2020 Benedicte et Stephane Tissot Arbois Savagnin Ouillé

This wine epitomizes the best of the Jura. It's crafted by the region's seminal winemaker using a local grape variety, savagnin, which is farmed biodynamically and bottled naturally. It's savory and toasty yet salty and crisp in a way that's unique to Jura whites. Production is 'boutique', like 'one barrel per year' boutique, and yet the wine still punches above its weight for the price. All that is to say, snag as much as you can.

Savagnin, simply referred to as Traminer in Austria and Germany, also known as "white traminer" and vastly different in flavour and colour from the pink traminer, or gewürztraminer, is an ancient grape variety with a history spanning thousands of years. Stephane Tissot matures this wine in older barrels, employing techniques similar to those used for chardonnay. The result is a wine of formidable strength and textural intricacy; it boasts notes of dough, hay, and a hint of salinity, all complemented by a satisfying "chewiness," along with remarkable density and length. Its acidity, opulence, and depth contribute to its potent character.