This is a follow-up on our Jura-themed tastings, here are the other five:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
So, this time the tasting had an upward trajectory - a nice thing, as nobody wants to have the tasting leave a bad taste in the mouth! One thing that probably contributed to this was how we moved the red wines to the first part of the tasting, as it seems that (especially with the more naturalist producers) the red wines of Jura tend to be a bit less successful than their white counterparts.
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2015 Domaine de L’Octavin Potion Magique - France, Vin de France (15.9.2021)
A field blend of Chardonnay (40%), Poulsard (40%) and Savagnin (20%) from Bouvet’s own parcels in La Mailloche vineyard. Harvested early, fermented spontaneously with the skins and then left to macerate with the skins for 7 months in a stainless steel tank. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. No SO2 employed at any point. The lot number says LChSvPouls15, so I wager this wine is vintage 2015. 13% alcohol.
Slightly hazy pale peachy-orange color with a somewhat evolved caramel hue. Sweet, noticeably lifted and very volatile nose with pronounced streak of nail polish and medicinal ether, some bretty funk and a tropical hint of perhaps pineapple or banana. Very little in the way of fruit, since the VA aromas dominate the nose heavily. The wine is wild, medium-bodied and noticeably volatile on the palate with flavors of ether and nail polish, some phenolic bitterness, light sweet notes of Golden Delicious apple, a little bit of evolved bruised apple character and a hint of bretty funk. The fruit department feels rather thin and the structure relies only on the rather high acidity as there are no tannins to speak of despite the prolonged maceration time. The finish is wild, lifted and slightly thin with a bit unclean flavors of bruised apple, some acetic notes of VA, a little bit of bretty leather, light ethery notes and a sweet hint of almost overripe apple.
It’s hard to say whether this is an orange wine, a rosé wine or a red wine, since there are some red grapes in the blend, but the majority here is white grapes and the wine certainly is macerated for much longer than any wine that could be described as “rosé”. However, as interesting as it may be on the paper, the wine disappoints badly in the glass: it is just heavily volatile with very little else showing through behind the pungent notes of medicinal ether and nail polish remover. At least the wine isn’t mousy - unlike the great majority of Octavin wines - but I guess it’s because the wine is made mainly from white grapes, as the red Octavin wines seem to be more often mousy than the whites (and “whites”). Although the wine isn’t a full catastrophe and some people seemed to even like it, I found it hard to find anything worthwhile behind all that VA. Feels overpriced for its quality at approx. 35€. (72 pts.)
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2017 Domaine de L’Octavin Mayga Gamay - France, Vin de France (15.9.2021)
A Gamay sourced from Pierre Boyat, a biodynamic producer in Mâconnais. Fermented spontaneously in whole bunches and macerated for 30 days in tanks. Aged in tanks. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. No SO2 employed at any point. The lot number says Lgam17, so I wager this wine is vintage 2017. 12% alcohol.
Luminous, moderately translucent and still quite youthful dark red color. Sweetish and slightly unclean nose with aromas of blueberries, some bretty notes of old leather, light flatulent notes of reduction, a little bit of earth, an acetic hint of VA and a touch of wood glue. The wine is light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with a slightest hint of fizzy CO2 that disappears quite fast. The overall feel is rather thin, quite underwhelming and a bit unclean with flavors of tart lingonberries, some acetic notes of VA, a little bit of unripe raspberry, light phenolic bitter notes, a lifted hint of nail polish remover and a sweeter touch of darker fruits. The structure relies solely on the high acidity as the wine seems to have no tannins whatsoever. The finish is thin, short and rather bitter with quite unclean and somewhat unpleaaant flavors of ethery VA, some acetic roughness in the throat, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light bitter notes of phenolic spice and mousy hints of basmati rice and sesame seeds that seem to slowly creep in the longer the wine stays open and aerates.
