Côtes du Jura Savagnin Ouillé - Les Insolites Macération Romain - Julien - Charline Labet 2014

Situated at the southern tip of the Jura winegrowing region, in southern Revermont in the Rotalier valley, the Labet estate is now run by the Labet siblings, Julien, Romain and Charline. It was their parents, Alain and Josie Labet, who founded the estate in 1974. It has 14 hectares of vineyards, spread across 45 plots, in four villages. Adopting a single-plot approach for their wines, they cultivate micro-plots ranging from 0.15 to 0.8 hectares, each reflecting a specific terroir, location and grape variety. The vines, which are on average between 50 and 100 years old, are the result of massal selections and have been organically farmed for many years (the estate has been certified since the 2016 vintage).
The three winegrowers possess a genuine artistic and poetic sensibility. In the winery, the idea is to let nature take its course by encouraging spontaneous fermentation and limiting additives to SO2 alone (in infinitesimal quantities). The wines are aged on their lees in 228-litre barrels that are between four and 15 years old, without fining and often without filtration. The estate offers 18 single-plot wines, each named after the specific vineyard plot from which they originate. The white wines are mainly made from Chardonnay and Savagnin (the estate makes both non-oxidative and oxidative styles), whilst the reds are made from Poulsard, Pinot Noir, Trousseau and Gamay. Wines that bring genuine emotion to those lucky enough to taste them, given their rarity and the high demand for them.

The Côtes du Jura appellation celebrates Savagnin, the region’s iconic grape. The grapes come from a 30-year-old vines planted on blue marl from the Lias and clay soils, typical of the southern Jura region. Grapes are hand-harvested at full maturity. Maceration proceeds for ten days in vats, with 36% of the bunches destalked. After pressing, the wine matures for ten months in amphorae and concrete eggs, without added sulphur, to preserve the natural expression and freshness of the grape variety.
In the glass, the wine displays an intense, luminous orange hue. The nose is complex and expressive, weaving ripe yellow fruit notes with fine spices, candied orange peel, a subtle bitter edge and a subtle tactile, gentle tannic grip. The palate is broad, rich and vibrant, driven by a lively acidity that energises the wine. A refined saline texture underlines the terroir’s mineral tension, while the long, aromatic finish unfolds with persistent notes of fruit, spice and delicate tannins, giving the wine depth and a singular personality.