Domaine Guillaume Overnoy : Chardonnay Sous Voile "Au Chapeau" Vieilles Vignes 2020

Tasting Notes and Serving Suggestions for the Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes 2020 from Domaine Guillaume Overnoy

Tasting

Appearance

With a pale yellow hue and golden highlights, this wine reflects three and a half years of aging under flor. Subtle amber tones appear at the rim of the glass, revealing advanced maturation while preserving lovely freshness.

Nose

The nose reveals remarkable aromatic complexity. Notes of almond and hazelnut dominate the bouquet, accompanied by hints of fresh honey. With aeration, nuances of toasted cereals emerge, reflecting well-controlled oxidative aging. The whole shows restrained aromatic power and pronounced minerality.

Palate

On the palate, the wine offers beautiful breadth while maintaining remarkable precision. The attack reveals an aromatic intensity that extends the sensations perceived on the nose, with notes of almond, hazelnut, and honey. The mid-palate delivers a creamy texture and notable depth, without heaviness. The well-present acidity brings structure and vibrancy, preventing any sense of weariness despite the long aging. The finish unfolds calmly and with persistence, leaving a lasting mineral imprint and subtle oxidative complexity.

Food and Wine Pairings

This white wine from the Jura pairs elegantly with the region’s pressed cheeses, notably Comté and other aged cheeses. It matches perfectly with Savoyard specialties such as fondue, raclette, tartiflette, or Mont d'Or. Freshwater fish in buttery sauces, poultry in cream, and creamy preparations also make excellent pairings. Its structure and minerality allow it to elevate rich dishes without being overpowered by their lusciousness.

Serving and Cellaring

The Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes 2020 is ideally served at a temperature between 14 and 15°C. Decanting is not necessary, but allowing the wine to open for an hour in the glass enables the most delicate aromas to fully express themselves. This wine has cellaring potential through around 2035, allowing its oxidative aromas to evolve subtly while preserving its mineral freshness.

A Jura white wine aged under flor, an expression of the marl terroir of the southern Revermont

The Estate

Domaine Guillaume Overnoy traces its roots back to 1982, when Jean-Louis Overnoy, Guillaume’s father, transformed the family mixed-farming operation into a wine estate. In 2014, Guillaume took over the estate at just twenty years old and immediately began converting the entire 5.5-hectare vineyard to Ecocert-certified organic farming. Based in the southern Revermont around Orbagna, the estate is now run by Guillaume Overnoy, who quickly established himself as one of the rising figures in Jura natural winemaking. Nephew of Pierre Overnoy, a legendary figure in Jura natural wines, Guillaume perpetuates a philosophy of minimal intervention and an authentic expression of terroir.

The Vineyard

This white wine comes from old Chardonnay vines grown on the clay-limestone marl soils of the locality known as En Poinot in Orbagna, within the Côtes du Jura appellation. The plots lie between 250 and 320 meters in altitude, benefiting from south and southwest exposures conducive to optimal ripening. The soils, composed of clay and limestone marls characteristic of the southern Revermont, give the wine its distinctive minerality and precise structure. The mature vines develop deep root systems that contribute to the wine’s aromatic complexity and mineral expression. The vineyard is farmed under certified organic practices, with exclusively hand-harvested grapes allowing for rigorous selection.

The Vintage

The 2020 vintage in the Jura unfolded in a climatic context shaped by contemporary dynamics affecting the region. The year’s conditions produced grapes of fine quality, with a favorable balance between ripeness and the preservation of acidity—key elements for wines intended for extended oxidative aging.

Vinification and Aging

The Chardonnay Vieilles Vignes 2020 is vinified following a minimalist approach that favors the natural expression of terroir. Fermentation occurs spontaneously thanks to indigenous yeasts present in the vineyard, with no added commercial yeasts. Aging takes place in 228-liter Burgundy oak barrels and 500-liter barrels, four to ten years old to avoid any excessive oak influence. The wine is aged under flor for three and a half years, a traditional Jura technique in which a layer of yeasts naturally develops on the surface of the wine, allowing controlled oxidation. No fining is carried out, and filtration is avoided or kept to a minimum, thereby preserving the full integrity of the wine’s qualitative components.

Grape Variety

100% chardonnay