Nicolas Jacob

Biodynamic. 100% Chardonnay from a tiny 7-are parcel in the town of Saint Laurent La Roche; soil has deep marl with limestone scree. At 300-350m altitude, on a medium slope. Barrel fermented in a mix of demi-muids and Burgundy barrels, aged in same vessels for at least 24 months, depending on barrel. Unfined/unfiltered, zero SO2.

Biodynamic. 100% Chardonnay from a 2.5ha single-vineyard plot which is spread across two different limestone types: triassic marl and liassic marl. ‘Les Chazaux’ might be Jacob’s most important site he farms in terms of its representing his work. Barrel fermented in a mix of demi-muids and Burgundy barrels, aged in same vessels for 18-24 months, depending on barrel. Unfined/unfiltered, zero SO2.

Organic. 100% Pinot Noir. Vineyards: Aux Perrières (village of Voiteur). Vine Age: planted 2001. Size: 0.20 hectares total (0.10 hectares Pinot Noir, 0.10 hectares Savagnin). Terroir: trias marl. Vinification: manual harvest, open top whole cluster fermentation for 20 days without any punching or pumping overs in demi-muid. Elevage: 6-8 months in barrel. No additions of any kind including SO2. 800 bottles produced.

Organic. 2019 was Jacob’s first harvest of his newly reclaimed vines in Augea, a village near Revermont in the southern part of the Jura. The parcel is 3.5 hectares total, with 0.60 ha planted to Poulsard. The vines were planted 1975-83 and located at 275-meter altitude. Hand harvested and 100% destemmed. Spontaneous fermentation in fiberglass tank and aged for 9 months in used barrels. No additions of any kind including SO2.

Biodynamic. 100% Savagnin from a 2.5ha single-vineyard plot which is spread across two different limestone types: triassic marl and liassic marl. ‘Les Chazaux’ might be Jacob’s most important site he farms in terms of its representing his work. Barrel fermented in a mix of demi-muids and Burgundy barrels, aged in same vessels for 18-24 months, depending on barrel. Unfined/unfiltered, zero SO2.

Biodynamic. 100% Savagnin; the exact same wine (same juice, same pressing) as the ‘regular’ Savagnin Chazaux, but Jacob takes 600L and ferments and ages this part in an Italian terra cotta amphora. Aged upwards of 22 months, bottled unfined, unfiltered, zero SO2.

Organic. 100% Trousseau. 2019 was Jacob’s first harvest of his newly reclaimed vines in Augea, a village near Revermont in the southern part of the Jura. The Trousseau “Au Mouiller” comes from two tiny parcels around Augea. 50% is from limestone soils in Au Mouiller and 50% is from the marl terroir in Les Chazaux. Because he will have several other cuvées from Chazaux he kept the name Au Mouiller for the Trousseau. The vines were planted 1975-83 and located at 275-meter altitude. Hand harvested and 100% destemmed. Spontaneous fermentation in fiberglass tank and aged for 9 months in used barrels. No additions of any kind including SO2.

Organic. 100% Chardonnay. Vineyards: ‘Là-Haut comes from the upper part of Nicolas’ vineyard in L’Etoile. Vine Age: planted 1953. Size: 0.70 hectares (total vineyard size of Là-haut and Là-bas). Terroir: marl. Vinification: settling for 12h after manual harvest. Alcoholic fermentation in 228L barrels. Elevage: 18-24 months in demi-muid. Vinifcation is ‘ouillé’ (topped-up barrels) to prevent oxidation. ‘Là-haut’ is typically aged longer than ‘Là-bas,’ but the ultimate decision on bottling is based on tasting. No additions of any kind including SO2. 650 bottles produced.

Biodynamic. 100% Chardonnay from a single-vineyard parcel in L’Etoile; liassic marl soils (limestone w/ lots of fossils & ‘paper’ shale). Barrel fermented in a mix of demi-muids and Burgundy barrels, aged in same vessels for 18-24 months, depending on barrel. Unfined/unfiltered, zero SO2.

Organic. Blend of various unidentified old vines of red grapes from a vineyard near Lons-le-Saunier et Augea. Vine Age: unknown age, but certainly planted before WWII. Size: 0.10 ha Terroir: trias marl. Vinifcation: direct press (no maceration). Elevage: 8-9 months in fiberglass tank. No additions beyond 15 mg SO2 added after malo completed. 300 bottles produced. Jacob’s “X” Vin de France comes from a sliver of hybrid “tenturier” vines that were planted sometime before 1940. A “tenturier” is a clothes dyer, and the name comes from the dark color of the juice. Hybrids are naturally resistant to disease, but were phased out because they were considered to produce inferior quality wine. Nicolas has an alternative hypothesis whereby synthetic chemical companies promoted this rumor so that these resistant grapes would be replanted with vinifera grapes that “required” more chemical treatments.

Biodynamic. 2/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Gamay. Pinot Noir is taken from the village of Voiteur on a triassic marl parcel called ‘Aux Perrières;’ Gamay is taken from the oxfordien limestone ‘Au Layat’ parcel. The varieties are fermented whole cluster and co-macerated; 10-11 months’ aging in a single 600L barrel. Aged 10-11 months; unfined, unfiltered, no SO2. Jacob hopes to a make a single-variety Gamay in the future; this wine is a move in that direction.

Biodynamic. 100% Chardonnay, fortified with a distillate of Jacob’s own 2015s. Though it’s made in the exact same way, this can’t technically be called Macvin: a Marc du Jura used for fortifying must have all three Jura grape varieties included, and this spirit was entirely the Chardo from L’Etoile. Fermented and aged entirely in 500L and 600L demi-muids. Unfined, unfiltered, zero SO2. Jacob drinks this stuff outside, in the snow in winter.