Domaine Henri Maire Grand Mineral Cotes du Jura Savagnin 2018
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Dunnuck
Jeb
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Winemaker Notes
Far away from the oxidative wines with which the Savagnin grape variety is generally associated, this Côtes du Jura is a wine of great freshness, with lovely, airy white flowers notes. The palate is as elegant as the nose, nicely blending richness, roundness and freshness and offering a great aromatic presence with a floral and iodized structure.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Outstanding notes of sappy herbs, lime, and chalky minerality define the nose of the 2018 Grand Mineral Savagnin Blanc. Medium-bodied, it has a fresh, lively texture and a clean, crisp finish. It's well worth checking out and is an outstanding wine.
Domaine Henri Maire has been nestled in the Jura, a wine region in eastern France between Burgundy in the east and Switzerland in the west, since 1632. Founded by a man named, Maire, for over 300 years, generations of Maires succeeded one another, strengthening the Maison’s expertise. For Domaine Henri Maire, the “Path to Gold” is an initiation to the richness and diversity of Jura wines. It starts with Côtes du Jura, which exalts the freshness of Chardonnay. It follows with Arbois, with its rich palette of wines, the use of Savagnin and the mysterious veil ageing. Considered to be one of the world’s greatest wines, Vin Jaune has a golden yellow color, hence its name.
Domaines Henri Maire is the story of a long journey that began in 1632 with the census record of a man by the name of Maire, “owning vineyards and cellars.” For over 300 years, generations of Maires succeeded one another, strengthening the Maison’s expertise.
Today, the Boisset family, another vineyard dynasty, ensures the continuation of this journey by modernizing and opening Domaines Henri Maire to the world, while respecting its unspoiled legacy.
An ancient and genetically valuable vine variety with origins in NE France, Savagnin is a parent to many modern varieties but is most associated today with the Jura. It is responsible for a few styles of wine, the idiosyncratic Vin Jaune, a wine matured in barrel under a film of flor yeast and the sweet, concentrated Vin de Paille. Savagnin also makes a charming sparkling or still wine and is often found in blends with Chardonnay. Somm Secret—While Savagnin is an off-spring of Pinot, Savagnin is a parent of Chenin Blanc, Grüner Veltiner, Sauvignon Blanc, Silvaner and Trousseau.
On the foothills of the Jura Mountains, just east of the Cote de Beaune on the Switzerland border, the Jura wine-producing zone is recognized for its unique reds, as well as its particular and diverse styles of whites.
Though borrowed from their neighbor Burgundy, Chardonnay and Pinot noir have been growing in Jura since the Middle Ages. But here the altitude, topography, climate and clay-rich, marl soils support a different style of Pinot noir, not to mention its other deeply-colored, full-bodied indigenous reds, Poulsard and Trousseau.
Considering area under vine, growers here favor Chardonnay for its consistency and reliability; it comprises almost half of Jura's vineyard acreage. However, Jura Chardonnay is anything but boring; its many offbeat styles are part of what make region’s wines so distinctive. It is used for Cremant (sparkling), Macvin (a fortified wine), as well as fine examples at the quality level of Burgundy.
Jura also has a unique oxidative style for Chardonnay but is better recognized for its similarly-styled “vin jaune,” meaning ‘yellow wine,’ which is made from the indigenous variety, Savagnin. Vin jaune is made using techniques similar to those used to make Sherry.
For all of its wines, Jura favors a traditional, natural and often organic style in viticulture and winemaking.