Some of Burgundy’s biggest talents have started expanding east to Jura (and in rare cases, vice versa).

With the arrival of brand new growers and cuvées, we decided to show who and how the lines are blurring...

 

Pierre Girardin acquires land...

At 23, Pierre is wasting no time shepherding the Girardin name into its 14th generation of viticulture. His impressive Meursault-based winery hit the ground running with expanded holdings, not just in Burgundy but in Jura as well.

The new additions are wildly impressive, consisting of two Chardonnays and a Savagnin. All three are fermented natively and aged in 600L barrels (50% new), bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The '22s are his first release from Jura, with labels distinct from his Burgundies.

FYI, due to the labeling laws he’s not able to put Jura, as he makes the wines back in his Burgundy-based domaine:

‘22 Pierre Girardin [Côtes du Jura] Chardonnay 'La Petite Montagne' →

‘22 Pierre Girardin [Côtes du Jura] Chardonnay 'Le Noyer' →

‘22 Pierre Girardin [Côtes du Jura] Savagnin 'Le Noyer' 2022 →

  

Shop All Pierre Girardin →

 

  

One Vineyard, Two Savagnins:

A through line in practically every growing region: young producers sharing sites, making multiple expressions of the same terroir. You see it with Preda in Barolo, Bassi and Massa vineyards in California.

And, in Jura: Theo Dancer and Arnaud Baillot – two very young names making wine at their domaines – are both producing Savagnin from the same site in the village of Rotalier.

Their styles couldn't be more distinct: Theo's being grippy and tense, while Baillot's reflects his more open knit style.

2022 Theo Dancer Savagnin Jurassique Etoile (also in magnum) →

2022 Arnaud Baillot, Savagnin, Cotes Du Jura, France →
(Psst: his excellent Bourgogne Rouge just landed, too →)

  

  

  

 

   

   

    

d'Angerville is Pélican...

One of the biggest and most symbolic moves in Arbois was the 2014 sale of Jacques Puffeney’s estate to Marquis d'Angerville of Volnay. Turned into Domaine du Pélican, they’ve focused on Burgundy-inspired, topped-up wines eschewing any extreme oxygen.

But recently, they’ve begun playing with new styles: Petillant and most recently a Sous Voile Savagnin. Their maiden vintage of bottling the latter was released last year, and this year it returned with the truly excellent 2019 vintage.

2019 Domaine du Pelican Arbois Sous Voile Savagnin, Jura, France →

2022 Domaine du Pelican Arbois Chardonnay, Jura, France →

  

Blurring the lines: Frédéric Cossard

There is a lot of news surrounding Cossard and his domaine (more on this later) but one thing that seems thankfully unchanged is the négoce work he does outside of his Burgundy winery. Our favorites being the Jura-based bottlings, including the Ploussard he bottles from old vines in both Sainte-Agnès and Arbois.

Unlike most in the region, Fred ferments the grapes as whole bunches and after a week of maceration, the wine is pressed off to concrete eggs for a short élevage.

2022 Frederic Cossard VDF Ploussard, Jura, France →

  

Maxime Crotet

Speaking of Cossard: last year, we were really excited to see his assistant winemaker of 8 years, Maxime Crotet, step out to become Burgundy’s newest rising-star micro-negociant. But, as he found 2021’s frost-devastated fruit virtually unavailable, he was inspired to source elsewhere in Beaujolais, Alsace, Jura and the southern Rhône. And it all came back to his hometown cellar in Beaune.

There’s been a lot of excitement about these, especially his Jura whites: intense, reductive and briny bottles of Savagnin and Chardonnay. There’s a touch of ultra classic bright-fruited Alsatian Pinot in stock, too ;)

Overall the result of his make shift sourcing was serendipitous, with expressive wines that take us to top terroirs all over France.

2022 Maxime Crotet Savabin [Savagnin], Vin de France →

2022 Maxime Crotet Chardonnay Jura, Vin de France →

  

Back to the beginning: Rijckaert

One of the first to translate their work from Burgundy to Jura, Rijckaert started in the Mâconnais region in 1998, but quickly expanded into Jura with 5 hectares in Arbois.

The Savagnin below is one of the original domaine vineyards, and sees a long patient elevage of almost two years in old wood.

2022 Rijckaert Côtes du Jura 'Les Sarres' Savagnin, France →

  

Flip it: Rousset-Martin

Heading in the other direction, Francios (who is actually from Beaune) leaves his Jura-based winery to source fruit from Nuits-Saint-Georges.

The name is a play on the novel Voyage au bout de la nuit by Louis-Ferdinand Céline.

2020 Francois Rousset-Martin 'Voyage au bout de Nuits' Pinot Noir, VdF →