2022 Croix & Courbet "Savadonnay", Jura, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

70% Chardonnay (5% sous voile), 30% Savagnin. From multiple vineyards, totaling 4.0 ha in all. Planted between 1980 and 1989.  En Lya: west-facing, shallow clay-silt soil with limestone scree over a deeper layer of Liassic gray marl. Au Calvaire: southeast-facing on a gentle slope, tucked away in a valley, fine limestone scree and clay soil over gray marl. Trémoulette: at the bottom of a west-facing slope, fine limestone scree and clay soil over gray marl. Varieties are vinified and aged separately, 5% of the chardonnay is further separated and aged sous voile. Pressed with whole clusters with a pneumatic press. Ambient yeast fermentation, malolactic conversion and aging for 18 months in used barrels. Blended and aged for an additional 18 months in tank. Fined with bentonite and casein, lightly filtered. First SO2 addition during aging, 0-30 ppm free SO2 at bottling.

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.