Domaine Courbet, 2016 Château Chalon, Vin Jaune


Producer


Vintage

2016

Region

FranceJura

Appellation

Château Chalon

Cuvée

Vin Jaune

Varietal

Savagnin

Farming

Biodynamic, Low/No Sulfur Vinification

Vinification

Aged under veil of Flore, Barrel Aged, Indigenous yeast fermented, Low Sulfur Vinification & Aging, Malolactic, Organically Grown Grapes, Unfined & Unfiltered

Soil Type

Chalky Limestone, Clay, Marlstone

Produced from 25-65 year old vines planted in 1945, 1967 and 1986 from two plots. Sous Roche is located beneath the cliff of Château Chalon and the other is En Lyas in Menétru le Vignoble. Marnes grises et bleues make up the soil types.
The Savagnin grapes are hand-harvested and after pressing, the resulting must is fermented in barrel on its fine lees with only indigenous yeast and flore. It is then aged in barrel (topped off) until the following summer with some lees stirring, and is then assembled and transferred into neutral barrels located in a separate above ground cellar for 6 more years of aging. The wine will not be topped off during this time and a natural mold or flore will develop on the surface of the wine which will protect it from oxidation and allow the wine to evaporate and concentrate naturally over time. The warmer cellar with natural temperature swings is essential to the health of the flore during aging. It will be kept sous voile until it is lightly filtered and bottled at least 7 years after harvest.
The resulting wine is one of the truly unique and great wine experiences on the planet. It will have a light golden hue with green tinges and the nose shows spices, dried fruit, almonds and delicate white flowers. In the mouth, it will express the unique concentration obtained through natural evaporation. High acidity and citrus notes are melded into this spicy, fruity mix that seems to have no end. Extremely persistent, it will keep drawing you back in with its unique powers until the 620ml bottle is drained.