Domaine Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanée Cros-Parantoux 1er Cru

 BY NEAL MARTIN | OCTOBER 9, 2018

It is now almost impossible to separate myth from reality with respect to Henri Jayer. It has almost become an existential domaine, as if Jayer never made mortal fermented grape juice. Prices are irrational, and yet the wealthiest wave blank chequebooks in the air at auction, feverish demand fuelled by the fact that fewer and fewer bottles will come onto market as time goes by. Domaine Henri Jayer is rarely seen. It is even more rarely consumed.

I never met Henri Jayer and will always rue the rendezvous that never worked out. The closest I came was actually standing in Cros-Parantoux explaining the Premier Cru to my one year-old daughter at the very moment Jayer passed away. But I have spoken to those who knew him well. They paint a picture of a humble man who loved winemaking and chatting about his lifelong passion to likeminded people. He was extraordinarily generous whenever clients or winelovers visited. He knew his wine was good and perhaps presciently scurried what he regarded his best bottles and magnums away for his family. Is Henri Jayer the best vigneron who ever lived? Certainly, he is one of the greats although, interestingly, when discussing Jayer with those who worked with him, his practices would be considered an anathema to today’s winemaking ideals. Jayer was not averse to spraying his vineyard with chemicals whenever necessary. I still recall Jean-Marie Fourrier reminiscing about spraying Roundup in Jayer’s vineyard when a young stagière. Jayer routinely used 100% new oak when today’s trend is to dial it back and express terroir rather than the cooperage. But, having studied under René Engel, Jayer was one of the first to really care about viticulture when others strived towards quantity. He presciently de-stemmed when others would throw stems into the vat, lignified or not. He undertook comparatively long macerations when today all the talk is about “infusion”.