Domaine Jacques Carillon

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The Carillon family traces its viticultural roots in Puligny back to the sixteenth century. There are documents from 1520 attesting to the presence in that locale of Jehan Carillon. The estate has always been run with a scrupulous regard and respect for the traditions of Burgundy and has achieved renown as a producer of the most classic, often understated but always compelling, wines of this village. Now, beginning with the 2010 vintage, the estate has been divided in two, to be shared between Jacques and Francois, the two sons of Louis Carillon. Here we present the wines of Jacques Carillon.

The Carillons have always applied the most rigorous standards to their work in the vineyards, affecting a near organic methodology. No herbicides are used; the earth is turned by plow and by hand, the vines are pruned short to control production, a severe debudding is practiced and a green harvest is practiced when deemed necessary. Harvest is always manual, a pneumatic press is utilized, fermentation and elevage occur in barrel for at least one year, batonnage is done (judiciously!) and, before bottling, the wines are racked into stainless steel cuves for six months to settle and clarify. The dual goals are to produce ageworthy wines that are intensely expressive of their respective terroirs. They have managed to achieve those goals with stunning regularity.

Jacques Carillon produces wine from 5.5 hectares with the overwhelming majority of the vineyards being situated within Puligny-Montrachet with additional holdings in Chassagne Montrachet, Saint Aubin and Mercurey.

Vinous 12/2020
"Carillon’s wines are your quintessential nervy, steely Pulignys. Choosing between the two most recent vintages was difficult but at this address I might err slightly towards 2018 over 2019 by a small and mutable margin."

Wine Advocate 1/2020
"Jacques Carillon began his harvest on August 25th, and he has produced a very charming range of wines. The 2018 vintage at this address is somewhat reminiscent of the Carillon 2015s—with a touch less density and concentration—and it is likely to drink well out of the gates. The domaine's 2017s, tasted from bottle, were showing very well, demonstrating more depth and structural tension, and even though 2017 also displays plenty of upfront appeal, it will be the longer-haul proposition of the two. As I wrote last year, the Carillons have deep roots in Puligny-Montrachet, dating back to at least 1520, and intermarried with the Virot family—the late François Virot being the régisseur of Domaine Leflaive in its glory days. Brothers Jacques and François worked together with their father, Louis, but parted ways after the 2009 vintage, ending the Louis Carillon label and inaugurating domaines of their own. François's style is richer and more gourmand, whereas Jacques's is more tensile and understated. Winemaking chez Jacques is simple: the grapes are harvested by hand, pneumatically pressed, fermented and matured in barrel for a year, before being racked to tank for a further six months' élevage. Neither smoke nor mirrors, just classic white Burgundy."

Wine Advocate 4/2018
"Revisiting Jacques Carillon's 2015s from bottle was a pleasure, as the vintage has meshed well with the domaine's understated, elegant style. The wines handle the warmth of the year better as one ascends the appellation hierarchy, the high points being an authoritative Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet and lovely 1er crus from Perrières and Réferts, the latter seemingly having the edge this year. The lower appellations are more sun-kissed in style and seem adapted to near-term enjoyment."

Wine Advocate 12/2014
"I was knocked-out by the quality of Jacques’s 2013s, one of the Côte de Beaune growers who may have made even better wines in 2013 than in 2012. They are all imbued with bracing acidity, crisp delineation and a compelling sense of energy and tension – pure expressions of their respect terroirs. These were some of my favorite white 2013s. Beg or bribe your local merchant for a few bottles."

Wine Advocate 12/2013
"It was a pleasure to visit Jacques Carillon in Puligny at his winery adjacent to the village church, barely 20 meters from the winery of his brother, Francois. Like all the Carillon family, there seems to be a separate building for each stage of vinification. The family’s roots penetrate deep into Puligny’s history books, since Jehan Caillon tended vines in 1520. When their father Louis’ domaine was split between his two sons in 2009, Jacques and his wife Sylvie seemed to acquire more of the vineyard holdings (5.25 hectares in total), while Francois’ operation leans more toward a negociant structure. Their first separate vintage was in 2010. 'It was cold during flowering,' Jacques explained, climbing up a ladder to extract his 2012’s from stainless steel vat, 'and there was a lot of millerandage. We were affected by hail three times during the summer and consequently we lost 70% of the crop for the premier crus. But the malolactics went well and finished at the end of April compared to mid-June. The wines are showing good minerality.' His 2012s were some of the finest that I encountered from the appellation: even the village cru displaying Carillon’s trademark precision and each cuvee seeming to add on another layer of complexity until you reached the spellbinding grand cru."