Tasting Note
WILLIAM KELLEY
THE WINE ADVOCATE
“The irrepressible Fabien Duperray displays virtuosic talents in the vinification and élevage of his Mâcconais whites, drawing on lessons learned in the company of the likes of Jean-François Coche, Arnaud Ente and Pierre Morey. Producers he has represented in the French market for decades.
In merely a handful of years, this project – collaboration with Fuissé’s Domaine Thibert – has begun to consistently realize wines of genius that rank amongst the region’s elite.
Duperray is rapidly emerging as Jean-Marie Guffen’s only plausible rival in the region.”
Wine Source is delighted to bring you a new release of nine spell-binding white Burgundy cuvées; direct from the cellars of Domaine Jules Desjourneys, which rival the greatest wines of Meursault and Montrachet, in both quality and ageing potential.
When we first encountered the wines by Fabien Duperray, we immediately recognised we had stumbled upon; pure gold. His wines are unquestionably challenging blue-chip domaines from more prestigious appellations, and it is our privilege to act as a UK distributor.
With vineyards in the most southerly corner of Burgundy, Fabien Duperray crafts super-charged wines from the under-the-radar appellations of Pouilly, Mâcon and Saint-Véran, fetching critical appraisals equal to Grand Cru Burgundy.
2014 was the first vintage in which Duperray produced a range of stellar Chardonnays from beautiful organically farmed terroirs (shared with Christophe Thibert).
In The Cellar
WINEMAKING
For his own domaine, Fabien introduced the same fastidious, single-minded attention to quality he learned from his friends at DRC, Arnaud Ente and Coche-Dury, amongst others in the Cote D’Or. Farming is biodynamic, yields are very low, and his main focus is making the most balanced, age-worthy wines possible. Fabien picked the great man of Beaujolais, Jules Chauvet, as inspiration for his newly born Beaujolais, naming it Domaine Jules Desjourneys.
Duperray has phased out oak in favour of steel and glass; 2015 is the first completely unoaked vintage. Whites are from around 10ha in Macon-Verzé, St-Veran and three of the Pouillys (Loché, Vinzelles and Fuissé) and are all made in tank with the exception of the Pouilly-Fuissé and Pouilly-Fuissé ‘Vignes Blanches’, which are both vinified using what Fabien calls “the Coche method”.
Jules Chauvet did not only lend his name to the wine labels, he also influenced Duperray’s attitude to the fermentation process, both believing that is the most important element of wine. Duperray believes that even with the best fruit, he needs to control the fermentation to have complex aromas, and says that when fermentation is carried out properly it doesn’t need any SO2; he adds it only in the second year, after letting the aromas develop. Duperray is constantly striving to express the best of his terroir and fruit, always learning and fine-tuning. For instance, his wines used to be 100% stems but he now adjusting this, depending on the vintage. He likes to make wines of pleasure whose corks can happily be popped young, yet, like the top Burgundies he is so familiar with, he is also creating bottles to age for the long term.
It gives us the greatest pleasure to offer this series of 2019 white cuvées straight from the cellar. Please do not hesitate to secure your allocation, and do read on to discover a special introductory offer…
Tasting Note
JAMIE GOODE
The Wine Anorak
“It’s hard to overstate how good these wines are, and how they transcend our expectations of their appellations.”
IN BOND PRICES
*Allocations subject to balanced orders from across the range. Strict allocation only of Pouilly-Fuissé Vignes Blanche & Vignes de La Côte.
2019 POUILLY-FUISSÉ “VIGNES BLANCHES”*
Per Case of 6 Bottles (6 x 75cl)
£372
96 Points
2019 POUILLY-FUISSÉ “VIGNES DE LA CÔTE”
Per Case of 6 Bottles (6 x 75cl)
£372
96 Points
2019 POUILLY VINZELLES “LES LONGEAYS”
Per Case of 6 Bottles (6 x 75cl)
£252
94+ Points
2019 POUILLY-LOCHÉ
Per Case of 6 Bottles (6 x 75cl)
£252
93+ Points
2019 POUILLY-FUISSÉ
Per Case of 6 Bottles (6 x 75cl)
£252
93 Points
2019 SAINT-VÉRAN
Per Case of 6 Bottles (6 x 75cl)
£252
93 Points
2019 MÂCON-PRISSÉ
Per Case of 6 Bottles (6 x 75cl)
£162
91 Points
2019 MÂCON-FUISSÉ “BOIS DE LA COIX”
Per Case of 6 Bottles (6 x 75cl)
£150
92 Points
2019 MÂCON-VERZÉ
Per Case of 6 Bottles (6 x 75cl)
£150
92 Points
Order the following series of 7 original cases
(6 bottles per cuvée)
Receive 5% discount
£1,397 In Bond
( Full RRP £1,470 In Bond )
DOMAINE DESJOURNEYS
2019 POUILLY VINZELLES “LES LONGEAYS”
2019 POUILLY-LOCHÉ
2019 POUILLY-FUISSÉ
2019 SAINT-VÉRAN
2019 MÂCON-PRISSÉ
2019 MÂCON-FUISSÉ “BOIS DE LA COIX”
2019 MÂCON-VERZÉ
2019 POUILLY-FUISSÉ “VIGNES BLANCHES”
100% CHARDONNAY
96 Points
“The 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé Vignes Blanches is also performing superbly, unwinding in the glass with notions of wet stones, citrus oil, crisp Anjou pear, freshly baked bread, nutmeg and iodine. Full-bodied, satiny and layered, it’s multidimensional and enveloping, with racy acids, terrific concentration and a long, saline finish.”
