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Several generations have been necessary to patiently built one of the largest and greatest estates in the area, focused on key appellations such as Château-Chalon, l’Étoile and Arbois. The Domaine MAIRE & Fils covers nowadays 234 hectares of vines producing all the area grapes varieties.
ARBOIS CHARDONNAY VIGNES DE SORBIEF
Grandes Parcelles
click on one of the vintages below for further information
2020   2022  

Grape variety

The Chardonnay grape variety, originating from Burgundy but cultivated in the Jura since the 10th Century, has become a native of the region.

Its great adaptability makes it the most prominent grape variety in the area today, as well as in the Domaine Maire’s vineyards.

Tasting notes

- A clear and brilliant gold colour, with green and pale gold reflections.
- A complex nose revealing finesse, roundness and minerality.
- In the mouth its attack is frank and opens on floral notes and dried fruit followed by a good amplitude and a very long persistence.

Food and wine pairings

Serve  with fine fish, shellfish and crustaceans, white meats such as veal or poultry, and local cheese such as Comté or Swiss cheese.

Serving temperature

12 to 14°C (53-57°F).

Cellaring time

5 to 6 years.

Appellation

The Jura wine region is small in size but large in its remarkable diversity. It covers 80 kilometres between Burgundy and Switzerland, in the eastern France.

The Arbois AOC is the oldest and largest of the Jura's four geographic AOCs. In particular, it was France's first AOC (created in 1937).  

Its name originates in the Celtic words "ar" and "bois" that would mean "fertile land".

Terroir

The “Sorbief” parcel is locally known as one of the best terroirs in Arbois. It is at least the treasure of the estate’s vineyards where we identified and selected of the best plot adapted to the Chardonnay. The parcel is located in the west of the Domaine and to the southwest of the Arbois village on a lovely hill overlooking the famous “Route des vins du Jura” (the Jura wine road) RN 83.

- Surface: 2,85 Ha
- South and southeast exposure
- Average age of vines :  50 years (1974)
- Soils: marls and limestones with fossil shells.

The work in the vines, is based on the respect of the nature and the soil. We practice soil reassembly to aerate the lands subjected to settlement due to moisture, and grass with plants. Such as clover, which, by competing on the vine, can modulate its mineral and water supply and control its vigour and yield.

The Guyot double size is necessary for the Chardonnay to better control its performance.

Vinification and ageing

Reception of the grapes, harvested manually, sorting and vatting by gravity into a thermo-regulated tank for the fermentation. Once the grapes are pressed, the musts are settling under control temperature. The fermentation is then maintained at low temperature (20-22°C / 68-72°F). Ageing in oak barrels for 9 months (including 30% new oak barrels). Bottling with a light filtration.