Arbois Vin de Paille Bénédicte et Stéphane Tissot 2012

Lot presentation

Arbois Vin de Paille Bénédicte et Stéphane Tissot 2012

The wine

A speciality dessert wine par excellence, this straw wine is a yellow wine made from different grape varieties grown following biodynamic principles and vinified naturally. After meticulous harvesting by hand, the grapes were dried on a bed of straw (hence the name straw wine) for four months. The grapes, in which only sugar remains, are then pressed, and the resulting juice is matured for three years in oak barrels. Made to be aged, this little gem carries notes of candied fruit, honey, spiced and caramel. Not sickening in the slightest, it is livened by a pleasant acidity.

About the Producer Tissot

The domain might still carry the name of his parents, but Stéphane Tissot (and his wife Bénédicte) took over the family business over 20 years ago. In 1995, Stéphane began to reduce the amount of fertiliser so as to pave the way for organic viticulture. Around this time he also stopped using chemical herbicides altogether. In 1999, the then 28 hectares (now 46 hectares) became entirely organic and, after a few years, the whole domain became biodynamic in 2004 (Demeter certification). Stéphane's hard work has transformed the quality of the grapes. With such good quality fruit, vinifications are relatively easy and require very little intervention. Natural yeasts are used in fermentation and a very small amount of sulphites are added, nothing else. The end result is an excellent expression of terroir with intense aromas. Stéphane's quest to convey his many different terroirs has led him to produce nearly 50 different cuvées from many different grape varieties using various vinification methods. For example, for the Savagnin, a variety typical of the Jura, the property produces wines with and without oxidation (i.e. topping up of the barrels) and vin jaune. This domain is at its zenith and is one of the Jura's (and iDealwine's) best kept secrets.

Detailed characteristics