Stephane Tissot Arbois Chardonnay "Les Graviers" 2020

Alcohol: 13.5%

Grape(s): 100% Chardonnay

Localization: Arbois, Jura, France

Tasting Notes: An amazing biodynamic chardonnay from a single vineyard: 'Les Graviers'. Comes from plots with a subsoil of lime marl, pebbles and clay. The vines were planted between 1952 and 2002 on an area of ​​only 1.3 hectares. The grapes are not destemmed and fermentation in barriques starts spontaneously. The maturation on the yeast cells lasts 16 months in oak barrels, 30% of which are new. The wine rests for another 4 months in steel tanks. The wine intrigues you from the first moment you put your nose in the glass: strongly aromatic, floral, very elegant, open, and accessible. Nuances of candied lemon with a hint of concentrated lime. The mouthfeel is exciting and very original, with a crystalline, salty minerality. The aftertaste turns out to be endless.

The Domain: The Tissot family has been producing wine in the Jura since 1962, with Stéphane and Bénédicte taking the reins from his parents, André and Mireille. They have since acquired a formidable reputation as being among the region's top winemakers, farming biodynamically since 2004 and striving to express the character of the Jura terroir above all else. Domaine Stéphane et Bénédicte Tissot is in Arbois, a commune located within Jura, about 30 miles west of Switzerland. It's an insular area that specializes in unique renditions of both classic and little-known grapes.

Bénédicte et Stéphane Tissot are a powerhouse winemaking couple based out of Arbois in the Jura region. Their perspective plays a vital to the style of their wine. They favor natural wines as opposed to industrial ones, and wines that show off nature’s gifts versus winemaking. Their wines have been certified biodynamic by Demeter. Many of Jura’s wines go for an oxidative style; their wines are not this. They prefer a reductive style, the opposite of the local style. Their love is shown by their passion and their drive to make several different wines.