Domaine Joblot Givry "Preface" 2022

The domaine that put Givry on Burgundy's map, from the fourth generation now steering the family estate.

Grape varietal & region: 100% Pinot Noir from Domaine Joblot in Givry, one of the lesser-known appellations of Burgundy's Côte Chalonnaise, just south of the Côte de Beaune. Founded after the First World War by Charles Joblot — who successfully campaigned for Givry to get its own AOC — the estate was built into a serious address by his grandsons Jean-Marc and Vincent from the 1970s onward, and is now run by fourth-generation Juliette Joblot. Of the domaine's 14 hectares, 11 are planted to Pinot Noir. Préface is Joblot's entry point into the range: village-level Givry, built for early, easy drinking rather than the cellar, farmed with the same parcel-by-parcel care the domaine applies across the board — critics from Robert Parker to Jasper Morris rate Joblot as not just Givry's best address, but one of the great estates in all of Burgundy.

Taste profile: light on its feet, with red and black fruit aromas up front, smooth tannins and acidity that's well integrated rather than assertive — this is Givry built for drinking now, not for the cellar. Expect the kind of juicy, unfussy Pinot Noir that works with a slight chill on it as easily as at room temperature. Good with roast chicken or something equally simple.

Winemaking process: no cuvée-specific technical sheet is published for Préface, so this reflects Joblot's general house practice rather than a confirmed spec for this exact wine: around 90% of the fruit is destemmed across the domaine's reds, fermented with ambient yeast in closed vats — a technique the estate uses to concentrate aroma and flavour — with each parcel vinified separately. Village-level cuvées like Préface typically see less new oak than the domaine's premier crus, which run 50-70% new.

Winemaker: Juliette Joblot is the fourth generation of her family to make wine in Givry, taking the reins from her father and uncle — Jean-Marc and Vincent Joblot, who spent the 1970s onward turning a solid family estate into one of the Côte Chalonnaise's genuine benchmarks. Where her predecessors leaned on new oak and structure, Juliette has tweaked the house style since taking over: less new wood, more emphasis on sustainability, a lighter touch overall. Préface, an easy, early-drinking village cuvée, is a good showcase of that modern instinct — Givry that doesn't ask you to wait.