Jura, Jura! The First Vintage of Croix & Courbet! And Our Drop of Lulu's 2019 BB1!
2/1/22 -
Today, you have the chance to grab the first ever vintage of Croix & Courbet, the awesome collaboration between David Croix, of Beaune's young but famous Domaine des Croix, and Damien Courbet, from Domaine Courbet in the Jura. We've featured both of these men in the past, praising their respective approaches. The friends, who met at oenology school in Dijon, are focused on Savagnin, a varietal that David believes is "more robust than Chardonnay." It is less prone to oxidation, meaning the two can use almost no sulfur in their wines. Sam Ehrlich, Chambers' Burgundy buyer, and I tasted the 2019 Côtes du Jura and we're amazed with its balance of elegance and strength, a sentiment that echoes David's thoughts about all three of Croix & Courbet Savagnin '19s.
The Croix & Courbet 2019 Côtes du Jura is a very clear lemon in color, with flashes of silver. The nose is clean and herbal, with a soft floral undertone. Yellow apple and candied lemon with just a touch of the trademark walnut skin and dry grass that Savagnin is known for. As the wine opens, the nose becomes much deeper, with slim, never-ending aromatic density: black pepper, raw and roasted almonds. On the palate the wine is salty, with great tension. A touch of nutty richness, mixed with citrus, chamomile, lemon grass. The finish is long, riding very high acidity and a mild swish.
When I asked David what he'd like US customers to know about the wines he makes with Damien, he said, "It’s a project that is all about friendship and sharing. We share every decision together..." Well, together they make some really great wine and we're thrilled to be able to offer the bottles to you all! The numbers represent all we've got, so order away... they won't be back.
We're also offering all the bottles Lulu Vigneron 2018 Côtes du Jura "BB1" that we have at the shop. I won't go into too much detail, but this wine is so incredible, vintage-after-vintage, that offering it without a highlight just seems wrong! Drink this now, drink this later - it has the guts to mature wonderfully. At the moment, this blend of Savagnin and Chardonnay doesn't boast the qualities of either grape more than the other, but after some bottle age, I've noticed the savory and spicy nature of the Savagnin becomes a bolder presence.
So many pleasant aromas come from this blend of Savagnin and Chardonnay. It begins with crisp apple, but develops a springy, grassy and floral character shortly after opening. Something lightly petrol appears too. Zingy on the palate, with pear, cured lemon, white pepper and salt. There is a lasting finish, powered by wonderfully fresh acidity and a cooling mouthfeel, that focuses primarily on a semi-bitter snap of lemon peel and green tea before softening into a flavor of tender raw almonds. Incredibly balanced - neither the Savagnin or the Chardonnay overshadow the other in the glass. Spot on, Lulu!
As always, I hope all the Jura drinkers out there can get a bottle or two of what we're featuring today. And after writing this newsletter, I've noticed a theme. Unity, whether between winemakers (David and Damien) or grapes (Savagnin and Chardonnay in the "BB1"), is an expression that consumers can taste, and it's powerful. David Hatzopoulos
