Trousseau des Corvees Tournelle 2023

Arbois Trousseau des Corvees Tournelle, iconic wine from a rare and complex grape variety.  Trousseau is a rare grape which has always been associated with Eastern France however it has also is quite widely planted in Portugal where it is unfortunately known by the synonym ‘Bastardo!’  It is a grape with very high quality potential but is quite difficult to get fully ripe.  It needs hot, dry conditions to do well and so only really comes into its own in fine warm vintages in the Jura. The name Trousseau (from Old French trusse, meaning ‘a bundle’) is possibly a reference to the shape of its bunch, it looks ‘packed up’ like a bundle.  Tournelle’s Trousseau when made is always a pure delight and develops beautifully over time.

Evelyne Clairet owns 7 hectares in the region around Arbois, the famous wine growing capital of the Jura.

She farms biodynamically and follows Maria Thun's calender in all the operations.  At Tournelle they tend to use no sulphur at bottling, but sometimes add 2 or 3 grams per litre earlier in the wine making. Unlike many Jura producers, they are looking in general to avoid oxygen in most of their wines to keep the freshness of the fruit. Their wines are a combination of golden Chardonnay fruit and Jura minerals. They are linear and precise and have the most incredible texture of any Chardonnay we have tasted. Top Burgundy wines sell for incredible prices.  But in terms of quality, complexity and sheer pleasure in drinking, we have not come across many Chardonnay that rival the wines of Domaine de la Tournelle.  Their Savagnin is also of outstanding quality, and they make some fascinating and unique reds.