Meh. This was just a bad Gamay. It was lacking depth, fruit and intensity, coming across as just thin and underwhelming with rather pronounced phenolic bitterness that is in no way balanced with the light body. And, as seems typical for Octavin’s reds, the aftertaste feels a bit mousy and the unclean THP notes only seem to increase the longer the wine stays open. A disappointment and a rip-off at approx. 32€. (63 pts.)
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2019 Kevin Bouillet Arbois Pupillin Pepin Rouge - France, Jura, Arbois Pupillin (15.9.2021)
A blend of Poulsard (65%) and Trousseau (35%) from lieu-dit Marcette. Macerated for 3 weeks, vinified in a hands-off approach.
Pale, slightly hazy reddish-orange color with a pale, yellow rim. Sweetish and slightly wild nose with aromas of wild strawberries, some dusty earth, a little bit of acetic VA, light savory notes of woods or stems and a sappy hint of raspberries. The wine is fresh, lively and super-juicy on the palate with a rather light body and bright flavors of ripe red apples, some savory spices, a little bit of sweet strawberry, light peachy tones, a hint of something woody or stemmy and a lifted touch of balsamic and slightly acetic VA. The overall feel is high in acidity with no noticeable tannins. The finish is bright and juicy with medium-long flavors of sappy raspberries, some red apple tones, a little bit of savory spice, light earthy tones and a sharp hint of acetic VA.
A nice, simple and easy little naturalist Jura. Although there is a little bit of Trousseau in the blend, it really doesn’t show and the wine drinks more like a wild Poulsard. The overall feel is very slightly too acetic for my taste, inching from pleasantly lifted to slightly sharp and vinegary, at least for my taste, but otherwise this is a pleasant and refreshing little red. The style is pretty nice here, I just hope the subsequent vintages would show a bit less VA. Perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at 19€. (84 pts.)
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2018 Anne et Jean-Francois Ganevat Poulsard Côtes du Jura Les Chonchons - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (15.9.2021)
A naturalist Poulsard made with purchased, biodynamically farmed fruit. Vinified without SO2. 12% alcohol.
Dark and slightly hazy raspberry red color that permits relatively little light through. Quite heavily funky nose with rather obviously bretty aromas of phenolic smoke and saddle leather, some rustic farmhouse cider notes from Bretagne, light black raspberry tones, a little bit of sweet volatile lift and a hint of sharp acetic character. The wine is firm, somewhat phenolic and medium-bodied on the palate with flavors of crunchy cranberries, some leathery notes of brett, a little bit of sweet volatile lift, light wild strawberry and brambly raspberry tones, a smoky and slightly bitter hint of phenolic character and a touch of acetic VA. The structure relies mostly on the high acidity, although the wine packs a little bit of tannic grip as well. The finish is tart, slightly grippy and subtly acetic with moderately long flavors of tart lingonberries and sappy raspberries, some smoky phenolic notes, a little bit of bitterness, light bretty nuances of leathery funk, an acetic hint of VA and - especially with some aeration - an unclean touch of mousiness.
A noticeably wild and funky but also surprisingly stern Poulsard that feels more serious than they usually very light, playful and easy wines normally made from Poulsard. However, the varietal characteristics get a bit obfuscated by the excessively funky, phenolic and acetic notes, making the wine feel more like an anonymous natty wine than a sophisticated Jura red. Finally, that subtle hint of mousiness - that starts to creep in as the wine aerates - doesn’t really help. As much as I love Ganevat wines, I’m not particularly convinced here. Feels overpriced for the quality at approx. 30€. (83 pts.)
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2019 Domaine Labet Métis - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (15.9.2021)
A blend of Pinot Noir (35%), Gamay (15%), Enfariné (15%), “mille” (8%) and a bunch of other varieties (27%). The grapes were harvested between August 27th and September 9th 2019 and vinified separately according to the variety and parcel. Aged in 228-liter Burgundy pièces. Bottled on 10th of July 2020. 12,2% alcohol, 6 g/l acidity and 1,1 g/l VA.
