Domaine Berthet-Bondet

The Domaine Berthet-Bondet is one of those rare places where history, rigor and passion come together to offer lovers of great wines a unique experience. Based in Château-Chalon, in the heart of the Jura vineyards, it has established itself as a benchmark for several decades, notably for its work around the vin jaune, but also thanks to a comprehensive range that explores all the facets of this singular terroir. The birth of the domaine dates back to 1984, when Jean and Chantal Berthet-Bondet, seduced by the potential of this demanding vineyard and by the nobility of the Château-Chalon appellation, decided to settle there. From the outset, their vision was clear: to produce wines of the highest expression, faithful to the terroir and respectful of Jura traditions, while adopting a rigorous, modern approach to viticulture. This ambition quickly established the domaine as one of the most respected names in the region. Today, their daughter Hélène Berthet-Bondet has taken up the torch. Trained in oenology and deeply attached to this land, she perpetuates the family heritage while breathing new life into it, sensitive to the contemporary challenges of sustainable viticulture and the growing expectations of wine lovers for wines that are sincere, precise and distinctive.

The estate's vineyards cover around 11 hectares, part of which is located in the prestigious Château-Chalon appellation, the historic cradle of vin jaune. The remainder is spread across the Côtes-du-Jura and Crémant du Jura appellations, offering a diversity of terroirs and grape varieties that make for a complete and harmonious range. The steep hillsides that host the vines, mostly facing south and west, are typical of the region. They are underlain by blue and grey marls, demanding but rich soils that force the vines to draw their nutrients deep down. This deep work gives the wines a singular minerality, tension and structure, recognizable among all. The combination of the Jura climate, marked by continental influences with cold winters and sometimes scorching summers, and these complex soils, gives rise to wines that are at once powerful, elegant and long-lasting.

From the outset, Domaine Berthet-Bondet has placed quality and respect for nature at the heart of its project. The vines are cultivated according to principles close to organic farming, long before this became a trend in the Jura vineyards. No herbicides or synthetic products are used; the soil is worked with light ploughing and grass cover is encouraged to preserve biodiversity. This respectful approach to life enhances the natural balance of the vines and enables them to express the character of their terroir. Yields are deliberately limited, as the aim has never been to mass produce, but rather to emphasize concentration, ripeness and aromatic precision. The harvest, carried out by hand, testifies to the desire to pick perfectly ripe grapes and select only the best bunches for the emblematic cuvées.

In the cellar, the philosophy is true to the Jura spirit: respect traditional methods while ensuring great technical precision. For white wines destined to become vins jaunes or oxidative savagnins, aging takes place sous voile, i.e. without topping up, in oak barrels where a veil of natural yeast forms on the wine's surface. This ageing process lasts at least six years and three months for Château-Chalon, a regulatory and essential length of time to obtain this aromatic complexity unique in the world. The result is a powerful, spicy wine, marked by notes of walnut, curry, oriental spices and dried fruit, with impressive length and decades of ageing potential. Alongside this mythical expression, the domaine also offers oxidative Savagnins in the Côtes-du-Jura appellation, which follow the same ageing principle, but with a slightly more accessible intensity, allowing enthusiasts to discover the Jura oxidative universe without waiting for the very long years in the cellar.

But the domaine doesn't limit itself to this traditional style. Aware of the diversity of expectations and potential offered by savagnin and chardonnay, Jean, then Hélène Berthet-Bondet, have also developed ouillées cuvées, i.e. aged in barrels with regular topping-up to avoid oxidation. The estate's Chardonnay ouillé is a model of tension and minerality, dominated by notes of citrus, white flowers and gunflint, supported by a chiseled palate and a saline finish. The Savagnin ouillé, meanwhile, offers a fresher, more crystalline version of this complex grape variety, with aromas of yellow fruit, citrus zest and vibrant acidity underlining the wine's uprightness. These cuvées allow us to explore another facet of Jura, more immediate and accessible, but just as marked by the identity of the terroir.

Red wines also occupy an important place in the Domaine Berthet-Bondet range. The Trousseau, Jura's emblematic grape variety, is expressed here in a gourmet, spicy version, with aromas of ripe red fruits, pepper and undergrowth, carried by supple tannins that make this an immediately seductive wine. The more delicate Poulsard offers an airy, subtle expression, with notes of redcurrant, strawberry and rose petals, ideal for those seeking finesse and lightness. Finally, the Pinot Noir, planted on certain parcels of the estate, reveals a more structured expression, with aromatic depth that combines black fruits, earthy notes and a beautiful tannic structure, making it a gastronomic wine in its own right.

The domaine completes its range with a Crémant du Jura, made using the traditional method. Fine, precise and endowed with an elegant bubble, this crémant seduces with its freshness, citrus and white flower notes, as well as its minerality. It is a perfect illustration of the Jura vineyards' ability to produce great effervescents, in tune with today's demand for authentic, refined bubbles.

What characterizes all Domaine Berthet-Bondet wines is their natural balance. The oxidative cuvées impress with their power and complexity, but always remain digestible and vibrant, far from heavy. Wetted cuvées, meanwhile, seduce with their freshness and purity, without ever lapsing into neutrality. The reds bring a fruitier, more gourmet dimension to the Jura. Together, they form a coherent and complete range that reflects all the richness of the vineyard.

The work carried out by the Berthet-Bondet family, from Jean and Chantal to Hélène today, has helped give Jura a new place on the map of great vineyards. At a time when yellow wine and oxidative wines might have seemed austere to some consumers, they showed that it was possible to combine tradition with modern precision, and win over wine lovers the world over. Their commitment to sustainable, environmentally-friendly viticulture, long before it became an imperative, bears witness to a clear, coherent vision: that of producing wines that express a terroir, without artifice, with patience and sincerity.