In 1962, Yorkshire-born Tim Marshall moved to Burgundy. Gradually, he acquired small parcels of vines in prime vineyards, mostly in top Premier Cru sites around Nuits-Saint-Georges. But when he fell ill in the early 2000s, the vineyards were leased to Méo-Camuzet, and for twenty years that seemed to be the end of the story. Then, in 2022, his son Jean regained control of the vines. With a bold vision, formed during apprenticeships at some of Burgundy's most forward-thinking estates, he is rapidly turning this long dormant domaine into one of Burgundy’s most inspiring artisanal producers.
The first thing you notice at Jean’s Nuits-Saint-Georges winery is the complete absence of oak barrels. Jean uses only ceramic vessels to age his wines. It’s innovative, and the results are outstanding, but that’s because his real focus is on the vineyards and the quality of the fruit. Farming goes way beyond organic to consider every aspect of the ecology of each site. All vineyard work is done by hand, and as much care is taken over the vines as over the other plants that bring diversity (including newly planted fruit trees) and the health of the soil.
Jean has two hectares of vines spread across seven different appellations. Winemaking is traditional, with 100% whole-bunch fermentations, until the ageing takes place in ceramic vessels. These allow much lower levels of oxygen transfer than oak and impart no flavour of their own, resulting in wines that reveal the purity of each vineyard in great detail.
Jean's first full vintage was in 2023, but it’s already clear that these are groundbreaking wines of rare quality. All lovers of top artisanal Burgundy should take note - Jean Marshall is a domaine to follow.
