Domaine de la Tournelle

Domaine de la Tournelle is a small Jura estate in Arbois, founded in 1991 by Évelyne and Pascal Clairet. Neither came from a winegrowing family - Pascal trained as a wine technician and worked in a regional industry role until going full-time at the estate in 1995; Évelyne is a qualified oenologist who had previously worked at the Syndicat des Côtes du Rhône. Pascal Clairet died in May 2021 at age 58; Évelyne continues running the estate.

Around eight hectares, all in the commune of Arbois. The estate worked naturally from day one; ECOCERT organic since 2010, with the practice moving over time toward biodynamics and the natural-wine route (Pascal was, by Wink Lorch's account, discreet about labels). The motto is "des vins sans intrant et sans négoce" - no inputs, no négoce.

The lineup: whites Terre de Gryphées, Les Corvées sous Curon, Cul du Brey, Fleur de Savagnin (Savagnin ouillé made since 1994), Savagnin de Voile, and Ambre de Savagnin. Reds: Uva Arbosiana (Poulsard, carbonic, no SO2 - first produced in 2003), Trousseau des Corvées, and Cul du Brey rouge (VdF). Specialties: Macvin du Jura, Vin Jaune, and Vin de Paille, plus the occasional Cuvée R.

The Clairets also run the Bistrot de la Tournelle, opened 21 June 2006 as a seasonal summer wine bar in their garden by the Cuisance river - a small hospitality side that has become a destination of its own in Arbois.