El Babou - Olivier Saint Priest

History of Domaine El Babou - Olivier Saint-Priest

Originally from Poligny, an emblematic town in the Jura, Olivier Saint-Priest built his training alongside one of the most influential estates in the region: Domaine Labet in Rotalier. For more than a decade, he acquired a thorough mastery of Jurassian grape varieties, parcel-by-parcel winemaking techniques and cellar work, alongside Charline Labet and her family. Drawing on this experience, he took the leap and created his own project under the name El Babou — his affectionate nickname, transformed into a genuine winemaking signature. This choice of name reflects the spirit of the man: authentic, offbeat, attached to what matters most.

Established on small plots between Rotalier and Saint-Lothain in the southern Jura, Olivier has developed a deliberately small-scale estate of around 1.25 hectares of vines. The rarity of his wines, released in very limited quantities, contributes to their growing reputation among natural wine enthusiasts and collectors worldwide. El Babou is today mentioned alongside the greatest names in confidential Jurassian viticulture.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine El Babou - Olivier Saint-Priest

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

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

Winemaking at Domaine El Babou - Olivier Saint-Priest

The winemaking philosophy at El Babou rests on the principle of minimal intervention: zero inputs, spontaneous fermentations using only indigenous yeasts, no sulphur additions, and bottling without filtration or fining. Each cuvée seeks to faithfully render the identity of its source plot. Ageing 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 variety and the expression sought. This duality between Jurassian tradition and a contemporary approach lends Olivier's wines a rare complexity.

For the Savagnin, ageing can extend over several years, allowing the wine to develop the aromas of walnut, curry, dried fruits and candied lemon characteristic of the Jurassian oxidative style. For the Chardonnay, Olivier often favours partial ageing under a veil, which preserves the freshness and minerality of the variety while adding depth. The reds, extremely rare, are crafted without any additions, in the spirit of pure natural wine, with light extraction and early bottling to preserve all their aromatic vibrancy.

The cuvées of Domaine El Babou - Olivier Saint-Priest

Champs-Longs: The flagship cuvée of El Babou, sourced from a plot in the southern Jura, this white cuvée is crafted from Chardonnay and Savagnin, aged in part 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 and hazelnut, with a long, saline finish. This wine is regularly cited among the most fascinating Chardonnays in all of France.

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

La Beaumette: A white cuvée from old-vine Chardonnay, 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 colour is golden yellow with luminous highlights; the nose opens on notes of white flowers, white-fleshed fruits, almond and fresh walnut. The palate is round, supported by a lively acidity and beautiful minerality, with ageing potential of several years. A winemaker's wine — sincere and precise — that seduces with its subtle balance.

Tinto: A rare and little-known red cuvée, Tinto is crafted from a blend of traditional Jura red varieties, principally Poulsard and Trousseau, vinified without any additives and bottled unfiltered. It is a natural wine in its purest form, expressing aromas of wild red berries, earth and gentle spices, with a lively acidity and a juicy texture. Produced in extremely limited quantities, Tinto is one of the most sought-after Jurassian natural reds among enthusiasts of the genre.