Domaine de la Tournelle
Evelyne and Pascal Clairet created their domaine in 1991 and later opened a little bistro in their garden by the water in the center of the town of Arbois, open in the summer. Continuing after her husband’s passing away (2021), Evelyne works with 8 hectares of vines planted of mostly white grapes (the locally typical Savagnin and Chardonnay) and some reds (Trousseau and Ploussard).
Tournelle makes traditional wines in the traditions of Arbois, such as the Terre de Gryphées or Vin Jaune, while also exploring new paths, such as the use of carbonic maceration in the Uva Arbosiana red. Their methodology and passion are clearly invested in producing wines that represent the tradition and potential that this dynamic AOC possesses.
www.domainedelatournelle.com
Certification: Organic (ECOCERT)
L’uva Arbosiana:— Back to the top
Ploussard with carbonic maceration and zero added sulfur form the harvest to the bottling. The perfect aperitif / snacking wine!
Grape: Ploussard
Vineyard: early Jurassic grey marl clays. 30+ years old vines. Estate-owned, certified organic.
Yields: 35–40 hl/ha
Making of: Grapes are hand harvested in small baskets. Grapes are sorted and destemmed by hand. The berries then undergo carbonic maceration in tanks, for about a month. Once the spontaneous alcoholic and malolactic fermentations are finished, the wine is transferred to big neutral oak barrels (foudres) where it rests for 6-12 months. The wine is bottled without fining, filtration or sulfites, with its natural CO2 to preserve freshness.
Tasting Note: Scents of homemade strawberry jam spread on freshly baked bread dominate the delectable nose. Nearly pink in the glass with a cherry red core, this light-bodied red possesses pretty red berry flavors and vibrant acidity. Serve before dinner or at picnics, this charming wine works wonders with lighter meats, vegetable pasta dishes, cold cuts, fresh fruit, light cheeses and creamy pastries.
Trousseau des Corvées:— Back to the top
Grape: Trousseau
Vineyard: heavy gravel on Lias marl. Estate-owned, certified organic.
Yields: 35 hl/ha
Making of: Grapes are hand harvested in small baskets. Grapes are sorted and destemmed by hand, gently crushed and then macerated for ten to thirty days with pigeage done once a day. Only native yeast is used and the juice undergoes a full malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks before it is transferred to old oak barrels where it rests for about 12 months. The wine is bottled without filtration, fining or sulfur addition.
Personality: Spice box and ripe apple flesh dominate the nose, fruity flavors backed by a succulent bramble underpinning. The wine finishes with savory tannins and a deft note of acidity. Serve with herb-encrusted roasted chicken, veal chops, vegetable stews, roast pork, game and aged cheeses.
Ploussard de Monteiller:— Back to the top
Tournelle Ploussard de Monteiller tech sheet
Yields: 35 hl/ha
Soil: Heavy clay
Varieties: Ploussard
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested in small baskets. Grapes are sorted by hand and destemmed before undergoing a very light press. The fruit is macerated for ten to thirty days with treading done twice a day. Only native yeast is used and the juice undergoes a full malolactic fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks before it is transferred to old oak barrels where it rests for 8 to 18 months. The wine is bottled without filtration.
Tasting Note: Strawberry preserves and cherries.
Pairing: Herb encrusted roasted chicken, veal chops, vegetable stews, roast pork or dish with tomatoes, and aged cheeses.
On Zoue (pétillant naturel du raisin) — Back to the top
Age of Vines: Young vines
Yields: 40 hl/ha
Soil: Heavy clay
Varieties: Ploussard
Vinification Method: A natural sparkling wine, bottled before the grapes have finished fermenting. 10.5% alc. only, with some residual sugar. This deliciously fun (“on zoue” means “lets play” — but the way a child would say it) sparkler is made from grapes from young vine Ploussard.
Tasting Note: Pretty red fruit fun.
Pairing: Before dinner or at a picnic!
Fleur de Savagnin: — Back to the top
An ouillé (topped, ie. not-oxidative) version of Savagnin that’s all about mineral finesse.
Grapes: Savagnin
Vineyard: grey marl soils. 30+ years old vines. Estate-owned, certified organic.
Yields: 35–40 hl/ha
Making of: Grapes are hand harvested in small baskets. The grapes undergo a careful selection at the vines and are then whole-bunch pressed in gentle pneumatic press. After a short debourbage (settling), the wine starts to ferment (native yeast only) in tanks, then is transferred to neutral barrels (no new wood). The malolactic fermentation happens the following spring, with topping off every 10 days without sulfites for a minimum of 18 months. Bottled according to the Maria Thun biodynamic calendar.
