Jura Hills 'Julien en Billat' - Anne and Jean-François Ganevat 2012

The estate

Cult winemaker Jean-François Ganevat makes, together with his sister Anne, the most Burgundian wines in the Jura!

Jean-François Ganevat is a renowned, low-intervention winemaker based in the commune of Rotalier (more specifically, in the hamlet of La Combe de Rotalier), in the mountainous wine region of the Jura in eastern France. The estate has been family-owned since 1650. It is currently run by Jean-François Ganevat, who trained and worked at Domaine Jean-Marc Morey in Chassagne-Montrachet.

Ganevat produces 1,700 cases a year, comprising 35 to 40 different cuvées intended to showcase the terroir, grape variety or winemaking style. The 8.5-hectare estate is certified biodynamic and planted with 17 different local red and white grape varieties, including outlaw varieties such as Petit Béclan, Gros Béclan, Gueuche, Seyve-Villard, Corbeau, Portugais Bleu, Enfariné, Argant and Poulsard Blanc.

The estate produces single-varietal AOP Côtes du Jura wines from estate-grown fruit, but also sources grapes from Alsace, Savoie and Beaujolais to make Vin de France appellation cuvées. These cuvées, blended from purchased and estate-grown grapes, allow the winemaker to use all the indigenous grape varieties and craft unique wines, even though they are declassified.

Jean-François uses traditional, bespoke winemaking techniques. He hand-destems the grapes, uses no new oak, ages the white wines on lees for at least two years and, in 2006, completely eliminated the use of sulfur.

His unique and extensive portfolio of wines includes Vin Jaune, Macvin du Jura and Crémant du Jura.