Domaine DUJAC and Maison DUJAC Fils & Père (Morey-Saint-Denis) -- 2022 Tasted from Barrel and Tank Samples

Created only in the late 1960s, Domaine Dujac was always thought of as a young domaine when I was learning about wine. But there are now more than half a century vintages produced. From the first one bottled at Dujac, 1969, this has been one of the most sought-after domaines in Burgundy, difficult to get even in the 1970s and 1980s when demand for Burgundy and the prices were much less than they are today. And the demand has been entirely justified as the wines have always been of the highest quality.

Jeremy Seysses in the new cuverie at Domaine Dujac

2022 is the first vintage made in the new cuverie, and it is there that I and other journalists and members of the trade gathered to taste the wines with Jeremy Seysses. Jeremy said that he’s still learning the ins and outs of the new building.

The whites were still very much unfinished, the reds were racked once, just before the 2023 and were in stainless steel tanks awaiting bottling.

Jeremy called 2022 the new normal of the 21st century — an August harvest after a hot summer. But, he noted, it wasn’t a repeat of the 2003 relentless heat wave, and the nights were cooler in 2022, so there is some acidity at harvest. He noted that in the 1990s, the wines were much higher in malic acidity, so there was a significant shift when wines went through malolactic fermentation; in particular, a much bigger pH shift. As a result, there was more acidification in 1990s than there is now, which is contrary to expectations. 

Overall, Jeremy judges the vintage as very good, but not great because it lacks the transparency of great vintages. He puts some of 2005, much of 2010, and 2016 as great.

2022 harvest dates are similar to 2018, but the wines are different. In 2022, harvesting began on 30 August. The whites came in 30 Aug-2 Sept. As with some other producers, Dujac began very early in the morning, finishing at noon before the grapes got to hot. Harvesting finished on 8 September.

Yields were at full levels 45-48 hl/ha, 40-45 for grands crus. One wine (Charmes-Chambertin) came in at 14º, the rest are 12.5-12.8º. The whites are around 13º. There was a bit of oïdium for whites, a bit of sunburn to sort out for reds.

DOMAINE DUJAC WHITE WINES

For whites the pHs were around 3.20 when picked, then they moved to 3.30 after malolactic fermentation, and Jeremy says they will probably finish around 3.25.

2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru   Les Folatières

Matchstick nose with lemon curd beneath. Light on palate, round, pure, citric, moderate acidity. Jeremy expects this wine will be leaner after fining. Some creamy, velvet texture. Great finesse. Some vines are nearly 30 years-old, some are about 10 years-old. (91-94)

2022 Puligny-Montrachet   1er Cru   Les Combettes

Shy in nose. More acidity in attack than the Folatières, more structure. Lemon/lemon-lime fruit. Dujac’s first harvest was 2014 and at that time the vines were 60-65 years-old. (91-93)

2022 Morey-Saint-Denis   1er Cru  Les Monts Luisants

Finesse, lightness, mineral stony aspect of fruit that is characteristic of whites from the Côte de Nuits. Long, very good density. Jeremy notes that this is one of highest acid sites on the Côtes; pH at picking was 3.05, with 13.2-13.5º potential alcohol.(92-94)

RED WINES

Average is about 85% whole cluster. Almost no chaptalization — global warming means that extraction is easier; Jeremy used to punch down 1-3 times/day, now once every other day with pumping over. 

Malolactics went quick - finished by the start of 2023, and the wines were racked in June. 

MAISON DUJAC FILS & PÈRE RED WINES

These are wines made from purchased grapes. Jeremy wonders where the future is for the négociant business — he wanted to create something less expensive but grape prices are high, and moreover, growers not really interested in stepping up their game in the vineyard because of the great demand for their grapes. Nevertheless, although the are not so certified, all the suppliers are now farming organically.

