Domaine Cavarodes, Savagnin Ostera Virgula, 2020

Notes on the producer 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 after a stint working for Domaine De La Tournelle. 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. The wines are mostly vinified without sulphur, and if used it is sparingly with a maximum of 2 grams per 100 litres. All the wines are aged in wood & racking and bottling are based on the lunar calendar. No filtration for the reds, the whites are filtered only if necessary. Small amounts of sulphur are added at bolting if necessary but only in micro doses of up to 15 mg per litre. The bottling is done sometimes by leaving a little carbon dioxide in the wines to keep their freshness.