Personality: stunning precision and minerality, wine to be enjoyed the whole evening as it shows more and more of its layers of flavor. Good with Asian dishes or (mildly)spicy foods.
Terre de Gryphées: — Back to the top
Age of Vines: 20-30 Years
Yields: 40 hl/ha
Soil: Heavy clay
Varieties: 100% Chardonnay
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested in small baskets. Grapes are sorted by hand and undergo a direct horizontal press. Only native yeast are used and the fruit is racked for twelve hours. A cool fermentation occurs in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Batonnage occurs every ten days for three months during certain vintages. The wine rests on the lees in old oak barrels for two years. The wine is bottled with a light filtration.
Tasting Note: Yellow straw in the glass with pretty scents of dried apricots and almond skins. The palate is rich with mature white and yellow fruit flavors. Yellow apple core, pear nectar and almond paste followed by succulent minerality dovetail into a dry finish.
Pairing: Works with fowl, aged cheeses, pork dishes, dried fruits or simply by itself.
Macvin du Jura: — Back to the top
Macvin is a traditional Jura “Vin de Liqueur”, made of spirit – home-distilled Marc du Jura (using the domaine’s grape pomace) and fresh Chardonnay juice.
Grapes: Chardonnay, grape pomace
Making of: the Chardonnay grapes are pressed and then settled for 12 hours and then blended with the Marc that has been aged 3 years in barrels (2/3 juice, 1/3 Marc). The blend is then aged for 24 to 36 months in barrels. (Way longer than the AOC requirement which is 12 months.) Bottled without filtering and without sulfites, at around 17% ABV.
Personality: juicy, succulent aperitif, marrying vibrant acidity of the Chardonnay juice with the richness of residual sugar (180–220g/l). Serve well-chilled as an aperitif; perfect also at the end of the meal, with cheeses or apple-based or spicy desserts.
Vin de Paille: — Back to the top
This is a “Vin de Liqueur” with 180 to 220 grams of residual sugar. 33 % Ploussard grapes, 33 % Chardonnay grapes, 34 % Savagnin grapes. The grapes are laid on wooden racks and stainless steel grids in a well-ventilated barn for a higher concentration of the fruits achieved by drying. It undergoes a drying period of 2 to 6 months so as to obtain a potential minimum alcohol degree of 23°. It is left in barrels for 36 months (no new barrels), where light filtration is done before bottling.
Corvées sous Curon— Back to the top
The Corvées sous Curon is a special, coveted vineyard cultivated by just a few estates in the Jura. It is rich in gravel, limestone and clay and gives truly great, layered wines with aging potential.
Varieties: Chardonnay
Vineyard: Corvées sous Curon, a single vineyard with unique soil of heavy gravel, gravel-rich clay and limestone on Lias marl. Estate-owned, certified organic.
Yield: 40 hl/ha
Making of: The grapes for this wine are picked extremely carefully, with a strict sorting process in the vineyard. Gently whole-bunch pressed in pneumatic press. After a short debourbage (settling), the wine starts to ferment (native yeast only) in tanks, then is transferred to neutral barrels (no new wood). The malolactic fermentation happens the following spring, with topping off every 10 days without sulfites for a minimum of 18–24 months. Bottled according to the Maria Thun biodynamic calendar.
Tasting Notes: Profound and subtle as when you drink this wine you can tell some serious work went into it to coax the beautiful terroir out of this special plot. Perfect match for classy seafood, such as quality white fish or lobster.
Vin Jaune— Back to the top
Yield: 30 hl/ha
Variety: Savignin
Vinification: This wine is only made in vintages where the grapes are of the highest quality. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeast and zero sulfur, when the vintage allows. The wine is fermented in temperature controlled tanks and then moved to large foudre in a special vin jaune cave. It then spends 7 years without addition of sulfur and with no topping up, under cover of a vail of yeast (voile) that slows the process of oxidation. It is then filtered and bottled with zero addition of sulfur.
Cul de Brey— Back to the top
Yield: 30 hl/ha
Variety: 1/3 each Syrah, Petit Béclan, Trousseau
Vinification Method: Grapes are hand harvested in small baskets. Grapes are sorted by hand and destemmed before undergoing a very light press. The fruit is macerated for ten to thirty days with treading done twice a day. Only native yeast is used and the juice undergoes a full malolactic fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks before it is transferred to old oak barrels where it rests for 8 to 18 months. The wine is bottled without filtration.