Anticipated Maturity:
2025 – 2055
2019 POUILLY-FUISSÉ “VIGNES DE LA CÔTE”
100% CHARDONNAY
96 Points
“Once again, Duperray’s 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé Vignes de la Côte can go head-to-head with his “big three” this year. Unwinding in the glass with notes of citrus oil, white flowers, mint, nutmeg and freshly baked bread, it’s full-bodied, satiny and multidimensional, with a deep and layered core, racy acidity and huge concentration, concluding with a long, intensely chalky finish.”
Anticipated Maturity:
2025 – 2055
2019 POUILLY-VINZELLES “LES LONGEAYS”
100% CHARDONNAY
94 Points
“Another highlight this year is the 2019 Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Longeays, a beautifully racy and precise wine evocative of orange oil, pear, nutmeg and iodine. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it’s elegant and complete, with bright acids and a long, penetrating finish.”
Anticipated Maturity:
2025 – 2045
2019 POUILLY-LOCHÉ
100% CHARDONNAY
93+ Points
“One of the highlights of this year’s portfolio, Duperray’s 2019 Pouilly-Loché exhibits aromas of crisp yellow orchard fruit, citrus zest, freshly baked bread and iodine. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive, it’s a racy, saline wine with laser focus and a balance that evokes a dry Riesling from the Rheinhessen more than it does the stereotype of Mâconnais Chardonnay.”
Anticipated Maturity:
2021 – 2041
2019 POUILLY-FUISSÉ
100% CHARDONNAY
93 Points
“The 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé is another of the more dramatic wines in the range, bursting with aromas of confit orange, citrus oil and pear mingled with nutmeg, fresh mint and baking spices. Full-bodied, round and fleshy, it’s creamy and textural, with lively acids and a long, discreetly oak-inflected finish.”
Anticipated Maturity:
2021 – 2041
2019 SAINT-VÉRAN
100% CHARDONNAY
93 Points
“One of the more dramatic wines in the range is the 2019 Saint-Véran, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy wine evocative of crisp orchard fruit, mint, orange zest, nutmeg and vanilla pod. Racy and vibrant, with a long, saline finish, it’s charming and aromatically expressive out of the gates.”
Anticipated Maturity:
2021 – 2042
2019 MÂCON-PRISSÉ
100% CHARDONNAY
91 Points
“Aromas of orange oil, white flowers, wet stones and shells introduce the 2019 Mâcon-Prissé, a medium to full-bodied, fleshy, satiny wine that’s lively and mineral in profile. It has turned out very well.”
Anticipated Maturity:
2022 – 2040
2019 MÂCON-FUISSÉ “BOIS DE LA CROIX”
100% CHARDONNAY
92 Points
“Punching well above its weight, the 2019 Mâcon-Fuissé Bois de la Croix delivers aromas of crisp Anjou pear and green apple mingled with fresh mint, white flowers, lemon oil and buttery pastry. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it’s a fleshy, racy wine with a precise, saline finish. It’s well worth seeking out.”
Anticipated Maturity:
2021 – 2041
2019 MÂCON-VERZÉ
100% CHARDONNAY
92 Points
“A pretty, enveloping wine, the 2019 Mâcon-Verzé bursts with aromas of crisp green apple, white flowers and ripe lemon. Medium-bodied, ample and seamless, it’s satiny, elegant and precise, with lovely purity and tension.”
Anticipated Maturity:
2021 – 2040
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Prices are stated In-Bond, GBP ex sales Tax
Limited quantities are available
Allocations are subject to availability & final confirmation
Estimated shipping in Spring 2023
Payment is kindly required on invoice so to secure reservation.
