CÔTES DU JURA - PINOT NOIR 2022

Grand Héritage

click on one of the vintages below for further information
2021   2022  
Several generations have been necessary to patiently built one of the largest and greatest estates in the area, focused on key appellations such as Château-Chalon, l’Étoile and Arbois. The Domaine MAIRE & Fils covers nowadays 234 hectares of vines producing all the area grapes varieties.

Mainly (90%) made from Pinot Noir with a touch of the local Trousseau (10%) grape to bring the typical notes of the Jura vineyards. In fact, Pinot Noir is often blended with other varieties in the Jura vineyard, for its flavour and cellaring potential.
A beautiful, limpid dress with a very intense ruby colour. The nose is pleasant, straight and fine, with delicate fruity notes. In the mouth, it is a round, supple and velvety wine with a very present fruit. In addition to the traditional Pinot Noir characteristics (red fruits and tannins elegance), this wine offers more spicy and greedy aromas brought by the Trousseau.
Drink with mountains charcuterie and delicatessen, Bündnerfleisch, smoked ham and sausages, but also grilled or roasted meats, prepared dishes, and of course with a great plate of French Jura cheeses!
Serve at temperature of 14 to 15°C (57-59°F).
5 to 6 years.
The Jura wine region is small in size but large in its remarkable diversity. It covers 80 kilometres between Burgundy and Switzerland, in the eastern France. Created in 1937, the AOC (designation of origin) of Cotes du Jura is omnipresent in the north and south of the vineyard, on varied and contrasting terroirs.

It is the second leading AOC in Jura in terms of production, and it engages all five of the Jura's grape varieties. The whole range of wines of the Jura is represented, although the whites dominate - still or sparkling - with wines that are round, fruity, and generous
In order to develop a harmonious cuvée, our Côtes du Jura comes from a selection of our best plots. The soils are very varied: Bajocian limestones, calcareous scree and marls on the plots attached to the hillside, to various clays. Lias and Trias on lands further forward, of variable depth but always sitting on marls which may be exposed.

The work in the vines, is based on the respect of the nature and the soil. For young vines, located on steep slopes, to avoid erosion, we cultivate a row out of two, practice soil reassembly to aerate the lands subjected to settlement due to moisture, and grass with plants. Such as clover, which, by competing on the vine, can modulate its mineral and water supply and control its vigor and yield.

The restructuring of the vines contributes to the harmony of our cuvée: the young vines bring the exuberance, the freshness and the acidity. While the older specimens bring the structure and character.
Reception of the harvest (picked by hand), with sorting on sorting table. Total maceration of 12 days in thermos-regulated stainless steel tank. Followed regularly throughout the fermentation, incorporating some pumping and pigeage (punching).

At the moment of pressing, the press and drop juices of each cuvee are assembled and withdrawn for malolactic fermentation on fine lees. Ageing in stainless steel tank for 8 months.

Then the wine is blended with a touch a Trousseau (10%) to keep the authentic character of each grape variety and bring local accents to this cuvée. Bottling is scheduled in spring with a light filtration.
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, running from 16 August to 15 September. 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.