2009 Côtes du Jura

Most tourists who visit the Jura have the picturesque village of Château Chalon on their list of places to see. Perched on a rock outcropping overlooking vineyards and the plain beyond, it is a stunning site. Wine collectors, on the other hand, are more likely to gravitate to the rather inconspicuous estate of Laurent Macle, who is certainly the most celebrated producer in the appellation. While he is the seventh generation to farm land here since 1850, it was really only in the era of his father Jean that the name Macle began to become synonymous with Château Chalon.

Even today, the family essentially makes only 2 wines from their 12 hectares of vineyards. Beyond their vaunted Château Chalon, they also producer a Côtes du Jura that is, depending on the vintage, largely Chardonnay. Only when walking through the cellars beneath the 17th century house, though, do you begin to understand why storage conditions are so important for Macle. It is the subtle differences of temperature and humidity, he believes, that are at least as important as soil and microclimate in shaping the style and quality of a Vin Jaune.