Domaine Grand : Savagnin 2019

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the 2019 Savagnin from Domaine Grand

Tasting

Colour

The colour is golden with amber highlights, clear and brilliant, reflecting a carefully managed ageing under flor.

Nose

The nose opens with notes of walnut and dried herbs, enriched by spicy touches reminiscent of curry, with hints of hazelnut and a slight bitterness characteristic of Savagnin aged under flor.

Palate

The palate is dry, lively and saline, carried by a compact mineral structure and a tonic acidity. The wine is oxidative but never oxidised, with a persistent finish of walnut, spice and salinity.

Food and Wine Pairings

This Savagnin is an ideal match for well-matured Jura cheeses, such as Comté or Morbier, whose salty richness echoes the wine's salinity. It also pairs well with rich, sauce-based regional dishes, notably white meats served with cream and mushrooms, as well as lightly spiced preparations that extend its curry notes.

Serving and Cellaring

The 2019 Savagnin is best served at around 13 to 15°C, a temperature that allows its walnut and spice aromas to fully reveal themselves while preserving its freshness. Light decanting may be considered to encourage its aromatic expression.

A Savagnin from Domaine Grand, a saline expression of Côtes du Jura aged under flor

The Estate

Domaine Grand officially came into being in 1970, when the Grand brothers expanded the family vineyard in Passenans, in the Jura, to devote themselves fully to winegrowing. Now run by Emmanuel and Nathalie Grand, the estate refocused in 2015 on 10 hectares farmed using sustainable viticulture. Nathalie oversees the vines, Emmanuel the cellar. This human-scale operation showcases the Jura's emblematic grape varieties, in particular Savagnin, through ouillé ageing or ageing under flor.

The Vineyard

The Savagnin used for this cuvée in the Côtes du Jura appellation comes from plots planted on grey limestone and Jurassic marl soils, some of them with very old vines. Cultivated using sustainable viticulture, this vineyard enjoys a favourable exposure that allows the grapes to ripen evenly, ideal for producing characterful wines aged under flor.

The Vintage

The 2019 vintage enjoyed broadly favourable conditions in the Jura, with satisfactory grape ripeness. This climatic context allowed Domaine Grand to express the full potential of Savagnin, within a framework of sustainable viticulture that was already well mastered.

Winemaking and Ageing

The 2019 Savagnin is hand-harvested and then pressed before spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. The wine is then aged under flor, in old partially filled barrels, in the estate's semi-underground cellar, which encourages the natural development of this protective veil. Sulphur use remains minimal throughout the ageing process, with no fining or heavy filtration, in order to preserve the authenticity of this Savagnin's controlled oxidative profile.

Grape Variety

This wine is made exclusively from the Savagnin grape, the emblematic variety of the Jura vineyard.