Youthful, vibrant and almost crystal-clear raspberry-red color with an almost colorless rim. Bold, fragrant and moderately oak-driven nose with layered aromas of cherries, some caramel oak, a little bit of ripe raspberry, light creamy oak tones, floral hints of violets and a touch of smoke. Despite the relatively obvious oak influence, the nose feels wonderfully complex and attractive, thanks to its vibrant, perfumed nature. The wine is fresh, lively and rather acid-driven on the palate with clean and quite intense flavors of tart lingonberries and crunchy cranberries, some caramel oak tones, a little bit of ripe raspberry, light creamy notes of oak, a floral, perfumed hint of violets and a touch of tangy salinity. The tannin contribute a little bit to the texture, but they don’t seem to hold almost any grip, so the structure relies almost completely on the high acidity. The finish is long, juicy and somewhat floral with complex flavors of brambly raspberries and sweet wild strawberries, some caramel oak tones, light perfumed notes of violets and bergamot rind, a little bit of cranberry sauce, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of creaminess.
A very distinctive, perfumed and vibrant Jura red that feels slightly less sauvage than the 2018 vintage, but with a bit more obvious oak influence. I’m not a fan of wines that show obvious oak tones, but here the oaky tones feel quite judicious and they intermingle with the perfumed nuances so well that they never really manage to distract from the pleasure, but instead only add to the complexity. However, I’d prefer the oak notes to integrate a bit better with the fruit, so perhaps with enough age the wine will perform even better than now. The overall style is still that of a delicate glou-glou wine - exactly as it was with the 2018 vintage - but nevertheless this wine feels a bit more serious, perhaps due to its slightly less wild nature. Although the wines feel very similar to each other, the tiniest differences matter surprisingly lot and I found this vintage much more rewarding. Perhaps a bit pricey for the quality at 45€, but not forbiddingly so. (91 pts.)
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2018 Jean Rijckaert Savagnin Arbois Grand Élevage - France, Jura, Arbois (15.9.2021)
100% Savagnin fermented spontaneously and aged on the lees for 24 months in 228-liter Burgundy pièces. No bâtonnage, the barrels are topped up once or twice during the élevage. 13,5% alcohol.
Youthful and quite pale yellow-green color. Ripe and expressive yet not particularly sweet nose with intense aromas of juicy white fruits, some sharp saline tones, a little bit of creamy oak, light notes of mirabelle plum, a subtly lactic hint of vanilla yogurt and a woolly touch of lanolin. The wine is crisp, firm and relatively light-bodied yet still surprisingly broad on the palate with intense flavors of tangy salinity, tart Granny Smith apple, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of lemony citrus fruits, light leesy nuances, a hint of vanilla custard and a touch of ripe white peach. Bright, racy acidity. The mouth-cleansing finish is bright, crisp and lively with long, dry flavors of creamy oak, some tart notes of Granny Smith apple, a little bit of lemony citrus fruit, light white peach notes, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of leesy character.
A lovely, mineral and quite ripe yet still remarkably crisp and precise Savagnin. The wine has a slightly Burgundian feel to it - not dissimilar to the wines of Domaine du Pélican - but with a slightly more “Jurassic” feel, thanks to the leaner acidity and more pronounced saline nuances. Even though the wine whispers of Jura rather than speaks of it loudly, this is still a very lovely and convincing Savagnin with a lot of promise for the future. The overall character shows perhaps a bit too much creamy oak and lactic MLF nuances for my taste, but seeing how the wine is brimming with aging potential, I’d say the wine was just opened way too early for its own good. Even though the wine is pretty darn fine at the moment, this’ll be so much better on its 10th birthday. Good value at 28€. (92 pts.)
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2016 Jean-François Ganevat Côtes du Jura Savagnin Ouillé Antide - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (15.9.2021)
100% Biodynamically farmed Savagnin Vert from Ganevat’s 45-yo vineyards. Fermented spontaneously. Aged on the lees for 4 years in an old, large oak foudre. Vinified completely without SO2. 12,9% alcohol.