Tasting Note
WILLIAM KELLEY
THE WINE ADVOCATE
“Longtime distributor of several of the Côte d’Or’s most celebrated domaines, Fabien Duperray is today producing wines that are just as thrilling in the Beaujolais and the Mâconnais, demonstrating what is possible when neglected and underappreciated appellations are lavished with the same care and attention in their viticulture, vinification and élevage as their more esteemed cousins in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits.”
Family History
FABIEN DUPERRAY
Jules Desjourneys is the creation of Fabien Duperray, formerly fine wine agent, now fine wine maker. His Beaujolais wines come from very old vines on some of the best terroirs of Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent, Chénas and Villié-Morgon, and he likewise works with stellar lands in the Mâconnais, in partnership with Fuissé vigneron Christophe Thibert. The emblem of his domaine is a unicorn; his website displays a tribute to Jules Chauvet, after whom the domaine is named. These cues paint a picture of a person with big confidence in his winegrowing, and big ambitions for his wines, yet who is not about to forget his roots and influences.
Duperray has undertaken quite an extraordinary journey to become a hugely celebrated winemaker, at a relatively mature age, in what has been a largely un-celebrated appellation – until now. Grandson of a “canut lyonnais” (traditional Lyon silkworker); son of a teacher, his is not the usual multi-generational vigneron story, although this inheritance gives us a clue as to the origins of Duperray’s renowned single-minded pursuit of an artisanal, beautiful product. He says the gift his parents gave him was books and culture. The family didn’t have much money, but for special occasions his father would open a good bottle of wine and when Duperray was twelve years old he tasted Château Margaux 1964. He thought the wine was so extraordinary that right there and then he declared to his family that he would become a vigneron.
The question then was where, and how. Duperray quickly realised that he did not want to be one of many tiny growers in a starred terroir, rather, he wanted to go it alone with his own domaine. To do this, he needed to earn the capital. So, he trained first in hospitality, then later became a salesperson for a Beaune courtier, before setting himself up as an independent wine agent for some of the greatest French wine domaines known to the wine-drinking world. This is where he earned what he needed finally to become a vigneron in 2006, after following studies at viticulture school. Crucially, being a wine merchant had also allowed Duperray to evaluate unknown wine producers, and to learn to sniff out hidden gems. A great training this turned out to be: in 1992 he discovered Aranud Ente, long before anyone else had seen the value in these wines. What’s more, he had the opportunity to delve deeply into the terroirs of Beaujolais… and here he discovered “his” land.
Duperray is known as a “personnage extrême”: an intense, single-minded perfectionist, a man of maniacal passion, curious, restless, and driven by a search for hidden treasure. With the fervent desire to make wine expressing what he recognised as the top quality of the grands terroirs of Beaujolais, he went out to find and buy these beautiful terroirs planted with old vines.
Rather than making “glouglou” or mass-produced wine, he wanted a Beaujolais domaine that would express and celebrate the singularity of the land. Calling himself no less than a “sourcier du vin” (someone with an exceptional ability of discovery), Duperray does indeed seem to have found a way to make Beaujolais great again. He is confident enough in the quality and what he sees as the “poetry” of Fleurie terroir, that he does not hesitate to compare this Beaujolais cru to Chambolle-Musigny.
In 2007 Duperray purchased ancient Gamay vineyards in Fleurie and Moulin-à-Vent, where some vines were more than 140 years old. In 2014, he partnered with Fuissé’s Christophe Thibert to buy some parcels of Chardonnay in a range of Mâconnais appellations. The Jules Desjourneys domaine now comprises 17 hectares in total, of which 15 in Beaujolais, 13 in the Mâconnais. These are great terroirs of old vines (average age: 60 years), farmed biodynamically, with limited yields (less than 30hl/ha); the grapes are picked at precise ripeness and given gentle fermentations with indigenous yeast, then long élevages. Duperray leaves nothing to chance where his wines are concerned. From the beginning, he has put working the land at the forefront of his métier. He uses no chemicals, just elbow grease! Duperray counts as his influences JeanFrançois Coche-Dury, Jean Marie Balland, Jacques Puisais, and Jules Chauvet, not least in the attention to detail that Duperray lavishes on the viticulture and vinification. This sort of hard work has a higher cost than usual, but Duperray argues that it’s in proportion to the pleasure it brings to the wine. He is very direct about the cost of quality wine production, and what it means for the price to the consumer. If you want clean viticulture, that’s going to cost you, he says. Do we want mere beverages, or do we want cultural products? In everything Duperray does, he is looking for refinement, for detail, precision, freshness, sapidity, a natural beauty. “Even a “petit vin” can be complex”, he told Revue du Vin de France.
