GRAPES: 100% SAVAGNIN
SKIN CONTACT: 6 MONTHS
REGION: JURA (ARBOIS), FRANCE
Vinification method: Winemaker Patrice Béguet, born in the Jura, gave up Paris city life and returned to the Jura countryside with his wife, Caroline Hughes. They purchased heritage vineyards on great terroir, and set up a small winery under their house in Mesnay.
They own 4.5 hectares of vineyard in the Arbois appellation at over 300m above sea level, including one of the most coveted slopes of Arbois, Les Corvées, and a parcel on the famed Côte de Feule vineyards in Pupillin. The vines are typically 40 years old. Patrice has an environmentalist bent, sowing wild flowers, leguminous plants and cereals between vineyard rows. He works his vineyards biodynamically, applying yarrow, nettle, dandelion, chamomile and meadowsweet preparations. So committed to this lifestyle, he meticulously sources biodynamic straw for his straw wine and even an ancient breed of Alpine sheep graze on indigenous grasses between vines in the winter. Patrice has a focus on diversity in his vineyards with lots of native fruits surrounding the vines and beehives strategically placed at the bottom of vineyard slopes. The domaine is also a member of Le Nez Dans Le Vert, a biodynamic wine growers group in the Jura.
This gorgeous wine comes from hand-harvested Savagnin grapes. After harvest, the grapes spend 6 months macerating on the skins. The juice is topped with about 10% of the 2020 vintage wine during fermentation. After this, 75% of the wine is aged in stainless steel and 25% in old oak barriques for 9 months. Bottled unfined, unfiltered, no added S02.
Tasting notes: medium-bodied, ripe apricot, yellow apple, gooseberry, ginger, walnuts
Pairings: chicken in vin jaune sauce
Mix and match 3, 6 or 12 bottles!
