Domaine Macle, Tradition, 2018

Run by Laurent Macle, Domaine Macle has long been famed for producing the best oxidative wines in the Jura. The domaine was created by father Jean in 1966, although the family (emanating from Italy with the surname Mascolino) had farmed vines since the 1850s. Laurent has been in charge of the domaine for over 20 years, and now works with his sister Christelle who has taken over the role of their recently retired mother. You get the feeling that Laurent is finally able to express himself as a winemaker, and in recent years there have been a number of experimental cuvées. They work organically now once again, making 4ha of Château-Chalon and 8ha of an assortment of oxidative wines (aged for a shorter period than the Château-Chalon) and a few barrels of topped up wines – they sell no reds, although make a little poulsard for their consumption and a poulsard pet nat for the staff. The vineyards for Château-Chalon are planted on very steep, south and south-west facing slopes, one of which Puits-St-Pierre is terraced. Grey marl soil is perfect for the savagnin grape, which is here picked ripe but never with any noble rot. Intriguingly Laurent believes that terroir is not as important for Château-Chalon as the cellars for ageing. The family benefit from a series of interconnected ancient 17th century cellars that are a mix of above-ground, semi-below ground and naturally ventilated underground. The whole of the Macle range is exceptional including a Côtes du Jura aged