El Babou - Olivier Saint Priest

History of the El Babou Estate - Olivier Saint-Priest

Originally from Poligny, an emblematic town of the Jura, Olivier Saint-Priest built his training in contact with one of the region's most influential estates: Domaine Labet in Rotalier. Over more than a decade, he acquired in-depth mastery of Jurassian grape varieties, parcel-based winemaking techniques, and cellar work, alongside Charline Labet and her family. Empowered by this experience, he took the leap and created his own project under the name El Babou, his affectionate nickname, transformed into a true wine-growing signature. This choice of name reflects the spirit of the man: authentic, unconventional, and attached to what is essential.

Settled on small plots situated between Rotalier and Saint-Lothain, in the southern Jura, Olivier has developed an intentionally small estate of around 1.25 hectares of vines. The rarity of his wines, sold in very limited quantities, contributes to their growing reputation among natural wine enthusiasts and collectors from around the world. El Babou is today cited alongside the greatest names in confidential Jurassian viticulture.

Terroirs and Vines of the El Babou Estate - Olivier Saint-Priest

The Jura is one of the most singular wine regions in France, characterized by complex soils blending grey marls, clays, Lias and Bathonian limestones, as well as geological formations specific to this part of eastern France. The plots worked by Olivier Saint-Priest are located in the southern part of the Jurassian vineyard, between Rotalier and Saint-Lothain, an area renowned for the richness of its marly soils. These grey marls, typical of the local terroir, give the wines a pronounced minerality, a precise acidity, and a great tension on the palate.

The vineyard is worked according to principles close to biodynamics, with human intervention reduced to a minimum and rigorous respect for natural cycles. The vines, partly derived from massal selections, express the genetic diversity characteristic of old Jurassian plantings. The grape varieties cultivated are Savagnin and Chardonnay for the whites, as well as traditional red varieties of the Jura such as Poulsard and Trousseau. Harvesting is exclusively manual, with meticulous selection of grapes at optimal ripeness on the steep-slope plots.

Winemaking at the El Babou Estate - Olivier Saint-Priest

The winemaking philosophy at El Babou is rooted in the principle of minimal intervention: zero inputs, spontaneous fermentations using only indigenous yeasts, no addition of sulfur, and bottling without filtration or fining. Each cuvée seeks to faithfully express the identity of its original plot. Aging is long, often in oak barrels, sometimes under a veil (the traditional oxidative technique of the Jura), sometimes in an ouillé style (without prolonged contact with air), depending on the grape variety and the desired expression. This duality between Jura tradition and a contemporary approach gives Olivier's wines a rare complexity.

For the Savagnin, aging can stretch over several years, allowing the wine to develop the aromas of walnuts, curry, dried fruits, and candied lemon characteristic of the Jurassian oxidative style. For the Chardonnay, Olivier often favors a partial aging under a veil, which preserves the freshness and minerality of the grape variety while adding depth. The reds, very rare, are crafted without any addition, in a spirit of pure natural wine, with a light extraction and an early bottling to preserve all of their aromatic vitality.

The Cuvées of the El Babou Estate - Olivier Saint-Priest

Champs-Longs: El Babou's flagship cuvée, sourced from a plot located in the southern Jura, this white wine is crafted from Chardonnay and Savagnin, aged partly under a veil for several years. The result is a wine of exceptional complexity, combining the tension of Jurassian Chardonnay with the aromatic power of Savagnin. On the palate, one finds notes of candied lemon, ripe pear, hazelnut, and a saline finish of great length. This wine is regularly cited among the most fascinating Chardonnays in all of France.

Rock'N Roll: A cuvée sourced from a plot of approximately 1.5 hectares planted on grey marls, this white wine is crafted from Savagnin, the king grape variety of the Jura. Vinified without any inputs, with natural fermentation and aging in oak barrels for approximately 18 months without topping up, it develops a characteristic light oxidation. On the nose, aromas of walnuts, dried fruits, curry, and minerality; on the palate, an ample and structured body, a well-balanced acidity, and a prolonged saline finish. This wine embodies the rebellious and artisanal spirit of the winemaker, between Jura tradition and contemporary creativity.

La Beaumette: A white cuvée sourced from old Chardonnay vines, sometimes blended with Savagnin depending on the vintage, La Beaumette is a wine of great purity that expresses the full minerality of the Jurassian marly terroir. The robe is golden yellow with luminous reflections; the nose opens on notes of white flowers, white-fleshed fruits, almond, and fresh walnut. The palate is round, underpinned by a lively acidity and a beautiful minerality, with an aging potential of several years. A winemaker's wine, sincere and precise, which captivates with its subtle balance.

Tinto: A rare and confidential red cuvée, Tinto is crafted from a blend of traditional Jura red grape varieties, mainly Poulsard and Trousseau, vinified without any additives and bottled without filtration. It is a natural wine in its purest form, expressing aromas of wild small red fruits, earth, and soft spices, with a lively acidity and a juicy texture. An extremely limited production, Tinto is one of the most sought-after natural Jura reds among enthusiasts of the style.