2020 Domaine des Cavarodes Côtes du Jura Trousseau Les Lumachelles

WINEMAKER: Etienne Thiebaud
REGION: Jura, FR
VARIETAL: Trousseau
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic

The village closest to the vineyard is Mouchard, which is just north of Arbois and just south of Cramans. This light red wine is made from the Trousseau grape variety which is thought to be native to the Jura but which can now be found in Spain and Australia under the name of Bastardo. It was bottled without being fined or filtered and no sulphites were added at any stage. This is a very good example of a Jura red wine which is a light, delicate red which has elegance and very good structure. In the Jura it is common for winemakers to serve the red wines first in a tasting as they are often light and ethereal (like this one) whereas the whites are much stronger.

Etienne Thiebaud commenced making his own wine at Domaine des Cavarodes in the village of Cramans in the northern part of the Jura in 2007. He makes wines of amazing purity which reflect the terroir from which they come on either side of the Loue River and across to Arbois. He only has 4.5 hectares of vines (ranging in age from 15 to 115 years old) which he farms organically but produces many cuvees from these small holdings. The wines are made as naturally as possible with the reds undergoing semi-carbonic maceration following careful de-stemming and maturation in old barrels. Key vineyards are Lumachelles which is in the commune of Mouchard just north of Arbois (where he has Chardonnay and Trousseau), Guille Bouton in Arbois (where he has Chardonnay) and Les Messagelins which is also in Arbois (where he has Trousseau).