2022 TRADITION BLANC COTES DU JURA

TRY ME IF YOU LOVE: Burgundy / Oxidised wine

ABV: 14%

GRAPES: Chardonnay, Savagnin

TASTING NOTES: A dry, medium-bodied wine, with a nose hinting of a dry sherry-like style; hints of hazelnut, salted almonds, tea, apple compot and honeysuckle. Rounded with good structure and a long finish.

PAIRS WITH: White meat in a cream sauce, mushrooms, anything with Comte in it!

SERVE ME: Very lightly chilled, pop in the fridge for half an hour. Open the bottle a few hours in advance of drinking to give it some air.

Established in the 11th century, Château d'Arlay is one of the most venerable estates in France and a beacon of historic winemaking in the Jura. Comprising an enviable collection of old, traditional Jura vines – Pinot Noir, Poulsard, Trousseau, Chardonnay, and Savagnin – these are among France’s oldest continuously-worked vineyards.

Alain de Laguiche, d’Arlay’s current owner and a descendant of its founding family, believes that the estate’s sheltered and south-facing slopes are the secret to its success. Indeed, this unique terroir – deep grey marl soils covered by chalk – is regarded as some of the region’s finest. A proponent of biodynamic farming and quality-focused vinification methods, Alain crafts a mesmerising array of wines unique to the Jura and, in some cases, even the estate.