Domaine Christophe & Yoann Perrin Fleur de Savagnin 2022, Côtes du Jura

Domaine Christophe & Yoann Perrin Fleur de Savagnin is a white Côtes du Jura made entirely from Savagnin, the Jura’s signature white grape. The fruit comes from 40-year-old, south-facing vines on the marl and limestone soils around Vernantois, a small village south of Lons-le-Saunier. Unlike the region’s famous Vin Jaune, this wine is aged without the traditional veil of yeast: it spends 18 months in older French oak barrels, with as little intervention as possible in the cellar, so that the fruit and the character of the site come through clearly.

The nose shows lemon zest, green apple and white orchard fruit, lifted by lime blossom and chamomile. The palate is finely textured and precise, with savoury, saline drive and a gentle nutty note that hints at the Jura’s oxidative tradition, before a long, fresh finish with a mineral lift.

Serve lightly chilled, at around 10–12°C, and give it a little air. It is a natural partner for Comté and other hard mountain cheeses, roast chicken with a creamy mushroom or morel sauce, trout, white fish and mushroom dishes. Delicious now, it also has the structure to develop in bottle over a number of years.

Domaine Christophe & Yoann Perrin is a small family estate in Vernantois, a village just south of Lons-le-Saunier in the Côtes du Jura. Christophe Perrin founded the domaine in 1998 on the marl and limestone soils of the village. In 2022 his son Yoann took charge of the vineyards and the cellar, returning home after formative experience in Burgundy at Domaine Ramonet and Domaine Tollot-Beaut. The approach is rigorous work in the vineyard, including parcels of old vines, and as little intervention as possible in the winery, with light-touch fermentations, gentle extraction and élevage tailored to each cuvée. The range covers Chardonnay, Savagnin, Trousseau, Poulsard, Crémant du Jura and Vin Jaune, made with a Burgundian finesse that keeps the freshness and typicity of the Jura. The domaine is HVE certified.