Michel Gahier Arbois La Vigne du Louis 2024

MICHEL GAHIER ARBOIS LA VIGNE DU LOUIS 2024

Michel Gahier is one of the most unique names in the Jura and a fundamental figure in minimal intervention viticulture in Arbois. The Gahier family has been linked to the territory for centuries and Michel took the reins of the family property in 1990, currently working around nine hectares, mainly dedicated to red varieties.

Located in Montigny-lès-Arsures, one of the historic sites of Trousseau, Gahier has built a small range of wines that are characterized by their enormous personality and a very non-interventionist interpretation of the vineyard. Their red wines, especially those made with Trousseau, are recognized for combining fruit, freshness, depth and a very particular texture.

Philosophy

Gahier has been working for many years following organic farming principles, although without official certification, avoiding conventional chemical treatments and paying special attention to the life of the soil. His way of working is inspired, among others, by his friend and reference Jacques Puffeney, another of the great historical figures of Arbois.

In the winery it also maintains minimal intervention. The wines ferment naturally and aging is carried out mainly in old barrels and foudres, ensuring that the wood does not mark the wine and that the character of the variety and the place dominates.

Production, vintage, vineyard and variety

La Vigne du Louis 2024 is an Arbois AOC made exclusively with Trousseau, from a plot located in Montigny that Michel Gahier rents from his brother Louis, from whom the name of the cuvée comes. The vines are approximately 50 years old and are in an exposure that requires harvesting later than other plots of the domaine.

This location and the late harvest largely explain the profile of La Vigne du Louis, which is clearer, fresher and lighter than Les Grands Vergers, another of the great expressions of Trousseau de Gahier.

The grapes are harvested manually, destemmed and cold macerated, followed by a cuvaison of approximately one month, during which pigeages are practiced to promote moderate extraction. The wine is then aged in foudres and barrels and bottled without filtration.

The 2024 vintage maintains the characteristic profile of the cuvée: a Trousseau of good fruit and freshness, with a tannic structure more present than in the lighter wines of the domaine. The commercial sheet for the vintage indicates 14% vol.

Tasting note

View: ruby red with a light, bright and translucent layer, very characteristic of Trousseau.

Nose: expressive and fresh, with cherry and other red fruits, accompanied by pepper, leather and delicate smoky nuances. A slightly minty and spicy character also appears that provides depth.

Palate: fresh, juicy and silky, with very defined red fruit and an acidity that provides tension. The tannins are fine but present enough to provide structure. The expression is deeper and meatier than that of a light entry-level Trousseau, but maintains the elegance and fluidity characteristic of the variety.

Pairing

La Vigne du Louis 2024 is an extraordinarily gastronomic red wine and, thanks to its freshness and silky tannins, it works especially well with roast poultry, pork, charcuterie and white meats, where its red fruit and spicy notes find a magnificent counterpoint. It is also very interesting with mushroom dishes and autumn cuisine, as well as with game preparations of moderate intensity. In the more regional terrain, its freshness and earthy character make it go especially well with Jura cheeses.

La Vigne du Louis 2024 is a magnificent expression of Trousseau de Arbois: delicate in appearance, but with depth and character. Red fruit, freshness and spicy notes combine with a silky texture and elegant tannins. A plot wine that perfectly shows the personality of Michel Gahier and that, as the producer himself recommends, deserves a few years of bottle time to develop all its complexity.