Thomas Jacquin

History of Domaine Thomas Jacquin

The story of Domaine Thomas Jacquin is one of a career shaped by exacting standards and a passion for wine. Originally from the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, Thomas Jacquin began working in vineyards and wineries in 2010, gaining valuable experience through successive vintages and encounters. In particular, he spent five to six years at the estate of the renowned Stéphane Tissot, one of the leading figures in Jura winegrowing, refining his understanding of natural viticulture, biodynamics and winemaking without additives.

After this solid training alongside one of the Jura’s most respected winegrowers, Thomas Jacquin decided to strike out on his own in 2017. He acquired just under a hectare of vines in the commune of Arbois, planted with Savagnin and Poulsard, the appellation’s two flagship varieties, and established his small winery in Marnoz, a few kilometers north of Arbois. By his second vintage in 2018, his wines had caught the attention of knowledgeable enthusiasts and wine merchants specializing in natural wines for their remarkable precision and distinctive energy.

Alongside running his own estate, Thomas Jacquin also works with Domaine de la Loue, reflecting a deep commitment to Jura winegrowing as a whole. Another distinctive aspect of his holistic view of nature is that he grows and gathers medicinal plants around Marnoz for use directly in the vineyard. This all-encompassing approach to the living world gives his wines their distinctive identity.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Thomas Jacquin

The vineyards of Domaine Thomas Jacquin are concentrated in the “En Chamblin” area of Arbois, very close to the lieu-dit “Les Bruyères.” The 0.88 hectares of vines comprise 41 ares of Poulsard and 47 ares of Savagnin, two emblematic varieties of the Arbois AOC that find an exceptional terroir here in which to express their full potential.

The soils of this plot consist of Triassic marls, the clay-and-limestone geological formations typical of the Jura, formed more than 200 million years ago. Rich in minerals and clay, these blue marls give the wines a natural tension and striking minerality, hallmarks of the Arbois terroir. The vines’ west-facing orientation is also a valuable asset in a warming climate, helping preserve the grapes’ freshness and acidity until they reach optimal ripeness.

Thomas Jacquin’s approach to viticulture is firmly organic, with no synthetic products. The soils are worked mechanically to encourage microbial life, while vineyard treatments rely exclusively on clay and decoctions of medicinal plants that Thomas grows or gathers himself in the natural surroundings of Marnoz. This attentive, day-to-day care of the vines ensures grapes in impeccable condition, an essential prerequisite for the quality of the wines. All work in the vineyard, from pruning to harvest, is done by hand, with the utmost respect for the vines and their natural rhythm.

Winemaking at Domaine Thomas Jacquin

In the winery, Thomas Jacquin takes a decidedly minimalist approach, shaped by his years of training but carried to its purest expression. The aim is both simple and ambitious: to let the terroir and grapes speak freely, without artificial intervention. No winemaking additives are used, and sulfur is entirely excluded from the winery, even at bottling.

For the Savagnin whites, the grapes are crushed and then pressed in a traditional wooden ratchet press, allowing for gentle, gradual extraction. Alcoholic fermentation is initiated solely by native yeasts present on the grape skins and in the winery air. It begins in stainless steel tanks before the wine is aged in old Burgundy barrels for about two years. Some vintages also include a small proportion of hand-destemmed grapes, which spend a few weeks fermenting on their skins in stainless steel tanks before barrel aging. Brief skin contact may be used for certain cuvées, giving the wine a faint golden-copper hue and greater aromatic depth.

For the Poulsard reds, the grapes are destemmed and vinified with great care, favoring infusion over extraction to preserve the natural finesse of this delicate variety. Gentle punch-downs ensure harmonious contact between the juice and skins. Bottling is done by gravity, without filtration or fining, to retain all the wine’s substance and texture. Modestly equipped but used with precision, the small winery in Marnoz is the ideal setting for these exceptional artisanal wines.

The Cuvées of Domaine Thomas Jacquin

Fromenteau, Savagnin

“Fromenteau” is the estate’s white wine, made exclusively from Savagnin, the Jura’s signature grape, grown on 47 ares of vines planted in the Triassic marls of the “En Chamblin” area. The cuvée’s name refers to an old synonym for Savagnin, attesting to the variety’s deep historical roots in the Jura. In the vineyard, the Savagnin is grown organically, without synthetic treatments. The grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness. In the winery, they are pressed in a traditional ratchet press. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at ambient temperature, without added yeasts. The wine is aged for about two years in Burgundy barrels, which are topped up to prevent a film of yeast from developing—a departure from the classic vin jaune style. Some cuvées undergo light skin contact, which enhances aromatic complexity and gives the wine a slightly orange character and pronounced savory depth. No sulfur or other additives are introduced at any stage of winemaking.

Tonitruant, Poulsard

“Tonitruant” is the estate’s red wine, made entirely from Poulsard (or Ploussard), the Jura’s emblematic red grape, grown on 41 ares of vines planted in the same Triassic marls of Arbois. The cuvée’s evocative name contrasts with the lightness usually associated with Poulsard, a variety known for its pale ruby color; it suggests an ambition and expressiveness that Thomas knows how to bring out where others might not see it. Here, Poulsard is vinified with great delicacy: the grapes are destemmed by hand, then gently infused in stainless steel tanks, with light punch-downs to draw out aromas without harsh tannins. No additives, no added sulfur. The wine is then aged in Burgundy barrels for one to two years, depending on the vintage, before being bottled by gravity without filtration. This meticulous approach preserves the grape’s natural finesse and the precise expression of its terroir.