ARBOIS 2022
Rouge
Grape Varieties
This red Arbois is a blend of Poulsard (70%) and Pinot Noir (30%).
The Poulsard is an old native grape variety, also known as “Ploussard”. This variety appreciates strong soils, with marl and clay. Its grapes, with white juices and a thin skin produce gourmet and lively juices, with hints of small red fruits and a stunning clear ruby red color.
The Pinot Noir grape is often blended with other varieties in the Jura vineyard, for its flavour and cellaring potential. Planted since the 15th century on gravelly soil, it is often the first vine variety to ripen in the Jura.
Tasting notes
Here is a typical, authentical red Arbois in its bright ruby red dress! To the nose, the wine offers pleasant aromas of little fruits and berries carried by spicy notes. In the mouth, the elegant, velvety and tasty structure is dominated by red and black fruits combinated to more animal notes, typical from the grape variety Poulsard.
Food and wine paring
Drink with cold starters, delicatessen, a tender veal cutlet, lamb or pork roast and fresh cheese.
Serving suggestions
Serve at a temperature of average 12 to 13°C (53-54°F).
Ageing potential
Drink with 2 or 3 years after the vintage to appreciate all its character.
Appellation
The Jura wine region is small in size but large in its remarkable diversity. It covers 80 kilometers between Burgundy and Switzerland, in the eastern France. The Arbois AOC is the oldest and largest of the Jura's four geographic AOCs. In particular, it was France's first AOC (created in 1937). Its name originates in the Celtic words "ar" and "bois" that would mean "fertile land".
Domaine de la Grange Grillard
The Grange Grillard (Grillard barn) and its lands were formerly property of the Cluny Abbey in Burgundy, with vines attested planted there from 1029. The Grange Grillard estate covers nowadays around 37 hectares in the Arbois appellation area.
Winemaking
After the manual harvest, the grapes are receipted at the winery and put into thermoregulated stainless steel tank for a total maceration of 12 days, followed regularly throughout the fermentation, incorporating some pumping and pigeage. At the moment of pressing, the press and drop juices of each cuvee are assembled and withdrawn for malolactic fermentation on fine lees. The wines are then aged in stainless tank for 2-3 months to keep freshness and aromas of each variety and blended together (70% Poulsard, 30% Pinot Noir) before light filtration and bottling.
Vintage : 2022
Having endured the nights at the beginning of April, we were spared from the effects of the frost. A budburst on 13 April and flowering on 23 May promised an early harvest. June saw more than 150 mm of rainfall, allowing the marl soils to build up some healthy reserves to cope with the hot summer weather.
The harvest was running from 16 August to 15 September. The grapes destined for the Crémant du Jura opened the show on 16 August, being the earliest date on record at the estate. This decision paid off as the balance of acidity was in line with what we were looking for. For our other Jura appellations, a generous rainfall on the weekend of 20 August allowed the vines to finish ripening in the best conditions.
The excellent health of the grapes allowed us to prolong the harvest until mid-September, with the opportunity to boost the maturity of the reds to their best polyphenolic potential, particularly for the Pinot Noir grapes, creating powerful, full-bodied wines. The white Chardonnays and Savagnins express floral aromas with a perfectly balanced mineral structure.
