ARBOIS PINOT NOIR COMBE LEUBET 2022

With a bright ruby red colour, the Pinot Noir offers in this Arbois a pleasant nose, straight and fine, with red fruits aromas. In the mouth, this is a rich and powerful wine with flavours of black fruits and fine spices notes. A great, racy wine for keeping as shown by the really present but elegant tannins.

Serve ideally with a fine piece of beef, dishes cooked and marinated such as the famous “Coq au vin” or in accompaniment of a great plate of French cheeses!

14 to 15°C. (57-59°F.).

5 to 7 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.

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".

Located in the heart of the estate, at the foothills of the Jura Mountains, the “Combe Leubet” plot covers 4 hectares of Pinot Noir vines with a South and Nord exposure.

They were planted in 2001 on stony limestone soils over beds of silty clay.

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 vigour and yield. The Guyot double size is necessary for the Pinot Noir to better control its performance.

Reception of the harvest, with sorting on sorting table. Total maceration of 12 days in thermoregulated 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 At the moment of pressing, the press and drop juices of each cuvee are assembled and withdrawn for malolactic fermentation on fine lees.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, partially in oak barrels (20% new oak) for 8 months allowing to keep the fruity and typical character of the grape. Light filtration before bottling.

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 took place 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.

GUIDE HACHETTE - 1 Etoile - January 2024
JamesSuckling.com - 90 points - May 2024