Jura, France

Caves de Jean Bourdy

The wines of Domaine Jean Bourdy are unique and rare in the world of fine wine. The domaine was created between 1475 and 1500 and the now brothers Jean-Philippe and Jean-François represent the 15th generation to maintain the family legacy. The beautiful, ancient buildings lie quietly in the corner of the leafy village of Arlay, in the western part of the Jura. Since 2005, the domaine has been certified bio-dynamic. The white (100% Chardonnay) and the red (Pinot Noir, Poulsard and Trousseau) are aged 3 years in old casks before bottling. The domaine has a policy of holding bottles in reserve for later release. The list of available wines includes over 30 vintages of red going back to 1926, over 40 vintages of white back to 1888, and 40 vintages of Château Chalon back to 1895. It is a surprising thing that a working winery could also be designated as a living library but the French government has so honored its longevity of culture and winemaking. The range of wines is completely traditional- sparkling, still, vin du voile, distilled. How to describe the wines? They taste of sunlight and earth and of time. They are wise when they are new, they are forever young when they are old.

Domaine Labet

One of France’s smallest wine regions, the Jura is tucked along the western foothills of the low Jura Mountains, about 50 miles east of Beaune.  Its complex geology includes a unique combination of marl and limestone soils. If people know anything about the wines of the Jura it might be its famous Vin Jaune.  But increasingly, wine enthusiasts are discovering that the Jura offers an exciting variety of wines. One of the producers gaining the world’s attention is Domain Labet.  Owned by Alain and Josie Labet, the wines are now made by their enthusiastic son, Julien. The family has 13 hectares of vineyards in the village of Rotalier in the southern part of the region called the Sud Revermont.  This area, with its limestone and blue marl soils, is dominated by the white grapes Chardonnay and Savagnin. All the vineyards have been certified organic since 2015.  

Having worked at both Domaine Ramonet in Chassagne-Montrachet and Hamilton Russell in South Africa, Julien knows something about fine white wine. Julien deftly manages making a broad range of wines: traditional Jura vin de voile, regular wines, sparkling wine as well as macvin and marc. In the Jura, regular wine is called “ouillé” referring to the topping up of the wine to prevent oxidation. They frequently use the term “Fleurs de” to indicate that is an ouillé. Julien, following his father’s lead, has committed to the “ouillé” style has gained attention for his remarkable white wines and, in particular, the single vineyard Chardonnays. As of the 2015 vintage, all the wines are made without the addition of sulphur. As a winemaker Julien Labet moves fluidly between traditional, modern and experimental methods mixed with a little intuition of an artist to produce some of the Jura’s most stunning wines.