Pale and slightly hazy yellow-green color. Big, ripe and slightly sweet-toned yet not particularly expressive nose with fine-tuned aromas of leesy creaminess, some cantaloupe, light golden apple tones, a little bit of wild waxy funk, a hint of clove and a touch of salty ocean breeze. The wine is crisp, saline and remarkably intense on the palate with a light-to-medium body and lots of concentration without much sense of weight. Precise flavors of fresh Granny Smith apple, tangy salinity, some key lime, light wild notes of waxy funk and a bit of sharp VA, a little bit steely minerality, a hint of quince and a touch of sappy herbal bitterness. The piercing acidity lends remarkable intensity and sense of structure to the wine. The mouth-watering finish is very long and tangy with intense, slightly wild flavors of sharp salinity, crunchy quince, some steely mineral tones, a little bit of tart green apple, light lemony nuances, a hint of waxy funk and a touch of almondy nuttiness.
A remarkably intense, structured and focused Savagnin that is - true to Ganevat’s style - wonderfully pure and vibrant for a wine that has seen no SO2 additions, showing only the slightest hint of waxy funk, otherwise coming across as a very classic ouillé Jura white. The overall feel might be a bit restrained - closed, even - due to the young age, and the wine seems to be more about aging potential than immediate pleasure. I’d guess this wine needs another 10-15 years before it really starts to show its best. A terrific effort - although I’m not really convinced that the wine is worth its price at 99€, as many Ganevat’s whites that sell for half the price offer more or less the same kind of pleasure. Perhaps the price difference becomes more obvious as the wine ages? (93 pts.)
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2018 Domaine du Pélican Arbois Savagnin Ouille Grand Curoulet - France, Jura, Arbois (15.9.2021)
The fruit is sourced from the Grand Curoulet parcel, originally purchased from Jean-Marc Brignot in 2012. Replanted in 2015. Fermented in foudres and old oak barrels, 1/3 of the must is macerated with the skins overnight before pressing. Aged in old 500-liter demi-muids. 13.5% alcohol.
Quite deep and somewhat concentrated yet relatively youthful yellow-green color. The nose feels moderately creamy and somewhat Burgundian with vibrant aromas of ripe Golden Delicious apple, some savory wood tones, a little bit of nutty oak, light buttery tones, a hint of fresh peach and a touch of zesty citrus fruits. The creamy MLF notes still show a bit. The wine is broad, firm and quite mineral on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and intense flavors of stony minerality, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of sweet golden apple, light savory wood tones, a tart hint of lemony citrus fruits and a lactic touch of yogurt. The very high acidity lends great intensity and sense of freshness to the wine. The finish is long, clean and precise with crisp flavors of lemony citrus fruits, some creamy oak tones, a little bit of sweet Golden Delicious apple, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of white peach and a touch of Russian candy.
Out of the three 2018 Pélican wines we tasted (Grand Curoulet Chardonnay and En Barbi Chardonnay were the other two), this was the most impressive one, stylistically much more open and expressive compared to the other two, more closed wines. The wine really doesn’t feel that Jurassic stylistically, but instead comes across as quite Burgundian in style - despite being a Savagnin, not a Chardonnay - due to its somewhat creamy oak tones and emphasis on fruit over minerality. However, the wine is nevertheless a very impressive and sophisticated one for what it is. Had I tasted it blind, I would’ve gone to Burgundy, not Jura, but seeing how terrific the wine is, I’m not complaining. The overall style is still a bit too young, having the lactic MLF notes pretty much to the fore, so I’d say the wine really calls for a bit more age before it glides into its optimal drinking window. Drink after another 2-5 years, earliest. Perhaps getting a bit pricey for the style at approx. 45€, but not forbiddingly so. (92 pts.)
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2018 Domaine du Pélican Chardonnay Arbois Grand Curoulet - France, Jura, Arbois (15.9.2021)
The fruit is sourced from the Grand Curoulet parcel, originally purchased from Jean-Marc Brignot in 2012. Replanted in 2015. Fermented in foudres and old oak barrels. Aged in old 500-liter demi-muids. 13.5% alcohol.
