2022 Croix & Courbet "En Beaumont" Savagnin Ouillé, Jura, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

En Beaumont is a highly regarded lieu-dit of Château-Chalon. The vineyard is farmed by Courbet himself and is currently in organic conversion. The Savagnin vines were planted in 1962, 1985 and 1991 and are rooted in gently sloping clay and limestone scree (60-80 cm deep) over blue and grey marl. Courbet believes the chalky soils of En Beaumont—carved from the dramatic cliffs that surround the village—respond best to barrel maturation, so this cuvée is raised in large oak for 12 months before a further six months in tank. There is no sulphur addition until bottling. The wine is labelled Côtes du Jura as the Chateau-Chalon AOC is only for Vin Jaune.

The 2022 En Beaumont is, as they might say in Burgundy, this year’s ‘queen of the cellar’.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

David Croix and Damien Courbet’s friendship goes back about 20 years now. They met as they were both studying for their DNO diploma in Dijon, before either of them actually began farming or making wine. David, of course, then became the director of Maison Camille Giroud in 2002 and created his own Domaine des Croix in 2005, both in Beaune. Damien took over his family’s domaine in the Jura (Domaine Courbet).

Over the years, the two remained close, often using one another as a sounding board or tasting wines together. It wasn’t until 2019, though, that they decided to combine forces and make wine together. After a series of extremely challenging vintages and generational turnover in the Jura, enticing grape contracts were on Damien’s radar. David had always had a soft spot for Jura wines, and the opportunity to purchase impeccable, organically farmed (either certified or in conversion) grapes from great terroirs was too good for either of them to pass up. After years of working independently, the two were excited to work as a duo and create something entirely new. They made three wines in 2019, their first vintage.