Jouveaux
Alexandre Jouveaux makes wine in a small cellar in Burgundy's Mâconnais, in the village of Uchizy and bottles it without any additives. This is not merely a marketing strategy. Because he has a sulfite allergy that prevents him from drinking most Burgundy wines, he has been making wines that he can actually drink ever since he produced his first vintage around the turn of the millennium.
He is famous for his Chardonnay. The grapes from the old vines in his scattered vineyards, many of which are situated on the edge of the forest, are pressed directly into old wooden barrels, where the wine is left to age on its lees until he deems it ready. Depending on the year, he also produces small quantities of Gamay and Pinot Noir.
From Paris fashion shoots to a Mâconnais village
Before venturing into the wine business, Jouveaux worked as a fashion photographer in Paris and is known to have built a successful career in every respect. In the mid-1990s, dreaming of a rural lifestyle and wanting to make the kind of wine he enjoyed drinking, he quit his job.
Due to a sulphite allergy, his options quickly narrowed. Since most Burgundy wines were simply undrinkable for him, the project took a practical turn: he decided not to use any additives whatsoever, starting with the first vintage released at the dawn of the new millennium.
He settled in Uchizy with his wife, Maryse Chatelin, who runs Domaine des Fauvettes. Over the next two decades or so, Jouveaux built a reputation based on a small number of barrels produced each year, rather than on production volume or the name of a famous appellation.
Two and a half hectares, in pieces
Jouveaux cultivates approximately 2.5 hectares of old vineyards, which are not concentrated in a single block. Some small plots are located right next to Uchizy, while others are more widely scattered around the Mâcon area.
The common thread tying these areas together is a preference for isolation. He seeks out secluded vineyards surrounded by forests and, rather than growing a single crop in neat rows, strives to preserve as much biodiversity as possible both within and around the vines.
This is a rather labor-intensive farming method, as there are many small plots, and each must be managed separately. However, since the wine is named after its place of origin, these plots give the cuvée its unique identity.
The terroir
Across Jouveaux's parcels, the soil consists primarily of limestone. This is reflected in the wine's citrus aromas and its stony, mineral-driven edge, characteristics that people commonly recognize in this wine.
The Mâconnais region has a warmer and milder climate than the famous slopes of Burgundy to the north. Combined with a long aging period in oak barrels, this results in a white wine with intense vibrancy and lingering acidity.
These wines are made with long-term aging in mind. While they display vibrancy and tension in their youth, they truly reveal their full potential only after aging in the cellar and spending time in a decanter.
The grape varieties
- Chardonnay: The flagship grape variety and the reason most people know the name Jouveaux
- Pinot Noir: Produced in small quantities
- Gamay: Also produced in small quantities and not every year
Red wine is more of a side business than a second main product.
The winemaking
The grapes are sent directly to the press, and the juice is immediately transferred to old foudres, large wooden barrels from which the oak aroma has long since faded. From that point on, almost no further processing is intentionally performed.
The wine is left undisturbed with its lees for as long as Jouveaux deems necessary. There is no set schedule. Once the wine is ready, it is bottled directly from the barrels using gravity, and no additives are introduced at any stage.
This is the entire winemaking process, made possible only by the quality of the fruit and the meticulous cultivation process. Nothing is adjusted later on. Furthermore, since the cuvée leaves the cellar only when it is ready, this is why production volumes are low and the release schedule is unhurried.
The wines
Jouveaux's cuvées are named after the vineyard plots. Among the white wines are Prety and Le Mont, and there is also a red wine made from Pinot Noir grapes. In addition, various cuvées, such as La Vigne du Clou, are released depending on the vintage and vineyard.
Overall, production volumes are extremely low. Each cuvée is produced from a small vineyard, aged according to its own schedule, and released only when it is deemed ready. This means that the lineup varies from vintage to vintage.
Those new to these wines should be aware that they reveal their true character slowly. When opened while young, they may seem tight and restrained, but as they are exposed to air or given time, they gradually reveal their true potential.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Alexandre Jouveaux based?
In Uchizy, a village in the Mâconnais, in the south of Burgundy. His cellar is small and the vineyards are split across several parcels in the surrounding area.
Why are the wines made without added sulphites?
Jouveaux is allergic to sulphites himself, which ruled out most Burgundy as a drinker. He has bottled without additives since his first vintage.
What is he best known for?
Chardonnay. The whites are mineral, high-acid and built for keeping, and they make up the bulk of the production, with occasional small cuvées of Pinot Noir and Gamay.
Is the domaine connected to Domaine des Fauvettes?
Jouveaux lives in Uchizy with Maryse Chatelin, who runs Domaine des Fauvettes. They are separate estates.
