Domaine de la Tournelle
6/29/19 -
Evelyne and Pascal Clairet of la Tournelle have a riverside restaurant right in the heart of Arbois. In fact, it's impossible to lean over the stone bridge in town without noticing their charming bistrot bustling with plats du jour and glasses of their fragrant yellow wine. From this lookout point, one can reflect on the prominent position the Clairets’ wines have in our appreciation of this remarkable region. Their careful teamwork in the vineyards and light hand in the cellar have produced some of the best examples of Jurassian wines to date; they are central to our understanding of this fascinating terroir and, are simply a pleasure to have at the table.
The Clairets have farmed their six hectares organically since 2000, with certification in 2010. They manage their vineyards with biodynamic preparations and close attention to the grass that grows freely between every other row. In short, they are meticulous; giving great care to picking and sorting, with all harvesting done by hand and a rigorous post-harvest sorting to ensure only the best grapes are selected for vinification. They use a pneumatic press for gentle extractions from whole clusters, and in their naturally cool, Cistercian cellar, they allow spontaneous fermentations with native yeasts and lees aging in neutral barrels to produce pure, mineral-driven wines. The Clairets' sulfur regime has become increasingly strict over the years; where it once varied from wine to wine (with the exception of the Ploussard “L’Uva Arbosiana,” which has had no additions since 2003) they now work without any added sulfur unless serious deterioration over 24 hours calls for a tiny amount. Stability in their wines is paramount to the couple, and they often allow their wines to rest for extra time in the cellar before release. Over dinner with us last year, Pascal joked that wines which are rushed to market too soon should have a label that reads: "DIY wines -- make the second fermentation yourself!" And while there are many necessary reasons a winemaker might release a wine before it's fully settled, we nevertheless admire and appreciate the Clairets' patient approach.
Today we have red wine to offer from the challenging 2016 and 2017 vintages. The delicate, semi-carbonic Ploussard "L'Uva Arboisiana" from gray marl and clay, the cellar-worthy, and wonderfully spicy Trousseau des Corvées from clay and limestone, and Cul du Brey Rouge, a blend of selection massale Trousseau, Petit Béclan, and Syrah. Each cuvée is a strong example of natural wine with typicity, harmony, and depth – not an easy feat! - Amanda Bowman
