2004 Maison Pierre Overnoy (Emmanuel Houillon) Arbois Pupillin Chardonnay (white capsule)

Maison Pierre Overnoy et Emmanuel Houillon, now essentially Maison Emmanuel Houillon, is a domain in Jura, a small winemaking region in eastern France north of Burgundy. The maison is admired for outstanding wine and for the fact that in 1984 its proprietor, Pierre Overnoy, started making wines without adding sulfur dioxide. It was considered a radical and risky move, but it has since been adopted by many French vignerons, especially younger, artisanal winemakers who adhere to the biodynamic, or natural method of winemaking, which means using no chemicals, hand tending of the vineyards and hand harvesting. It also means a “hands-off” approach to fermentation, with no added sugars or sulfur dioxide. The idea is to make wines that accurately reflect terroir. Overnoy, considered the godfather of biodynamic winemaking, is now retired, but the 24-acre domaine is run by his protégé Emmanuel Houillon. The estate grows Chardonnay, Savagnin Blanc, a white grape, and Trousseau and Poulsard, red grapes. Savagnin Blanc is unique to Jura and is somewhat similar to Viognier. It is used for Jura’s famous vin jaune, which is like sherry, and Savagnin Blanc is often blended with Chardonnay in Jura white blends.

Arbois is the appellation d’Origin Contrôlée for the wine region around the town of Arbois in Jura. Red and white wines are made in the appellation. Jura is France’s smallest wine region, with about 4,000 acres of vineyards, and one of its least well-known. Nestled into the foothills of the Jura Mountain range on the far eastern side of central France near Switzerland, the region includes four geographic appellations. They are Arbois, Côtes du Jura, Etoile and Château-Chalon. There are also two appellations that pertain to the style of wine made, Crémant du Jura and Macvin, which is a liqueur. Jura grows Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, like its neighbor Burgundy, but is especially admired among cognoscenti for its distinctive regional grapes, which are the white grape Savagnin and the red grape Ploussard. Savagnin is the grape used for the region’s famous Vin Jaune, made from late harvest grapes and vinified somewhat in the manner of Jerez Sherry. The end result is a yellowish, somewhat nutty wine. Savagnin, known locally as Naturé, is also often blended with Chardonnay, known in Jura as Melon d’Arbois. The red grape Trousseau is also grown in Jura.

This white variety originated in Burgundy, but is now grown around the world. Its flexibility to thrive in many regions translates to wide flavor profile in the market. Chardonnay is commonly used in making Champagne and sparkling wines.