Henri Jayer: The Story of Legendary Winemaker in Burgundy

Henri Jayer: The Story of Legendary Winemaker in Burgundy

Henri Jayer is a well-known winemaker in Burgundy. His contributions to the Burgundy wine industry have made a significant impact, and they have never been surpassed. The Echezeaux and Richebourg Grand Cru vineyards, as well as the Cros Parantoux Premier Cru vineyard, are the foundation of Henri Jayer's most famous wines. One of the most collectible wines in the world, the wines of Henri Jayer are produced in very limited quantities and are extremely sought after by the market.

From a Humble Wine Farmer to Burgundy’s Legendary Winemaker


Henri Jayer was born into a typical family in Vosne-Romanee in 1922. Jayer's father collected numerous vineyards in Vosne-Romanee, Echezeaux, and Nuits-Saint-Georges at very little money during World War II. At that time, Jayer's brothers had departed from the family home to serve in the military, while he remained at home to assist in the maintenance of the family's vineyards. Jayer following that married Marcelle Rouget, who was born into a family of wine farmers. In the 1940s, he took oenology at the University of Dijon, which served as the groundwork for his career as one of Burgundy's greatest winemakers.

In 2001, Henri Jayer retired from the the wine industry and passed away in 2006 at the age of 84. Jayer's works have since become timeless icons, and the winery has been passed down to his nephew, Emmanuel Rouget.

Cros Parantoux, a Legendary Vineyard Established by Henri Jayer


Cros Parantoux is a vineyard placed in the commune of Vosne-Romanee, with a total area of only 1.01 hectares. It is located at a higher altitude than the famous Grand Cru Richebourg. The soil layer of Cros Parantoux is shallower than that of the lower slopes. The base layer is composed of hard limestone, while the top layer is a mixture of gravel and silt. Due to the soil's higher altitude and eastward orientation, the soil quality is comparatively poor, and the climate is cooler than that of other vineyards. Additionally, the soil is rockier. Henri Jayer replanted the vines in Cros Parantoux, which had been uncultivated since the end of the 19th century, when phylloxera devastated the region.

Since the early 1950s, Henri Jayer has been engaged in the challenging task of reclaiming this land. Jayer personally removed the land that had been utilized to cultivate Jerusalem artichokes. It is alleged that he employed 400 blasts to remove the substantial rocks from the soil and blasted holes one by one to introduce the roots of the grapevines. Jayer believed that the local vineyards were not mature enough prior to 1978, so grapes from the Cros Parantoux harvest were used in Vosne-Romanee's village wines. 1978 marked the first year that Henri Jayer bottled Cros Parantoux exclusively. Cros Parantoux is a voluptuous red wine that embodies the sophistication and complexity of Richebourg. It has a velvety, alluring mouthfeel and delicate fruity fragrances, which are captivating.

Embrace Nature and Allow the Grapes to Organically Unveil Their Authentic Identity.


Respecting nature is the initial priority for Henri Jayer when he produces wine. He avoids human intervention whenever feasible and does not employ artificial yeast, artificial fertilizers, or herbicides. Jayer is insistence about using a 100% destemming method, which entails the removal of all grape stems to accentuate the fruity flavor and prevent the unripe green stems from compromising the grapes' integrity and their ripe and rich flavor. Jayer was also the first to introduce the cold maceration brewing technique, which involves soaking the destemmed grapes at approximately 10°C for 1-4 days to capture and extract the aroma and tannin of the grapes to the fullest extent, which improves the wine's complexity. Concurrently, Jayer uses new oak casks to produce wine, uses egg whites for clarification, and refrains from filtering the wine. Henri Jayer's wines are sophisticated, elegant, and nuanced, with a significant amount of aging potential.

One of the Priciest Wines Globally: The Remarkable Legacy of Henri Jayer


Following the passing of the "God of Wine" Henri Jayer in 2006, his works have continued to be auctioned at significant events and have consistently garnered exorbitant prices. Ten bottles of Henri Jayer's Cros Parantoux from 1999 were sold for HK$1,875,000 at the "The Encyclopaedic Cellar" auction conducted by Sotheby's in Hong Kong in November 2023. Furthermore, the transaction champion was a set of 9 bottles of Henri Jayer's Cros Parantoux from 1993, which was sold for HK$3.25 million at Christie's Hong Kong autumn auction in 2022. The average value of each bottle was HK$361,000. Considering the diminishing availability of Jayer's work, it is poised to become a rare and unattainable treasure for wine enthusiasts.

In Summary


It is alleged that the talented Henri Jayer did not initially intend to become a winemaker. However, he gradually relied on his own abilities to become the esteemed the legend of Burgundy. He not only established the exceptional Cros Parantoux vineyard, but also developed the cold maceration method. His winemaking principles left a lasting impression on fellow winemakers, including Emmanuel Rouget, Domaine Meo Camuzet and Domaine Philippe Charlopin.