Jean-Yves Devevey

Jean-Yves has just under two hectares in the hills around Nantoux. Initially the style is as you would expect: fresh, linear and assertive. Slowly, however, the openness of the vintage becomes evident with a pleasing buttery texture, still supported by a lemony freshness. Drink 2020-2024.

It was a “normal” harvest here this year which, in Jean-Yves’s world, is still a relatively paltry 30hl/ha, due to his scrupulous organic and biodynamic vineyard management. Jean-Yves is increasingly interested in the role and importance of sulphur dioxide in a wine’s evolution. He found that a trial bottling made without SO2 had little expression of the vineyard, yet he finds that adding SO2 too early in the winemaking process makes the wines more fragile and prone to oxidation. A fine range from a reflective winemaker.

From a parcel known as Les Chagnots, a steeper and stonier site than Champs Perdrix, this wine is vinified and matured for 18 months – or 18 moons – in 10 percent new oak. The nose is floral with citrus fruit, while the palate offers surprising density, lime cordial acidity and a chewy, grippy finish which drifts into grilled nuts and spice. Drink 2020-2025.

It was a “normal” harvest here this year which, in Jean-Yves’s world, is still a relatively paltry 30hl/ha, due to his scrupulous organic and biodynamic vineyard management. Jean-Yves is increasingly interested in the role and importance of sulphur dioxide in a wine’s evolution. He found that a trial bottling made without SO2 had little expression of the vineyard, yet he finds that adding SO2 too early in the winemaking process makes the wines more fragile and prone to oxidation. A fine range from a reflective winemaker.

This is more textured than the exciting 2016. The 60-year-old vines and limestone soil impart texture and freshness respectively, and the acidity is most attractive – almost citrus, blood orange, perhaps. A charmingly pure and meditative wine. Drink 2020-2024.

It was a “normal” harvest here this year which, in Jean-Yves’s world, is still a relatively paltry 30hl/ha, due to his scrupulous organic and biodynamic vineyard management. Jean-Yves is increasingly interested in the role and importance of sulphur dioxide in a wine’s evolution. He found that a trial bottling made without SO2 had little expression of the vineyard, yet he finds that adding SO2 too early in the winemaking process makes the wines more fragile and prone to oxidation. A fine range from a reflective winemaker.

There are 20 barrels in 2017 of this utterly delightful, exuberant expression of Pinot Noir. Jean-Yves has removed all of Rully’s rusticity with some subtle, intuitive winemaking; colour and fruit mostly come from infusion, not extraction. The vines are 40 years old, and 100 percent whole-bunch gives a lovely succulence. Drink 2019-2023.

It was a “normal” harvest here this year which, in Jean-Yves’s world, is still a relatively paltry 30hl/ha, due to his scrupulous organic and biodynamic vineyard management. Jean-Yves is increasingly interested in the role and importance of sulphur dioxide in a wine’s evolution. He found that a trial bottling made without SO2 had little expression of the vineyard, yet he finds that adding SO2 too early in the winemaking process makes the wines more fragile and prone to oxidation. A fine range from a reflective winemake

With 100 percent whole-bunch, this has a bit of grip but there is a fine core of velvety Volnay fruit. The fruit here comes from three parcels – La Gigotte, Les Famines and Les Pluchots. Although the vines have all been certified as organic since 2007, Jean-Yves only now – 10 years on – feels that they are in a condition that meets his exacting standards. Drink 2020-2024.

With subtle perfume, this is rather lovely, but not glossy, as the vineyard lies towards Pommard so is more structured than most. Last year’s frosts were heavy here and have meant some retraining of damaged vines, reducing the normal yield by 40 percent, but they should be back in commission by the 2019 vintage. Drink 2020-2024.


It was a “normal” harvest here this year which, in Jean-Yves’s world, is still a relatively paltry 30hl/ha, due to his scrupulous organic and biodynamic vineyard management. Jean-Yves is increasingly interested in the role and importance of sulphur dioxide in a wine’s evolution. He found that a trial bottling made without SO2 had little expression of the vineyard, yet he finds that adding SO2 too early in the winemaking process makes the wines more fragile and prone to oxidation. A fine range from a reflective winemaker.

It is such a pity that there is so little of this, as it is a lovely wine. There are only nine barrels (he will have 20 in 2017). Being predominantly a white terroir, this is exceptionally fruity with a most attractive spicy element, and Jean-Yves likes this expression. It has very pure fruit, crunchy but ripe, with just the right amount of Rully firmness. Drink 2019-2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

Jean-Yves started with a small holding of generic Bourgogne from modest locations, and nothing but a shed behind the house to work in. Through hard work and considerable skill, he built up a successful business, part vigneron, part négociant, with a properly equipped cuverie and cellar to hand. He stopped his négociant activities in 2014, with the cellar paid for and, with so many short harvests, he was struggling to find affordable organic grapes of the quality he wanted. He now concentrates solely on his domaine, which encompasses eight hectares, all certified organic, covering Hautes Côtes de Beaune in both red and white, Beaune, Volnay and Rully. He also has a new, small side product underway with Savagnin, from which he hopes to make some Jura-style wines. Across the whole domaine in 2016, Jean-Yves achieved only 9hl/ha, but there is a sense of relief now that the more abundant 2017 is safely gathered. At one stage, things could have been a bit tight, sufficiently so that there is no Beaune Pertuisots or Volnay this year. Such vicissitudes might put the quality of Jean-Yves’s 2016s into the shade, but this is a fine result for what has survived. Both the red and white Rully represent great value for Burgundy with real personality. What does shine through is that, with his négociant business behind him, Jean-Yves is now where he wants to be, with his own, nicely balanced domaine, free to make the best wines he can.