Domaine Rijckaert was founded in 1998 by Jean Rijckaert.
In the mid 80s Rijckaert (pronounced Rye-cart) tired of restaurant kitchens decided to move to Burgundy where he found a wife and a new career. He joined another Flemish man, Jean-Marie Guffens in a new negoce operation, Verget. They shared and incredible love for the Maconais region and a great passion for it’s wines. Many considered Rijckaert the driving force behind the winemaking techniques and philosophy. The wines produced by them received many accolades and brought the attention of the media to the potential of the region.
After parting ways with Guffens he created his own small, hands-on negociant firm specializing in white wines of the Macon and Jura; he also started farming his own land: nowadays, in addition to 4 ha in South Burgundy, the Domaine cultivates 5,5 ha of vineyards in the Jura where Jean felt in love with the outstanding terroirs and the Savagnin grape. As negociant Maison Rijjckaert also purchases grapes from several Burgundy vineyards, they are all vinified with the same care and the same technique than their own.
Since 2013, Jean has decided to gradually pass the torch to Florent Rouve and transfer the “savoir-faire” that have made the reputation of his wines: restricted yields, manual harvesting, slow and moderate pressings, the use of indigenous yeast, long aging, total absence of steel tanks and above all a careful and natural winemaking, which aims to express the true nature of the grape and the specificity of the land where it comes from.
In Rijckaert’s own words “our wines are under the sign of pleasure and delight, elegant, pure and have a refreshing and festive virtue ... A first glass should make you desire a second glass, the first bottle invites for opening a second one…”
We are happy to present two elegant and mature examples of Rijckaert wines:
2010 Monthelie Vieilles Vignes « La Combe Danay » $32
2009 Puilly-Fuisse Vieilles Vignes « La Roche » $25