Domaine Dujac in Burgundy
The Domaine Dujac is based in Morey-Saint-Denis in France. The vineyard areas extend across the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune, including parcels in Puligny-Montrachet.
History and vineyard work
Jacques Seysses founded the domaine in 1968 after purchasing the Domaine Graillet in Morey-Saint-Denis and renamed it Domaine Dujac. Jeremy Seysses joined in 1998, Diana Seysses in 2001 and Alec Seysses in 2003.
Organic farming was extended to the entire domaine by 2008; in 2011 it received certification for organic agriculture. In the vineyards, biodynamic methods are used; the soils are worked with the plough without herbicides. The vines are trained according to Cordon de Royat or Guyot-Poussard, and if needed green pruning is carried out.
Parcels and grape varieties
For red wines, Pinot Noir is documented, for white wines Chardonnay. The Clos Saint-Denis parcel is on a slope facing east to south-east with a gradient of 13 per cent, at around 284 to 309 metres above sea level. Its brown-red soils contain limestone; in the subsoil there is Premeaux limestone and calcareous rubble from Comblanchien limestone.
The Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Combettes parcel is on a slope facing south-east with an average gradient of about nine per cent and at around 249 to 264 metres above sea level. Its topsoil layer contains limestone, silt, sand and loam over Pierre-de-Chassagne limestone.
Winemaking and maturation
In general, the domaine vinifies with whole grapes and little or no destemming, depending on the vintage, and ferments with natural yeasts. Fermentation lasts for about two weeks: after a slight pushing down, a gentler remontage follows towards the end.
After gentle pressing in a pneumatic press, the wines reach the cellar by gravity and mature for around 14 to 18 months in oak barrels. Vinification and maturation are comparatively straightforward and restrained, designed to express origin, vintage and terroir.
