The Montalbanais settled in Mâcon to change their professional orientation and devote themselves to viticulture. He is now the head of the Domaine de Montbarbon.
From Montauban to Mâcon there is only one step. From journalism also to viticulture. This is the radical change that Jean-Jacques Féral negotiated almost eight years ago. “My parents had vines at home and we made wine. I’ve always been fascinated by winemaking, the moment in which grape juice becomes wine. I always find it magical,” explains the neo-Mâconnais. After a first professional life in journalism, he started almost from scratch. “We settled in Mâcon to do my training: a viticulture-enology BTS. It was going quite well and we loved the region.”
Eight years later, he has just received the Young Talent Trophy from the Young Professionals Group of the Vine. Recently presented at the gala dinner held in Chassagne-Montrachet, this Trophy rewards a young talent from each winegrowing coast of Burgundy.
Thus, for the Maconnais, it was the Domaine Montbarbon that was awarded during the tastings. Three wines of the 2020 vintage were presented: Mâcon-Villages Les Origines, Viré-
Clessé La Petite Condemine, Viré Clessé Quintaine La Chapelle Saint-Trivier. Blind, the sommelier Fabien Espana and the specialized journalist Rachelle Lemoine had been fascinated by the balance and aromatic complexity of the wines with M.
“A Reward for Hard Work”
A crucial moment. “This award is excellent news, above all because it comes at a particular moment in the life of the Domaine,” explains the young winemaker, now director of the SCEV Domaine Montbarbon. “It is about rewarding the work that has been done over the years”. Because after a more than complete wine career, Martine and Jacky Montbarbon gave way to their former worker. The latter first evolved within renowned structures such as the Domaine Nicolas Maillet in Verzé, and the Domaine des Poncétys in Davayé to finally meet the Montbarbons. “It was done by word of mouth. When they were trying to train a buyer, I was looking for vines. In Burgundy it is very difficult to start without land or equipment,” specifies Jean-Jacques Féral. Their plans were one. “The success of my installation depended on the success of their broadcast and vice versa.” Jean-Jacques Féral, at the helm of the Estate where he worked for more than five years, has more than one project in mind. Always with the same goal: “to continue making quality and sincere wines”.
