Jean Baptiste comes from a long family line intimately involved in wine stretching back over 200 years. Initially, the JESSIAUME's were merchants and accountants in the 18th century and offered a selection of fine wines from the neighbouring communes in the southern Côte de Beaune. In 1830, the family acquired vineyards and became vignerons outright with substantial acreages centred on Santenay. This continued until 2007 when Jean Baptiste's father and uncle relinquished the vines.
However, if Jean Baptiste had already been steeped in viticulture and wine making - collecting the Young Burgundian Winemaker of the Year in 2012 at the age of 23, - his teenage years were spent in other verdant fields : football pitches. After passing through the AJ AUXERRE academy, he was on the books at GLASGOW RANGERS and STANDARD LIEGE - even claiming he was in Sir Alex FERGUSON's sights for a trial at MANCHESTER UNITED. Thank goodness common sense prevailed and he returned to his roots in Santenay. After a stint as head winemaker for a large Côte Chalonnaise Domaine, he finally set up his own business in 2019 and the selection closely echoes the offerings of his forebears 200 years ago.
The JESSIAUME methods avoid excessive use of sulphur and concentrate more on temperature and the careful manipulation of the natural carbon dioxide in the wine to preserve freshness, precision and juiciness in both their white and red Burgundies. Some larger capacity barrels are used for the lower range of appellations ; standard 228 litre Burgundian barrels for the vllages, 1er and Grands Crus.
