Jura Star! - Jean-Francois Ganevat
We love the wines of Jean-Francois Ganevat more and more with each vintage. His wines prove him to be, without a doubt, one of the most exciting growers of the region. The latest batch is no exception; these are, quite possibly, some of the best wines from Ganevat we've tasted to date. Jean-Francois learned wine-making in Burgundy, where he spent nine years at Domaine Jean-Marc Morey in Chassagne-Montrachet. There’s an elegant, Burgundian streak that runs through these rich whites and delicate, compelling reds, a prettiness that distinguishes them. Ganevat’s estate comprises eight and a half hectares in and around Rotalier, a town that, the census informs us, had a population of 170 as of 2007. The estate is organic and has been in conversion to biodynamic since 2006. Ganevat’s work is almost entirely done in the vineyard; this impeccable vineyard work makes it possible for the wines to undergo long, slow fermentations in cask. Long fermentation enables him to bottle with virtually no sulfur (none whatsoever for the reds). Ganevat bottles under the somewhat catchall appellation “Cotes du Jura.” His reds, Poulsard, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir, offer clean berry fruit, nuance, and exquisite balance.
We are also pleased to offer Ganevat’s “J’en Veux,” a charming field blend of seventeen ancient varieties that have, for the most part, been uprooted at this point in favor of more easily cultivated varieties. Ganevat inherited small plantings of these grapes from his father and chose to preserve them. He takes special care with “J’en Veux,” for example de-stemming completely by hand, with fabulous results. The whites from Genavat are equally impressive. We have two styles of Savagnin to offer currently: Savagnin raised in a more Burgundian fashion and Savagnin raised in a more Jurassian fashion, under the veil of yeast that leaves its nutty mark on the traditional wines of the region. Luckily there’s no need to choose between the two styles, because each of these wines is extremely delicious, thought-provoking, and a unique expression of the man and the terroir. -msb (normal case discounts apply)
