Château d'Arlay
Château d'Arlay represents nothing less than one of the oldest wine estates with incredibly deep roots: historically considered the oldest castle with vineyard in all of France, with documents found in archives dating back to the year 1070, confirming a widely appreciated winemaking production since then. One of the curiosities linked to this winery can be traced through every generational passage from its foundation to the present day, witnessing the succession of generations all belonging to the legitimate hereditary lineage, with no external handovers outside the line of succession. Here we are in the small French region of Jura, which owes its name to the historical period that gave it birth, namely the Jurassic period, when limestone emerged from the soil creating its green and wooded mountains. It is here that the etymology of the term “Jura” is hidden, deriving from the Celtic root “jor” which indeed means forest.
The winery Château d'Arlay thus embodies the most territorial and typical Jura identity, elaborating the classic grape varieties of this little-known area between Burgundy and Switzerland, represented by indigenous varieties found only in the vineyards of Jura: it is the kingdom of the Savagnin grape, a white with vibrant freshness and pronounced salinity, thanks to the soils of great mineral richness. Often vinified in purity and sometimes accompanied by Chardonnay, it contrasts with typical reds such as Trousseau and Poulsard, which are usually paired with the Burgundian Pinot Noir.
Long and silent aging and sips rich in matter characterize the vinifications of Château d'Arlay, crafted according to the most traditional methods, using only indigenous yeasts and left to meditate in non-invasive woods, among which the Vin Jaune stands out, made solely from Savagnin and the result of a century-old tradition: aged with the development of the “flor” veil, it expresses unheard-of complexity and a potential for aging of no less than thirty years, to maintain over time the true territorial identity of Jura.
Château d'Arlay represents nothing less than one of the oldest wine estates with incredibly deep roots: historically considered the oldest castle with vineyard in all of France, with documents found in archives dating back to the year 1070, confirming a widely appreciated winemaking production since then. One of the curiosities linked to this winery can be traced through every generational passage from its foundation to the present day, witnessing the succession of generations all belonging to the legitimate hereditary lineage, with no external handovers outside the line of succession. Here we are in the small French region of Jura, which owes its name to the historical period that gave it birth, namely the Jurassic period, when limestone emerged from the soil creating its green and wooded mountains. It is here that the etymology of the term “Jura” is hidden, deriving from the Celtic root “jor” which indeed means forest.
The winery Château d'Arlay thus embodies the most territorial and typical Jura identity, elaborating the classic grape varieties of this little-known area between Burgundy and Switzerland, represented by indigenous varieties found only in the vineyards of Jura: it is the kingdom of the Savagnin grape, a white with vibrant freshness and pronounced salinity, thanks to the soils of great mineral richness. Often vinified in purity and sometimes accompanied by Chardonnay, it contrasts with typical reds such as Trousseau and Poulsard, which are usually paired with the Burgundian Pinot Noir.
Long and silent aging and sips rich in matter characterize the vinifications of Château d'Arlay, crafted according to the most traditional methods, using only indigenous yeasts and left to meditate in non-invasive woods, among which the Vin Jaune stands out, made solely from Savagnin and the result of a century-old tradition: aged with the development of the “flor” veil, it expresses unheard-of complexity and a potential for aging of no less than thirty years, to maintain over time the true territorial identity of Jura.
