A.C. Côtes du Jura, France - 100% biodynamic Chardonnay planted in schist and marl vineyard. Vinification with indigenous yeasts, without filtration nor addition of sulphurous. Soil worked with plow and protected with natural plants.
MICHEL GAHIER ARBOIS LES CRÊTS 2023
Michel Gahier is one of the great names in artisanal winemaking in Arbois, in the French Jura. The Gahier family has been established in the region since the 16th century, and Michel took over the estate in 1990, dedicating himself fully to viticulture and the production of his own wines.
From Montigny-lès-Arsures, a town closely linked to the Trousseau region, he works a small estate of vineyards where each plot is vinified separately. His production is characterized by the personality of the terroirs, the use of traditional Jura varieties, and a winemaking approach deeply rooted in tradition.
Philosophy
Michel Gahier's philosophy is based on respect for the vineyard and minimal intervention in the winery. He works his plots following organic viticulture principles, paying special attention to soil health and the natural balance of the vines.
In the winery, he strives to ensure that each plot retains its unique identity. Fermentation occurs spontaneously, and the wines are aged in used wooden vats, preventing the aging process from becoming dominant. For their white wines, they employ both ouillée aging, protecting the wine from oxygen through periodic topping up, and flor aging in other cuvées.
Les Crêts belongs to the former category, but its extended time in oak and its unique terroir lend it a complexity reminiscent of the great Jurassic white wines aged oxidatively.
Production, Vintage, Vineyard, and Variety
Les Crêts 2023 is an Arbois made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes, sourced from a plot located in a high-altitude area of Montigny-lès-Arsures, at approximately 330 meters above sea level.
The vineyard is planted on red marl soils, whose iron content imparts a particularly distinctive character to the wine. The vines are around 50 years old and face northeast, conditions that favor slow ripening and exceptional preservation of freshness.
The grapes are harvested by hand and pressed directly. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts in old oak barrels. The wine then undergoes a long aging process of approximately two years in 400-liter barrels, with the wine being topped up periodically to limit oxidation.
This combination of Chardonnay, old vines, red marl soils, altitude, and extended aging results in a white wine with extraordinary minerality and a profound texture, while maintaining a marked tension.
Tasting Notes
Appearance: Bright golden yellow, with a hue that reflects its extended aging and concentration.
Nose: Complex and profound, with ripe citrus, lemon, apple, and stone fruit, accompanied by mineral notes, herbs, and delicate hints of nuts. Nuances of walnut and a subtle spicy dimension also appear, adding depth without overpowering the Chardonnay's expression.
Palate: Broad, dense, and textural, yet sustained by vibrant acidity. Fruit and citrus notes integrate with a pronounced mineral and saline sensation. The mouthfeel is enveloping and profound, with magnificent tension that prevents any feeling of heaviness. The finish is extraordinarily long, dry, and persistent, with hints of citrus, nuts, stone, and a salinity very characteristic of the Jura region.
This Chardonnay combines substance, freshness, and depth, with a particularly interesting capacity for aging in the bottle.
Food Pairing
Les Crêts 2023 calls for sophisticated cuisine and works especially well with high-quality fish and seafood, particularly white fish dishes with butter, shellfish, and shellfish, where its acidity and saline character balance the richness of the dish. It is also superb with roasted poultry, especially chicken or poularde, and with French dishes featuring creamy sauces. Its structure also allows it to be paired with a long-aged Comté, creating a particularly harmonious combination between the intensity of the cheese and the minerality of the wine.
Les Crêts 2023 showcases Chardonnay's extraordinary capacity to express the Jura region. Old vines, red marl soils, and extended oak aging result in a deep, saline, and mineral white wine, where complexity arises not from power but from the balance between substance, freshness, and remarkable persistence. A single-vineyard wine that reflects Michel Gahier's personality with remarkable precision.
