2022 Croix & Courbet Savagnin Ouillé, Jura, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

This year’s Côtes du Jura blend is drawn from Arbois and Château-Chalon. The parcel in Arbois—En Chemenot, from which the pair also make a single-vineyard Savagnin—is organically farmed, with Croix and Courbet involved in the harvesting decisions. In Château-Chalon, Sur Lya is exposed to the west on shallow clay-silt topsoil with limestone scree over a deeper layer of Liassic grey marl. Regarding the winemaking, every bunch is harvested by hand, and the grapes go through a three-hour press cycle with whole clusters lightly crushed. All ferments are natural; the Sur Lya parcel ferments and matures in tank, while the Arbois fruit goes into used oak. Every care is taken to keep sulphur additions in the range of 20-30 ppm (none is added during maturation, and there was only a slight adjustment at bottling). More lifted than the 2020 and more layered than the 2021, it’s savoury and wonderfully lucid—a Savagnin of striking depth and character. Humming with energy and drive, the palate is loaded with rocky, compact texture flecked by citrus, yellow flower and crushed stone, sculpted by powdery grip and a zesty, incisive beam of freshness. Hard to find the words to do the wine justice; it’s just a beautiful, engagingly complex white that keeps you on the edge of the seat.

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.