Jura-tastic!
2/21/20 -
As the city begins to thaw and we prepare for spring, we find ourselves craving wines from the Jura: spicy and mineral-driven Chardonnays, complex and mind-bending Savagnin expressions, and fresh reds from Pinot Noir, Trousseau, and Poulsard to enjoy during this seasonal limbo. We've stocked up on our favorite bottles from some of the most dynamic producers from the region, and are excited to share them today.
Domaine Ratte: The Ratte’s are not new to winemaking. Michel-Henri and Francoise Ratte got some of their first vines from Françoise’s parents (along with purchasing some of their own in 1989), and now they’re working nine hectares with biodynamic methods under Demeter certification. They proudly focus on their seven different sites, all around the village of Arbois, exhibiting the benefits of various soil types and vineyard positions. The wines show incredible freshness and purity of fruit, especially the Savagnin ‘Nature.’ Some of the grapes that are used in this come from vines over 100 years old, planted by Françoise’s great-grandfather!
Les Coteaux du Val de Sorne: Many customers first note the labels on the Val de Sorne bottles. It is an image (a bit pixelated) of the Jura’s past saint of vignerons, Saint Vernier. The labels are not fancy, they aren’t flashy, but they perfectly sum up the winemaking of Jean-François Ryon: very honest, humble, and rooted in the region's history. Ryon is a 14th generation winemaker in the southern-Jura city of Verantois, releasing his first vintage in 1992. The Poulsard, Chardonnay, and Trousseau vines grow on the blue marl soils the region is famous for. If you aren’t convinced yet of Ryon’s determined approach to authenticity and low-intervention: he makes his wines in a 17th-century building...with no lights.
Chais du Vieux Bourg: Les Chais du Vieux Bourg was bought by the Bavaria-native, Ludwig Bindernagel in 2000, where he immediately converted the estate into organic practices. Today, he labels his wines Lulu Vigneron, and it is rare to find these bottles of Chais du Vieux Bourg in the wild. His vines grow on a mix of marl and calcareous soils, which host fossilized shells that speak clearly of Jura’s ancient geological history. The B.B.1. that we’re offering today is an incredible example of the strength of Savagnin. It composes only a portion of the cuvée, sharing the rest with Chardonnay, but definitely takes the stage in the glass. So good - and the final bottles we have to offer.
Les Dolomies: Steve and Celine Gormally work six hectares and bottle their wines under the Les Dolomies label. Training was with Julien Labet, and the wines showcase a similar haunting and delicate precision. Whites are extremely rare, but we were able to snag some of their reds for this offering.
Donneurs de Temps: The passionate and talented Guillaume Gilet started this project with no money or vines, but a lot of heart, and the belief that a community of people could give their time ("Donneurs de Temps" means the givers of time) and all be a part of a new enterprise together. After spending ten years working on 16 different farms (mostly with organic vineyards), he settled in Arbois to begin his journey as vigneron. His parents and friends helped him lay the cement to build his cellar from scratch, and Gerard and Christine Villet lent him a small parcel of vines to work for five years to help him get his start. He uses only products that exist naturally on earth (sulfur, copper oxides, clays, herbal teas, etc.) and produces very small quantities of wine each year. We were thrilled to offer his wines last year and are big fans of his newly-arrived white "Chardonnay de Murphy" and red, "Marnes Grises."
Patrice Beguet: Patrice Beguet started his domaine, called Hughes-Beguet, in 2009. He has about four hectares of vineyards, mostly planted to Poulsard and Savagnin, with a small amount of Trousseau. He has very clear vision and intention about his wines, and has worked diligently to make wines without any added sulfites that are fresh and incredibly drinkable on opening. This has led to a technique of blending and bottling all in the same day to minimize exposure to oxygen, and though some of his wines can be fragile three or four hours after opening, they are all consistently energetic, compelling, and clean when opened. We look forward to many more vintages to come.
The list goes on, with some delicious Poulsards from Domaine Touraize and Domaine de la Pinte, a couple of rare red wines from Domaine de la Tournelle, a classic old Château Chalon from Berthet-Bondet, a twisted Macvin from Ratapoil, and a regional specialty Vin de Paille from Marnes Blanches.
