César and Nicole Deriaux

Victor Gros planted the first vines at Montbourgeau in 1920. He also made the wine and sold it himself. As might have been expected in those days, his son, Jean Gros, took over the domaine in 1956. He built a cellar and he also planted more vines. In the mid 1980s, his daughter Nicole Deriaux took over the reins of the domaine. She undertook the renovation of the cellar and furthermore she continued the plantation of additional vineyards which allowed for the production of the classic Vin Jaune.

Since 2019, Nicole has been assisted by her son César, the fourth generation to join the family estate. His upbringing at the domaine led him very naturally to study viticulture and oenology in Beaune, before exploring more about organic and biodynamic viticulture, and obtaining his diploma from the Agricultural College of Montmorot, only a few kilometres from his home. César gained experience in Burgundy, in particular at Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot in Chassagne Montrachet. 

Nicole is thrilled to be working alongside César who is bringing a new energy and a wealth of new ideas, while respecting what his ancestors have handed down.

What makes Domaine de Montbourgeau so special is the mother and son’s hard work, and dedication to their vines, which they farm organically. Their vineyards are a tribute to nature and biodiversity. In fact, they are home to a variety of wildlife from bird nesting to spiders and rabbits. In addition, a flock of sheep grazes in the vineyards during the winter months.

The viticulture on the 11-hectare estate shows tremendous respect for the environment, and the vineyards are surrounded by forests and meadows. The vineyards are solely planted with Chardonnay and Savagnin in the appellation l’Étoile - the two cépages allowed - and the Deriaux also have very small holdings of Poulsard and Trousseau in the Côtes du Jura appellation. 

All grapes are hand-picked and their approach to winemaking is quite natural, in addition to respecting the old traditions using barrels and demi-muids. Nicole and César explain that the combination of their keen intuition, their experience, and their innovations result in the production of better wines year upon year.

They respect their terroir, aiming to craft authentic and sincere wines sensitively and without any artifice, in the true Jura tradition. 

The wide range of wines produced by Nicole and César shine through their great finesse, complexity, and intensity. With such an incredibly broad spectrum of flavours, each wine is a memorable experience. 

The Jura is witnessing a new generation of bright, young winemakers redefining the region and César is certainly part of this movement.