Saturday, May 26, 2007

The departure of Henri Jayer

Today, I bring to you one sad news. My most admired burgundy winemaker at all time, Henri Jayer has passed away in early this week after a long battling with prostate cancer. Jayer is a great technician and has previously credit for his work in resurrected the Vosne-Romanée Clos-Parentoux vineyard. Jayer is also a great mentor to such newly emerging star producers such as , Jean-Nicolas MÉO, Jean-Marie FOURRIER and his nephew, Emmanuel ROUGET. His influence to the new generation burgudian winemaker is immense. His winemaking méthode; 100% destemmed, a week long maceration à froid (cold soak), 100% new oak (only from trançois), no filtration and bottle by hand are till today continue to inspired many young generation burgundian winemaker to try to emulate his approach.

I have never tasted a better, more thrilling Echézeaux than those from Jayer. Regardless is Georges Jayer or his own bottling (both from different lieu-dit of Echézeaux, with George's parcel called "Les Treux" and Henri Jayer parcel "Cruaux"), all are among the most special burgundy I have the privilege to experience in my life. Jayer's Echézeauxs are among the most massive (apart from Jayer, Echézeaux rarely associated with the world "massive") and intense I have encountered. The hallmark of Jayer dense color, which derive from the cold maceration in addition to the early new oak (100% new oak for aging) toastiness are some of the distinctive featured from Jayer's wine. However, despite the 100% new oak treatment, Jayer's wines, which is sourced from fruits of extreme low-yield and old vine vineyards are capable of withstanding the amount of new oak. In fact, once you get over those "vanillasation", the purity of the fruit emerged, along with the well-spined, energized palate. I simply can't think of many guys in Burgundy who is capable of pulling out such amazing "juice". He is simply a man of his own craft.

I've recently been blinded a bottle of straight Nuits-Saint-Georges 1996. The youthfulness (in both color and palate), combined the high level of new oak was unmistakably from the great master. What's special about Jayer's wine is, beside those velvety, concentration. There is this pristine, flawless sense, which Jayer pride himself and often emphasized the significant of cellar sanitation. "You never get prematurely brown color from my wine," said Jayer. "There are too many sloppy élevage around. Those cause of prematurely oxidation were either due to the fruit was not completely ripe or there has been bad hygiene in the cellar".

The departure of Henri Jayer will be long missed. We can only continue to admired his work when the next opportunity his wine is uncorked. However, for whatever is left from the market. His prized wine like Echézeaux, Cros-Parentoux, Les Brûlees, Richebourg are far too expensive to reach for an average income person (like myself). Hopefully, the following offerings from his protégé will give you a gleam of this great master. (Sept 06)

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