Domaine Berthet-Bondet : Château-Chalon Vin Jaune 2018

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the Château-Chalon Vin Jaune 2018 from Domaine Berthet-Bondet

Tasting

Appearance

This Château-Chalon Vin Jaune 2018 displays a white hue, in keeping with the tradition of this vin jaune bottled in the traditional Clavelin format.

Nose

The nose stands out for its great aromatic finesse, in which richness and depth take precedence over a simple fruity expression. One senses generous fruit maturity, without any excessive sun-drenched character from the vintage disturbing this impression of precision.

Palate

On the palate, the wine reveals a fine, slender and almost incisive structure, driven by a pronounced acidic tension that balances the richness and depth perceived on the nose. This combination of power and freshness gives the wine great fruit maturity while preserving a sense of linearity.

Food and wine pairing

This vin jaune pairs beautifully with smoked fish, dishes made with morel mushrooms, spicy dishes such as curry, and Comté, whose dried fruit and nut notes echo those of the wine.

Serving and cellaring

The Château-Chalon Vin Jaune 2018 from Domaine Berthet-Bondet is ideally served at a temperature of 14°C. According to the estate, it has an ageing potential of up to around 2068, with a peak drinking window estimated around 2028.

A Château-Chalon vin jaune aged under a veil of yeast, 100% Savagnin

The estate

The Domaine Berthet-Bondet was founded in 1984 in Château-Chalon, in the Jura, by Jean Berthet-Bondet and Chantal Bondet. Now approaching retirement, the founders are gradually handing the estate over to the next generation, represented by their daughter Hélène Berthet-Bondet, who is now at the helm. Certified organic, the vineyard extends over approximately 14 hectares. Domaine Berthet-Bondet has built a solid reputation for its wines aged under a veil of yeast, in particular its Château-Chalon, a benchmark of this emblematic appellation of the Jura vineyards.

The vineyard

The Château-Chalon Vin Jaune 2018 comes from Savagnin parcels planted on Lias marls, the typical soil of the Château-Chalon appellation. These Jura vines, approximately 30 years old, are farmed organically, with grass cover in every other row and soil work intended to preserve the vine's natural balance. The harvest, carried out entirely by hand, allows for a rigorous selection of the grapes before pressing.

The vintage

The 2018 vintage was marked by warm weather conditions, as in many French wine regions that year. This heat called for particular vigilance in the vineyard in order to preserve the freshness and balance of the Savagnin, an essential condition for crafting a vin jaune destined for long ageing.

Winemaking and ageing

To produce the Château-Chalon Vin Jaune 2018, the grapes are harvested by hand and then whole-bunch pressed. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, before the wine is transferred to oak barrels for ageing under a veil of yeast for at least 6 years and 3 months, without topping up. This long period in barrel, carried out without any addition of volume, allows the veil to develop naturally on the surface of the wine and lend it its distinctive character. The wine is then bottled in the traditional Clavelin format, with a capacity of 62 cl.

Grape variety

This vin jaune is made from 100% Savagnin.