Domaine de Montbourgeau L’Etoile En Banode 2021

L'Etoile En Banode is a white from the small Jura appellation of L'Etoile, made by Domaine de Montbourgeau from Chardonnay and Savagnin. The estate has been run by three generations since the 1920s and is one of the reference producers of the region, with Nicole Deriaux at the helm since 1986. L'Etoile takes its name from the star shaped marine fossils in its limestone and marl soils, which give the wines a distinct saline minerality. En Banode is an ouillé cuvée, meaning the barrels are kept topped up so the wine ages without a protective yeast veil. Twelve months in large old foudres gives a slow, gentle oxygen exchange and lees contact that build texture and a subtle nutty character while keeping the fruit fresh, unlike the more oxidative Jura styles. Chardonnay lends orchard fruit and body, Savagnin a firmer, saline structure. It pours bright gold, with a nose of pear and green apple over hazelnut, toast and beeswax. The palate is dry and textured, with fresh acidity, a nutty, almondy depth and a long, mineral finish. Serve at 11 to 13 degrees.