Arbois wines are produced from around 800 hectares (2000 acres) of vines. Arbois covers 13 communes (Abergement-le-Grand, Arbois, Les Arsures, Mathenay, Mesnay, Molamboz, Montigny-lès-Arsures, Les Planches-près-Arbois, Pupillin, Saint-Cyr-Montmalin, Vadans and Villette-lès-Arbois) on the hills and valley slopes surrounding the town.
One of these – the commune of Pupillin – is particularly known for the quality of its wines. These come from a patchwork of vineyards planted on south facing, limestone rich slopes. Wines from these sites can be sold as Arbois-Pupillin.
Within the zone, a few additional vineyards are designated for sparkling wine production (Crémant de Jura). Some other plots supply fortified Macvin de Jura. which has its own AOC.
Technically the appellation lies within the broader Côtes du Jura appellation. However, Arbois producers are likely to only use this designation if they also own a vineyard plot outside the border and combine the fruit.
Savagnin Blanc (not to be confused with Sauvignon Blanc) is an ancient white wine grape from the sub-alpine regions of eastern France.
Its most famous application is in two of France's most idiosyncratic wines, the Sherry-like Vin Jaune and the sweet, concentrated Vin de Paille. Both of which come from the eastern Jura region.
Savagnin Blanc is also present in the Jura's sparkling and dry white wines, where it is often blended with the better-known Chardonnay grape variety, which now accounts for about half of Jura's vineyard area.
The Savagnin name has become most synonymous with Vin Jaune. This wine is matured in barrel for several years under a naturally occurring film of flor yeast. During this maturation period the wine develops rich, nutty flavors (similar to the fino Sherries of Jerez. It also gains the deep yellow color which gives it its name.
The finest examples of of Vin Jaune come from the vineyards of Château-Chalon in the Jura. As such they are probably the finest Savagnin wines made anywhere.
Vin de Paille, also a key wine style of the Jura, is made from grapes which have been dried out for several weeks (or even months) in order to concentrate their sugars and flavors. These wines were traditionally made from grapes left to dry on loosely woven mats made of straw (paille), which gave rise to the name.
These wines are produced via mutage (addition of alcohol to must to stop fermentation) and generally have an alcohol by volume of 15 to 20 percent. Savagnin-based Vin de Paille does not have a dedicated appellation, but may be produced under the Côtes du Jura and Arbois appellations.
Just across the Alps from Jura, in the high-altitude vineyards of Valais, Switzerland, Savagnin Blanc goes by the names Heida and Paien. It is used to make refreshingly crisp, dry white wines, very different in character to typical Jura bottlings.
It was long thought that Savagnin was also to be found growing in the vineyards of Ayze in Savoie (eastern France), under the name Gringet. DNA profiling has now confirmed Gringet as a distinct grape variety.
Savagnin has been at the center of various misunderstandings and errors in identification. In Australia some of the early imports of "Albariño" in the 2000s turned out to be Savagnin. It is now thought that "Albariño vineyards" in Galicia also contain Savagnin and Caino Blanco.
While the latter mistake was claimed by Spanish authorities to stem from the mislabelling of one cutting, much of the difficulty in general can be put down to Savagnin Blanc's age. DNA research published in 2019 confirmed that a 900 year old grape seed found in Orléans, central France was genetically identical to modern Savagnin Blanc. This shows the variety has been farmed for at least that long using cuttings derived from one ancestral plant.
Because it is an ancient variety, it has had lots of time to develop clonal diversity, with variations in berry size and colour, bunch shape, leaf shape, aroma and so on. This both means that confirmed Savagnin can vary greatly in character, and that many varieties with other names share the same DNA.
In fact, Savagnin Blanc (also known as Traminer) is just one of several "Savagnin" grape biotypes. Its aromatic pink-skinned, spice-scented mutation Savagnin Musqué is better known as Gewurztraminer. Savagnin Rosé is the non aromatic pink skinned version. The three have often been confused in Alsace and other territories.
Instantly expressive, this boasts a generous aromatic quality, mixing sunny stone fruits, tropical touches, green olive and a hint of citrus oil. The seductively ripe perfume is countered by the palate which is incisively crisp and firm, a hint of rock salt minerality and a tannic grip providing a welcome crunch and definition to the wine.
Origin : Jura, Arbois, France
Type： White Wine
Grapes : Savagnin Blanc
Alcohol : 13.5%
Bottle Size：750ml
