Alain Jeanniard

The Climb

From 2000, Alain Jeanniard began by managing the parcels of Mazis-Chambertin and Clos de la Roche at Hospices de Beaune. That work put him inside vineyards with established reputations and demanded close attention to nuance, timing, and the discipline needed to work land that already speaks loudly.

Today

He is the winemaker of Domaine Alain Jeanniard in Morey-Saint-Denis, France. In that village setting, the work stays with the fundamentals: reading the season, judging maturity, and keeping interference low so the vineyard can come through in the bottle.

Signature

Alain's signature wines include Morey-Saint-Denis Vieilles Vignes, Les Combottes Premier Cru, Les Damodes Premier Cru, and Les Chenevery Premier Cru. Together, they outline the domaine’s register of place: each bottling tied to a specific lieu-dit or climat, each relying on cultivation and restraint rather than embellishment. Read them parcel by parcel, vintage by vintage, and the logic of the cellar becomes clearer.

In Their Words “I always harvest late, a bit like Laurent Ponsot.” “Good maturity is something I like.”

Recognition

“I always harvest late, a bit like Laurent Ponsot.” That line names a deliberate picking style, one that favors waiting over speed. “Good maturity is something I like.” The phrase is plain, but the practice it points to is specific: ripeness, balance, and fruit taken only when it has reached the point he trusts.