SOIL TYPES
CALCAIRE/LIMESTONE: more mineral, lighter body, Jurassic (1st/top layer) fossilized, air. Trousseau and some Chardonnay grow here. Roots can go very deep.
MARL: “The Rock Mother” of clay, Lias (2nd layer) still water, stagnant. Citrus, high driven acidity, salinic wines.
ARGILE/BLACK CLAY: fruity, spicy, big, reductive, needs more time to open up, Trias (3rd layer of Jura soil) Poulsard and Savagnin grow here. Less deep roots, more complications with mildew and drainage, less productive, more difficulty absorbing nutrients
=====> Pressure created shifting in plates, pushed up hills in Jura, offering access to Lias and Trias soil beds
Michel Gros Lunar Calendar 2017 https://www.calendrier-lunaire.fr/en/the-moo-calendar/about-us/
View from LA TOUR CURON parcel
Clos St. Roque: 90+ year old vines, oldest in the Jura
Les Graviers: 7-11 parcels Chardonnay
Les Bruyeres: black clay vines planted 1960s Poulsard & Savagnin
Vin Jaune: clay soil
Marcottes:planting branches on wire???
Montigny: Trousseau/Chardonnay
Gewurtztraminer is the cousin of Savagnin
Likes reduction in red, not white
“La vie est belle”!!
waning moon better for fining, barreling
waxing moon ??
*storage of corks in WARM environment
CELLAR STORAGE TEMP: 60-40% warm/cool cellar: 26 degree for warm, 16 degree for cool cellar
3 FERMENTATION STYLES
- steel tank (savagnin & cremant)
- amphora
- foudre
+ Open top: Pinot Noir full bunches, de stem by hand on grate
Are the grapes destemmed or not? this is the most important question when tasting. Stems must be ripe to not extract bitterness.
alchohol & acidity Savagnin in clay
“punchdown & pumpovers is teenage masturbation, a useful mistake to abuse”
“my cellar is my playground”
CREMANT: Chardonnay & Savagnin, 85% Selection Massale, higher density => higher sugar [density @ temp on date) sticky note format. starter for Cremant? vin de paille + grape juice + yeast. Less atmospheric pressure is better for yeast. riddling by hand. 8 months
*more yeasts => more complexity
PATCHWORK: 60-40% blend, younger more productive vines fermented in wood, 10% new, adds spice
ROSE MASSALE: pink chardonnay, quick press (blend), clay & limestone, aromatic & delicate but structured with spice & tannin
LES GRAVIERS: limestone, 1 yr barrique, single vineyard, lots of indigenous yeast, small amt sulphur 14.5%, freshness in acidity, mineral
SOURSIS: Lias clay, vines “on parole”, if they stop producing he will uproot for Savagnin and make a Cotes du Jura in Chateau Chalon. Citrus, high driven acidity, salinity, added some sulphur in past to reduce brett (1.2g)
LE CLOS DE LA TOUR CURON: old barrel/new barrel blend, “blends should always be the best cuvee, if you choose to do them”, Chardonnay Grand Cru, Tower of Curon, southern facing slopes, clay
VASEU: north facing slope Savagnin.t asted Out of Barrel: Vin Jaune, Mailloche ’16, Curon ’16 (exotic fruit), Chalon, Poulsard en Amphore ’16, Trousseau ’16, Trousseau Singulier
PINOT NOIR “Sous La Tour”: limestone, 5 week maceration, whole cluster fermentation, very floral
EN BARBERON (PN): clay, whole cluster fermentation, epices, fumee, 5 week maceration, younger barrels = more oxygen, less reduction on the nose
DD: 3 month maceration, Poulsard & Trousseau 40/40, PN 20%, tight but pretty nose… “DD Motorboats”
SAVAGNIN EN AMPHORE: limestone, ooooopennnn!
VIN JAUNE TRIAS “VASE”
CHATEAU CHALON VIN JAUNE vs. VIN JAUNE “EN ESPOIR” 2010: saffron butter, exotic fruit [Vin Jaune in Chateau Chalon (fine) vs. Arbois (heavy)]
CHATEAU CHALON 2010: Lias = citrus, gentle structured, opulent, textured, spice
MAILLOCHE 2014: calcaire, buttery & light, spices + illegible note
LA TOUR DE CURON 2014: argile, dense, deep golden yellow, oily, persisten and a bit hot maybe needs more time in cellar?
Vin Jaune always DRY cellar to elevate alchohol levels. 6 years in cellar, mix temp of room and cold cellar (Stephane first to do temp mix).
Vin de Paille: high sugar content in fermented juice
REMEMBER:
“Nothing added, nothing taken away” – A.Feiring
“de tout bouteilles” – Ganevat
“the reduction of today is the fruit of tomorrow”- Camille Riviere