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TerroirSense Team
On February 8, 2025, within the hallowed walls of Club 1243—a historic private wine society in Beaune, Burgundy—a quiet yet profoundly significant ceremony unfolded. Jacky Rigaux, the 76-year-old globally revered wine writer, Vice President of the International Terroir Association, and consultant of TasteSpirit, was bestowed the Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole (Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit), France’s highest honor in agriculture. The award was presented by none other than his longtime friend and luminary of the wine world, Aubert de Villaine, honorary president of Burgundy’s Climats UNESCO Heritage Committee and former co-owner of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
For half a century, Rigaux has been the impassioned voice of Burgundy’s Climats, translating the whispers of its limestone soils into a universal language of terroir. “He made the world hear the heartbeat of Burgundy,” remarked Mr. de Villaine, whose hands, steeped in the legacy of Romanée-Conti, clasped the medal that now adorns Mr. Rigaux’s lapel.
The Order of Agricultural Merit: A Century-Old Tribute to France’s Agrarian Soul
Established in 1883, the Ordre du Mérite Agricole stands as France’s most prestigious agricultural honor, paralleling the revered Légion d’Honneur in stature. Awarded by the French Ministry of Agriculture, it recognizes exceptional contributions to agriculture, food industry, rural development, and environmental stewardship. Its ranks—Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), and Commandeur (Commander)—have celebrated visionaries from humble vignerons to revolutionary scientists.
Notable figure such as Henri Jayer, the legendary Burgundy vingneron, and Nicolas Joly, a trailblazer in biodynamic farming, have both been recipients of this distinguished medal. The award serves not only as a recognition of personal achievement but also as a symbol of France’s unwavering commitment to preserving the wisdom of its terroirs and the legacy of its cultural traditions. Mr. Rigaux’s induction not only honors his lifelong advocacy for terroir but also reaffirms wine’s sacred role as the soul of French agriculture.
From Farm Boy to Philosopher of Wine
Born in 1948 in Nièvre, a pastoral region of Burgundy, Rigaux’s childhood was steeped in the rhythms of vineyards and farmsteads. His grandfather, both farmer and vigneron, imprinted upon him an intimacy with the soil that would shape his destiny.
After studying biology, philosophy, and psychoanalysis in Dijon under the tutelage of Jean Laplanche—renowned psychoanalyst and owner of Château de Pommard—Rigaux heeded the call of wine. In 1971, following France’s Vocational Training Act, he pioneered groundbreaking oenology programs at the University of Burgundy, formalizing certifications for sommeliers and viticulturists.
“He is not merely an academic but a practitioner,” Mr. de Villaine noted in his address, recalling Rigaux’s early collaborations with Burgundian vignerons and his co-founding of tasting clubs with Loire Valley maverick Didier Dagueneau. Dialogues with geologist Robert Lautel and Henri Jayer crystallized Rigaux’s belief that “wine is philosophy in liquid form.”
The Evangelist of Terroir
“Il n’est de vin fin que de lieu (There is no fine wine except that of terroir).” This maxim, coined by Rigaux, distills his life’s work. His revolutionary géosensorielle (geosensory) tasting method—weaving geology, climate, and human history into every sip—has redefined global wine criticism.
From Barolo to Napa Valley, Valais to Ningxia Province, Rigaux’s pilgrimages have forged alliances with vignerons equally devoted to terroir. His books, hailed as oenological scripture, have ignited a global renaissance, and especially in Asia, where he is revered as the apostle of Burgundy spirit.
Jacky Rigaux was hosting the masterclass of geo-sensorial tasting in the 2024 International Terroir Symposium
The Prophet of Biodynamics
Long before sustainability became a buzzword, Rigaux championed biodynamics in the 1980s, studying cosmic rhythms and their interplay with viticulture. “Back then, people dismissed it as mysticism,” he reflected at the ceremony. “Yet the purest, most vibrant wines always came from those who listened to nature.”
His collaboration with soil scientist Claude Bourguignon proved seminal: “Biodynamics isn’t magic—it’s reverence for life’s complexity. We must harmonize with Earth and cosmos.” Today, as elite estates embrace regenerative practices, Rigaux’s prescience resonates louder than ever.
Jacky Rigaux with Xiang GAO, co-founder of TasteSpirit & TerroirSense, Secretary General of International Association of Terroirs
From Nièvre’s vineyards to Dijon’s lecture halls, Jacky Rigaux has spent a lifetime decoding the grammar of terroir. In an era of industrialization and standardization, his steadfastness mirrors an old vine—roots deep in the earth, branches reaching for timeless truth.
As he once declared: “Terroir will never perish. It waits only to be heard.”
