2020 Ganevat Arbois Savagnin “Les Clos”, Jura, France

ABOUT THE WINE

Les Clos hails from marl and limestone soils near Arbois, a site that provides the tension and backbone Savagnin thrives on. The 2020 vintage is vinified sous voile—aged under a veil of flor yeast—for over two years in neutral barrels, a method traditional to Jura that imparts complex oxidative tones while preserving the grape’s intrinsic freshness. Fermentation is carried out naturally with indigenous yeasts, and as with all Ganevat wines, there are no additives or sulfur used at any point.

The nose is layered and expressive: curry leaf, roasted hazelnut, bruised apple, and sea spray intertwine with vibrant citrus zest and a stony mineral undertow. On the palate, the wine is structured yet alive, with a saline finish that lingers. It’s a quintessential match for Comté cheese, smoked trout, aged ham, or umami-rich vegetarian fare.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER

Jean-François Ganevat is one of the Jura’s most revered figures, known for his uncompromising commitment to purity, terroir expression, and natural farming. After training in Burgundy, he returned to his family estate in the southern Jura village of Rotalier, where he has worked biodynamically since 2006. Ganevat treats each parcel as its own world, vinifying dozens of micro-cuvées to preserve the identity of site, soil, and vintage.

His whites—especially Savagnin—highlight his mastery of sous voile aging and low-intervention winemaking, echoing Jura tradition while pushing its boundaries. Bottled without fining, filtration, or sulfur, Les Clos exemplifies his ability to channel complexity, longevity, and vitality in a single bottle. The result is a wine that speaks both to place and to an uncompromising winemaking philosophy.