Gilles Jayer dies

Burgundian producer Gilles Jayer has died aged 57 it has been announced.

Jayer, a relation of the famous Henri Jayer (a cousin of Gilles’ father Robert), died on 25 January after a long illness according to reports.

Jayer was renowned for making very rich, concentrated, quite heavily-oaked style of Nuits-Saint-George and Echézeaux that took many years to come round.

In August last year Jayer sold his domaine to the Swiss billionaire André Hoffmann and despite staying on for an interim period was due to hand over winemaking duties to Julien Gros and Alexandre Vernet.

Although many may have initially seen his decision to sell as one of a man with no children (or no interested children) to pass his estate on to and looking ahead to retirement, it would also seem now to have been the action of a man aware of his mortality.