Domaine Jean Baptiste Jessiaume is a wine producer based in Santenay, Burgundy. It continues the Jessiaume family's long winemaking history in the region, starting in 1830 when the family bought the Marquis de Saint-Innocent estate in Santenay. For generations, the family made high-quality wines under the name Domaine Jessiaume.
Jean-Baptiste Jessiaume is the sixth generation of this winemaking family. He grew up around wine, but first focused on soccer before returning to his roots. His family connection links him to the original Domaine Jessiaume. However, that original estate was sold in 2006 and then again to investors in 2012. After this, Jean-Baptiste, his father Marc, and uncle Pascal made wine for Domaine Chanzy in the Côte Chalonnaise area. In mid-2019, Jean-Baptiste started his own separate business, naming it after himself.
At first, Jean-Baptiste worked mainly as a "négociant-vinificateur." This means he bought grapes from local growers in famous Burgundy areas like the Côte de Nuits, Côte de Beaune, and Côte Chalonnaise, instead of owning vineyards himself.
He made and aged the wine in restored buildings in Santenay, which included a large underground cellar for barrels, a shop, and a tasting area. Wanting closer ties to specific vineyards, he bought 12.5 hectares of vines in 2022. These are in the Pommard, Saint-Aubin, Beaune, Saint-Romain, and Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune appellations. He now makes wine from about 25 different Burgundy appellations.
Jean-Baptiste aims to create clean, fresh wines in a modern style that show the terroir of each vineyard. His winemaking is careful and precise. He uses a unique technique: playing classical music non-stop during fermentation, believing this helps make finer wines. The wines age in barrels in the domaine's underground cellars before being bottled. By 2021, he was making about 100,000 bottles per year.
Jean-Baptiste earned recognition early on, winning the Young Burgundian Winemaker of the Year award (also called the Young Talents Trophy by Allen Meadows) in 2012 when he was just 23. His Santenay Clos du Haut Village Premier Cru 2019 wine was also chosen for the prestigious "Cave de Prestige" honor by the Burgundy wine trade.
However, the fast growth and big investments needed to start the business and buy vineyards led to financial challenges. In early 2023, about a year after the major vineyard purchase, the business faced financial difficulties. This resulted in the Dijon Commercial Court placing it under "safeguard proceedings" (a French legal process for companies in difficulty). Following this, the court approved a ten-year recovery plan in March 2023.
Despite these financial challenges, the domaine continues operating, focusing on quality and honoring the family's near 200-year winemaking tradition in Santenay.