Youthful yellow-green color. Somewhat dull and restrained nose with slightly reductive aromas of salty ocean air, some crushed oyster shell, light rubbery tones, a little bit of woolly lanolin and a hint of fresh apple. The wine is lively, bright and salty on the palate with a medium body and good sense of concentration. However, the flavor department feels quite understated with rather light flavors of tart green apples and lemony citrus fruits, some crushed oyster shell notes, a little bit of fresh white peach, light stony mineral nuances and a hint of tangy salinity. The bright, high acidity lends great sense of structure to the wine. The finish is long and mouth-cleansing, but also rather neutral and a bit short with quite reticent flavors of steely minerality, some ripe citrus fruit notes, a little bit of fresh white peach and a hint of tangy salinity.
A crisp and somewhat concentrated but also quite restrained and understated Jura Chardonnay that shows surprisingly little of anything that would tie the wine to Jura - well, apart from the high acidity. Stylistically, this feels more like a Chablis or a less impressive Burgundy white from a cooler vintage. It might be that the wine is just suffering from a little bit of reduction, which makes it come across pretty underwhelming, but it really didn’t open up much during the night, so I guess just a few years won’t make the wine change much. Perhaps another 7-10 years might make the wine become something more interesting, but it might also be that the wine just isn’t that terrific to begin with. Compared to the Grand Curoulet Savagnin 2018, this was a moderately big disappointment, and the wine came across as pretty linear next to the En Barbi Chardonnay 2018. Feels very overpriced for the quality at approx. 40€. (86 pts.)
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2018 Domaine du Pélican Chardonnay Arbois En Barbi - France, Jura, Arbois (15.9.2021)
The biodynamically farmed fruit is sourced from the En Barbi vineyard, replanted about 15 years ago. Always vinified separately, the wine was first released as a single-vineyard wine in its 2016 vintage. Fermented spontaneously, aged in oak barrels of 350 to 500 liters (50%), foudres (30%) and vats (20%). 13.5% alcohol.
Quite youthful, pale yellow color with pale green highlights. Slightly stuffy nose with a bit of flatulent reduction, otherwise coming across as rather closed at first. However, the wine slowly opens up in glass, exhibiting somewhat reticent notes of apricots, some red apples, light mineral notes of chalk dust and a hint of creamy oak. The wine is quite ripe, broad and full-bodied for a Jura Chardonnay, yet retains that classic firmness, thanks to the racy acidity. At first the wine feels rather closed, but it slowly opens up, revealing flavors of pronounced saline minerality, tart Granny Smith apple, some creamy oak notes, a little bit of sweet white peach, light zesty citrus notes, a hint of slightly bitter chalk dust and a touch of smoky reduction. The very high acidity lends great intensity to the wine and keeps the sense of ripeness nicely in check. The zippy finish is mouthwatering and moderately long with bright flavors of steely minerality, ripe citrus fruits, some tart Granny Smith apple, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of stony minerality and a sweeter hint of juicy white fruits.
A Chardonnay that felt similarly closed and reductive as Pélican’s 2018 Grand Curoulet Chardonnay, but this wine opens up more with air, coming across as a bit more impressive and vibrant. However, the overall feel is still a bit closed and reticent, really calling for additional aging - at the moment the wine simply doesn’t seem to be at its best. The style here is not particularly true to Jura, but instead comes across as a bit Burgundian - and I can see where that comes from - but thanks to the pronounced salinity and racy acidity the wine still has one foot firmly in Jura, even though otherwise the wine has a bit more Burgundian feel. I don’t know whether that will lessen or increase as the wine ages, but all in all the wine is pretty lovely for what it is and it seems to hold quite a bit of aging potential. I’d age it for another 5-7 years - or much longer - just to let the wine have an opportunity to show its best. Perhaps a bit expensive for the quality at approx. 42€, but not forbiddingly so. (89 pts.)
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