From Burgundy to Jura: Domaine Rijckaert Shines
3/17/2025
Florent Rouve (Photo: Terrestrial Wine Co.)
I’m bringing a slight change to my normal Monday Burgundy email, today Jura meets Burgundy by way of Domaine Rijckaert. Founded by Jean Rijckaert in 1998 after a decade working around the Mâcon, he was able to get 4 hectares of top-quality vines in Viré. Today, Burgundian winemakers such as Theo Dancer, Pierre Vincent Giradin, and many others are looking East and making wines from the Jura but back in the late ‘90s Jean was one of the earliest to do so. At the time it was still possible to obtain reasonably priced vineyards and Jean purchased 5 hectares of vines in and around Arbois. In doing so he opened a second cellar in Villette-Les-Arbois to handle all of his Jura production. Jean makes his wines in Burgundy and the Jura with the same philosophy: organic farming with a focus on biodiversity in the vines and hands off winemaking, this allows the terroir of each respective region to shine in his wines.
The Vines of "Le Sarres" a parcel blended into the Cotes de Jura Savagnin (Photo: Julian Smedley)
Without an heir, in 2013 Jean began passing the torch to his longtime understudy Florent Rouve. Today, Florent is in full control of the estate, overseeing all farming and production in both the Mâcon and Jura. The style has remained the same with Florent continues on right were Jean left off. The estate is white-wine focused with a true gentle approach. All wines are fermented using native yeast and the lees are only disturbed during racking, wines are aged a minimum of 15-18 months before bottling and only old wood is used throughout (5+ years old). For both regions the wines lean towards a fresh, clean style, one that I would argue is a great introduction into the Jura which can sometimes be more oxidative or “funky.”
Today showcased side by side are some of the newest releases from Domaine Rijckaert from both the Jura and Burgundy, tasting these last week I was blow away by the finesse of these wines, each distinctive in its own identity and at a price point that makes you want to stock up and build a mixed case!
-Hanna Krilov
