Single-parcel, ouillé Chardonnay from the En Billat lieu-dit in Rotalier, Jura, grown organically and raised on lees in older 228L barrels for a concentrated yet saline, mineral style.
This was grown one the Billat plot that gives it its name. It is 100% Chardonnay that benefitted from organic growing on a terroir rich in clay and schists. The domain has prioritised single-parcel vinification, on lees, and an élevage in 228-litre barrels.
* Rare bottles so if you're lucky enough to see them available, purchase whilst you can.
Notes on the producer
Domaine Labet is located in the village of Rotalier at the southern tip of Jurassien vineyards. A region locally named Le Sud – Revermont on a specific soil; a surface layer of clay, on outcrops of calcareous slabs called Bajocian. This type of soil, very conducive to the expression of Chardonnay, is rare in the Jura.
The 13 hectares of the estate are spread over 45 parcels, over 4 communes and thirteen lieux dits! Since 1974 the family estate of Alain, Josie and their children Charline, Romain and Julien have been making around 30 vintages each year. The focus has been on ouillées cuvées since Julien took charge of the ouillages 20 years ago. Julien created his own estate in 2003 with 3 hectares of vines certified since 2013 in organic farming. He carried out his first test without sulphur in 2008. In 2013 the parents Labet retired and the two fields have been grouped and directed between brothers and sisters ever since.
The specificity of Domaine Labet is the single vineyard approach of the wines; a single vineyard cuvée comes from a single plot to express the personality of a grape variety, a place, a soil, a terroir. For the Labet family, wine is the work of yeasts. The spontaneous fermentations are carried out by native yeasts, different from one plot and from one vintage to another; they play an important role in the personality, the expression of each wine, of each terroir.The cellar work is simple and takes place over time, seasons and lunar cycles. Most wines are aged on lees, in barrels of 228 litres aged 4 to 15 years. The wines are not fined, chaptalized or acidified. Sulfur only if necessary is added at low doses on certain wines to stand the transport and storage in not always fresh cellars. These are magical terroir driven wines of the Jura that are increasingly hard to get hold of.
* Please note that because there is limited stock of this wine it is not subject to any further discount.
