Domaine Jean-Féry

The story of Domaine Jean-Féry begins with a donkey. In 1860, with that faithful animal and a small patch of land in Échevronne, Nicolas Jacob Féry acquired his first vineyard. Wars and hardship have swept over it since, but the land always remained in the family. Today the brothers Frédéric and Laurent Féry run the 32 hectares, now fully certified organic. The estate farms an impressive patchwork of 22 appellations, from Gevrey-Chambertin to Chassagne-Montrachet. In the cellar, winemaker François Lecaillon is now at the helm, having earned his stripes at Domaine de la Vougeraie and Armand Heitz. The wines are made with wild fermentation and a minimal, natural approach. Worth knowing: part of the vineyards is still worked with a horse rather than a tractor, a deliberate choice to avoid compacting the soil.