Jura, New and Old
Jura, New and Old
We can’t help but think of the Jura as the days get cooler. From this tiny region, earthy Vin Jaune and punchy, brandy-enhanced Macvin are two specialties, but it's the dry, fresh ouillé styles of many whites and reds that have brought it increased attention over the last several decades. Today we’re highlighting a few truly dynamic producers, offering wines to suit the chilly months ahead. Our theme is "New and Old" though both producers are new to the shelves of Chambers Street. One is a young estate named Domaine La Patelle, which was started in 2021 and has already impressed us from a recent tasting. The other is a VERY old estate, Chateau D'Arlay, which is in fact the oldest wine-producing chateau in France, with history spanning back to the year 1070 AD. Here we have traditional wines that speak of the region and offer a refreshing look and taste of the Jura that has at times seemed hard to attain, with prices that are, in our opinion, quite reasonable!
Domaine La Patelle
Domaine La Patelle is a fairly new name in the Jura landscape, started by Pascal Thereau in 2021. Pascal had already been working in wine as a cooper, sourcing wood and crafting barrels for many years before studying winemaking in Beaune in 2018. He worked alongside Stéphane Tissot, sharpening his skills and even acquiring some of Tissot's parcels in 2022 along with several from Domaine les Bodines. Today the estate is all of about 6ha, spread across several lieu-dits in Arbois. Les Tourillons consists of limestone soils and is planted with Chardonnay and Savagnin, while Les Bodines is mostly clay and limestone and planted with Pinot Noir, Trousseau, Poulsard and Savagnin. Pascal works organically and with minimal intervention in the cellar, much like his mentor Tissot. The wines are clean and precise while retaining an expressive, dynamic quality that instantly made us take notice while tasting recently. The reds are pure and exuberant while his Kiosque Chardonnay is a bit more layered and contemplative–all brimming with energy and personality. This marks just the second vintage of Pascal's wines, but they already show a clear focus and level of attention to detail that make them feel like classic, timeless wines. -Jeff DiLorenzo
Chateau D'Arlay
While recently tasting Rhone wines from the portfolio of importer Alain Junguenet, we tried a bottle of Savagnin called 'Le Nature' from an estate called Chateau D'Arlay. The nose and the palate were textbook Savagnin for me, and textbook Jura, without any hint of influence from nearby Burgundy. While inspecting the label, I started to laugh at the ridiculously long timeline of the estate, but in the end was left thoroughly impressed. Here was a wine-producing chateau that had operated without interruption for over a thousand years.
Here is a translation of the label pictured above: "Estate of the nobles of Haute Bourgogne since 560 and of the Counts of Chalon-Arlay since 1237, of the Princes of Orange from the 15th Century. Royal vineyard of Spain and England in the 16th and 17th Centuries, of France in the 18th Century. Vines of the joint stock company (SAS) of the Prince A. of Arenberg in the 19th Century and then the Count R.J. de Vogue in the 20th Century."
After tasting their topped-up Savagnin, I knew we had to share this wine and the story of the Chateau, so we planned another tasting and were delighted with their Vin Jaune and the reds as well. One fascinating wine was the ancient 'Corail' style wine - a co-ferment of red and white grapes that was the primary style of wine produced over 100 years ago. As their US importer remarks on their site, this is "one of the last, if not THE last, Jura wineries producing a ‘Corail’ (Coral) style wine from all five Jura varietals (Red: Pinot Noir, Poulsard, Trousseau. White: Savagnin, Chardonnay), Alain will tell you that a century ago the overwhelming majority of wines produced were ‘Corail’ with very few reds and whites to be found." -Eben Lillie
Farming at the estate is organic, with minimal sulfur used in winemaking. Though only recently certified organic, they have operated with respect to nature and the surrounding habitat for many decades and have never used synthetic chemicals in the vineyard.
*** Change the "View as" style below to read MORE INFO on the wines, and click on a wine for the full tasting note! ***
Domaine La Patelle 2022 Le Kiosque VdF
This is 100% Chardonnay grown on limestone soils in Les Tourillons, raised in a combination of wood, demi muid and concrete. It's a clean and precise style with lazer like focus, crystalline acidity and wonderful texture. There's some savory depth...
$49.99
Domaine La Patelle 2022 Poids Plume VdF
Poids Plume directly translates to "featherweight" and is often used in the context of boxing, which is apt since this Poulsard is light as a feather yet packs a punch. The grapes are grown on clay and marl soils and...
$45.99
Domaine La Patelle 2022 Devers VdF
Devers is 100% Pinot Noir grown in red marl soils on the steep slopes in Les Bodines. It undergoes maceration for three weeks in stainless steel and spends a year in steel tanks. It's a beautiful expression with lifted cherry...
$45.99
Domaine La Patelle 2022 Bout d'Vin VdF
This is 100% Trousseau from 40-year-old vines grown in red marl soils of Les Bodines. Grapes are destemmed and macerate for 2.5 weeks before aging in stainless steel for one year. While still medium/light bodied, there's some deeper fruit here...
$45.99
Chateau D'Arlay 2020 Le Nature Savagnin
This is 100% Savagnin from old vines on south facing slopes, made in a topped-up style but still possessing all the classic Jura character and charm. It's a pale straw color in the glass, with subtle nuttiness and fresh baked...
$47.99
Chateau D'Arlay 2018 Corail
This is a fascinating style of Jura wine known as Corail, which is all but extinct nowadays. It's a blend of all the Jura varietals, including about 60% Pinot Noir and 40% a combination of Trousseau, Poulsard, Savagnin and Chardonnay....
$34.99
Chateau D'Arlay 2017 Pinot Noir
This is 100% Pinot Noir from the 2017 vintage, bottled in 2023. The soils are grey marl and limestone and fermentation happens in steel and concrete with some stem inclusion. The nose is a beautiful bouquet of black cherry and...
$46.99
Chateau D'Arlay 2016 Vin Jaune
This exquisite Vin Jaune comes from low-yielding Savagnin vines planted between 1953 and 1974. It spends 6.5 years sous voile, developing layers of complexity before being bottled. The nose is nutty with some oxidative notes but ultimately lifted and remarkably...
$109.99
