Domain: Tissot

Since Stéphane Tissot’s arrival on the family estate in 1990, the property, indeed the whole of the Jura, has seen an unmatched leap in quality. The winemaker and his wife Bénédicte demonstrate a thirst for experimentation and a profound respect for their terroir which comes through in the variety of what they produce, all the more impressive considering the size of their vineyard. Their efforts to bring the best out of each micro-climate are rewarded by our desire for their pure and flavourful wines. There is no longer any doubt that this domain will be inscribed in the history of wine.

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.