his family's biscuit business, Seysses left the company at the age of 25. He studied winemaking alongside Gérard Potel at Domaine de la Pousse d'Or, located in Volnay, and after participating in the 1966 and 1967 harvests, he purchased Domaine Graillet in Morey-Saint-Denis and renamed it Dujac, an abbreviation for du Jacques. The winery's records list the purchase date as 1968.
In 1973, he married Rosalind, who soon became a central figure in the business. The rest of the story is family history.
Jeremy Seysses joined his parents in 1998, followed by his wife, Diana, in 2001, and his brother, Alec, in 2003. These three currently run Domaine Dujac. The most significant changes they've made have taken place in the vineyards rather than the wine cellar, culminating in the acquisition of organic certification in 2011.
Five hectares, then fifteen and a half
Dujac started out small. It grew from 5 hectares in 1968 to 11 hectares in 1977 and 15.5 hectares in 2005; this last sharp increase was partly due to a single large-scale acquisition.
Morey-Saint-Denis remains the estate's home base, but the vineyards have long since expanded beyond the village boundaries into the surrounding Côte de Nuits region.
In 2014, the family acquired vineyards in the Puligny-Montrachet region under a fermage arrangement, a type of lease agreement in which the tenant cultivates the land and retains the harvest. Two Premier Cru vineyards: Folatières and Combettes. This is why the Côte de Nuits estate also holds a Côte de Beaune address.
Two grape varieties
The grapes cultivated are the classic Burgundy grapes:
- Pinot Noir. From the Bourgogne Rouge up through the village and premier cru wines to the grand crus: Clos de la Roche, Clos Saint-Denis, Charmes-Chambertin, Échézeaux, Bonnes-Mares and Chambertin.
- Chardonnay. Jacques Seysses planted some when he bought the property in the late 1960s, and the domaine has a 0.65-hectare village parcel in Morey-Saint-Denis for the white, plus a Bourgogne Blanc.
The winemaking
When Dujac explains their approach, the lack of philosophical rhetoric is surprisingly refreshing. The team meticulously tends to the vines year-round to ensure high-quality grapes reach the winery even in years with unfavorable weather conditions, and the family takes the greatest pride in the consistency across vintages.
Green harvesting, the practice of thinning grape clusters to reduce yield during the summer, is carried out only when circumstances make it absolutely necessary. However, they prefer to work early in the season so that the vines can regulate their own yield. The goal is to minimize last-minute intervention and plan more thoroughly.
The organic certification obtained in 2011 formalized the direction the younger generation had already set. This certification covers all aspects of farming, and the winery believes that the quality of the wine is determined precisely at this stage of cultivation.
The grand cru line-up
Domaine Dujac is best known for its series of red grands crus produced from Côte de Nuits:
- Clos de la Roche
- Clos St. Denis
- Charmes-Chambertin
- Bonnes Mares
- Echezeaux
Alongside these wines are village and premier cru red wines from Vosne-Romanée,, Gevrey Chambertin and Chambolle Musigny.
White wine still accounts for only a small portion of production:
- Morey-Saint-Denis blanc
- Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Les Monts Luisants
- Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes
- Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières
- Bourgogne blanc
The red Pinot Noir from the Côte de Nuits, remains the cornerstone of Dujac.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Domaine Dujac based?
In Morey-Saint-Denis, in the Côte de Nuits. The original property was the Domaine Graillet, bought and renamed by Jacques Seysses.
Who runs Domaine Dujac now?
Jeremy Seysses, his wife Diana and his brother Alec, with founders Jacques and Rosalind Seysses still involved.
Is Domaine Dujac organic?
Yes. The estate obtained organic certification in 2011, the result of a shift in vineyard practice led by the younger generation.
Does Domaine Dujac make white wine?
It does, from Chardonnay in the Puligny-Montrachet premier crus Folatières and Combettes, farmed under a lease taken on in 2014. Volumes are small next to the reds.
What does the name Dujac mean?
It is a contraction of du Jacques, after founder Jacques Seysses.
