Historically the négociant has played an important role in Burgundy. Prior to the advent of estate bottling, most vignerons sold their wines in cask to local merchants or négociants. These merchants would then age, bottle, market, and sell the wines under their own labels. While the system provided some stability to the region by giving the local farmers an outlet for their products, it led to overly blended wines that lacked the individuality and precision found in today’s best estate bottled wines. In 2000 Jeremy and Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac launched a new venture that redefined the role of the négociant. Under the name Dujac Fils et Père, the son/father team established partnerships with some of the top growers in Gevrey-Chambertin, Morey Saint-Denis and Chambolle-Musigny. They also continued to work with the growers in Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet with whom they had relationships under their Druid Wines label. The resulting Dujac Fils et Père wines are among the best that Burgundy has to offer. Each wine is made with the same care and attention that the family lavishes on their Domaine Dujac bottlings. Nearly all come from old vines with Jeremy and Jacques controlling the farming methods, yields and harvesting dates. Once at the winery the grapes are crushed, fermented, aged in 50%-new French oak barrels and bottled without filtration whenever possible. As with Dujac’s estate offerings, the essence of these wines is in the pure, accurate, unadulterated presentation of each individual terroir.