2022 Morey-Saint-Denis

Round, pretty, pure red fruit — red currant, a little strawberry. Silk texture. Medium-light. But ultimately a bit simple. Mostly from Les Cognées, also some Clos des Ormes, and some Charrières. (88-91)

2022 Gevrey Chambertin

From a single block in Croix des Champs. Round, smooth, elegant, more stuffing than the Morey, a darker element added to red fruit, more density. A slight wild aspect here. (89-92)

2022 Chambolle-Musigny

Round, plenty of stuffing here, but also very good finesse. Multiple lieu-dits here. Plump with good structure. More of a wine for aging than the previous two. (91-93)

2022 Nuits-Saint-Georges   1er Cru  Les Cras

Jeremy said that even if he shuts down rest of the négociant operation as mentioned above, he would continue this as long as grower is willing with the arrangement. From 50-60 year-old vines, the vines are consistent and yield small berries. I can add that of the Nuits-Cras that I know, this is the only one that is on the same qualitative level as that of Bruno Clavelier. Somewhat smoky nose. Round, smooth, ample, and deep in the mouth. Some dark plums here, good intensity. (92-95)

DOMAINE DUJAC RED WINES

2022 Morey-Saint-Denis

Fairly shut down in the nose. Good depth, energy; dark fruits. intensity, power. (92-95)

2022 Chambolle-Musigny

The largest part of the wine is from Les Drazey lieu-dit, some is from the Frémières lieu-dit, but those were pulled out after 2022. Silky, pure, elegant, more finesse than the Morey. Good length. A great village wine, (93-95)

2022 Morey-Saint-Denis   1er Cru

This wine is denser than Morey village. The wine has Morey character, but there’s also more finesse here. Some tannins showing. Dark plum, good length. In the future, Jeremy may separate out the grapes from Ruchots, the largest portion of this cuvée. (93-95)

2022 Chambolle-Musigny   1er Cru   Les Gruenchers

Dark fruits, depth, finesse.  Will need a few years to come around. After experiences with the 2018 and 2019 harvests, Jeremy now harvests Gruenchers early to preserve the delicacy.. The vines date to the 1930s, the oldest at the domaine. (93-96)

2022 Gevrey-Chambertin   1er Cru    Aux Combottes

Pure, round, deep, dark fruit some spiciness. Breadth, velvet texture — shows why Combottes often can produce grand cru level. But as Jeremy said to me a few years ago about Combottes: he’d rather have a great premier cru than a middling grand cru (although judged as a grand cru, this wine would be more than just middling).  (94-96)

2022 Charmes-Chambertin

Dark fruit, some wildness, dense, chewy, but finesse with power — the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove. One of the best Dujac Charmes-Chambertin that I can recall, notwithstanding my aversion to high alcohol wines. 14% alcohol here, but it doesn’t show. (95-97)

2022 Vosne-Romanée   1er Cru   Les Beaux Monts

Not the luminosity of some vintages of Beaux Monts; dark fruits, minerality, roundness. The vines are in the lower part of the vineyard, above Suchots/Echézeaux, near the Tremblay and Leroy parcels. (93-95)

2022 Vosne-Romanée   1er Cru  Aux Malconsorts

Very mineral, dark fruits, velvet with tannic backbone (although Jeremy says that he is trying to back off the tannins here). Very good expression of Malconsorts. (94-96)

2022 Echézeaux

Creamy, dark fruits, relatively unformed compared to the other wines today. 100% whole cluster. More difficult to judge than the others. (93-96)

2022 Clos Saint-Denis

Round, spicy, more developed than the Echézeaux but less than other wines. A bit of spice around the edges, as is typical. Should develop with enough time. (95-98)

2022 Clos de la Roche

Intense, energetic, stony structure, chiseled, a classic Clos de la Roche. Some creaminess to texture, which is the vintage, but otherwise very Clos de la Roche. (97-99)

2022 Bonnes-Mares

Spicy, round, energetic, pure, long, magnificent. (97-99)