2022 Croix & Courbet Arbois En Chemenot Savagnin Ouillé, Jura

Arbois is the historic heart of the Jura, and En Chemenot is one of Croix & Courbet’s most distinctive Savagnin parcels. The domaine was founded by Cécile Masson and Xavier Gros, who left Burgundy to work organically on limestone and marl slopes around Rotalier and Arbois. Their approach is deeply hands on, minimal intervention and vineyard first, aiming to let Jura’s fragile soils and cool climate speak clearly through the wine.

En Chemenot comes from old Savagnin vines rooted in blue marl and limestone that naturally produce wines of tension and salinity. This cuvée is made in the ouillé style, with barrels topped up to prevent oxidation, preserving freshness rather than embracing the nutty flor character of traditional Jura vin jaune. Fermentation is natural and élevage is patient, building quiet texture and depth while keeping the wine linear and precise.

Pale gold in colour, the aromas open with lemon peel, green apple and white peach layered with almond, fennel and crushed stone. The palate is medium bodied and tightly structured, with citrus and orchard fruit carried by bright acidity and a chalky, saline texture. Flavours stretch into a long, mineral finish that feels cool, focused and persistent.

It pairs beautifully with Comté, roast chicken, seafood and alpine cuisine. Already compelling for its precision, it will cellar confidently for twelve to fifteen years, developing nutty and smoky nuance while retaining freshness.