Jérôme Arnoux

History of Domaine Jérôme Arnoux

The story of Jérôme Arnoux is one of an early calling. A native of Montigny-les-Arsures, the first wine-growing village in the Jura, famous for its celebrated Trousseau grape variety, he was already spending his Wednesday afternoons as a child at his neighbour the winemaker's, who would fondly tell him: "Jérôme, when you grow up you'll be a wine merchant!" Self-taught, at just 17 years of age, he began the real work of the vine and the cellar at Stéphane Tissot's (Domaine André et Mireille Tissot), an iconic figure of the Jura, who over ten years passed on to him his absolute passion for wine and trained him in winemaking. In 2005, he left the Tissots for another estate in Montigny-les-Arsures, where he honed his experience over several years while already crafting his own cuvées.

A decisive opportunity then allowed him to join, as a cellar manager, the Cellier des Tiercelines, a business created in 1997 by Bénédicte and Stéphane Tissot, to whose technical setup he himself had contributed. Drawing on more than twenty years of cumulative experience in the finest cellars of Arbois, he took the plunge in 2015 and created his own estate under his own name. Today at the helm of 17 hectares of vines, Jérôme Arnoux has established himself in just a few vintages as one of the iconic figures of the Jura wine world, celebrated by enthusiasts and sommeliers alike for the precision, freshness and excellent value for money of his cuvées. The estate is in conversion to organic farming and also offers a cellar listed as a Historic Monument (Cave de la Reine Jeanne) as well as four charming gîtes in Arbois.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Jérôme Arnoux

The vineyard of Jérôme Arnoux extends over 17 hectares, spread across AOC Arbois and Côtes du Jura, on the emblematic clay-limestone hillsides of the Jura vineyard. The soils are of great geological diversity: Liassic clays (formed approximately 200 million years ago) and Triassic clays (250 million years ago), Bajocian Jurassic limestones (150 million years ago). This pedological richness gives the wines a saline minerality, a characteristic freshness and a singular aromatic signature, which varies with each plot and each grape variety. The iconic plots bear names such as Chantemerle (limestone) and Les Corvées (Bajocian limestone), which appear on the labels as single-plot selections.

The grape varieties bring together the indigenous Jura varieties (Savagnin, Poulsard, Trousseau) and Burgundian varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir), allowing Jérôme Arnoux to craft the complete range of great Jura styles. The estate is in conversion to organic farming with Ecocert certification. Vine management is rigorous, with no pesticides or insecticides, in full respect of the soils. The only products used have an organic input, with the aim of developing microbial life and preserving the balance of the living ecosystem. Harvesting is entirely manual, at full ripeness, plot by plot, with rigorous sorting to ensure perfectly healthy grapes arrive at the winery.

Winemaking at Domaine Jérôme Arnoux

In the cellar, Jérôme Arnoux applies a deliberately low-interventionist winemaking approach, drawing on his long experience with the great Jura masters. All fermentations are conducted solely with indigenous yeasts naturally present on the grapes, with no addition of selected yeasts. The wines are not fined and are very lightly filtered, in a spirit of transparency and respect for the grape. The use of sulphur is deliberately minimal, and certain cuvées (such as the Paradoxe Savagnin) are vinified with no added sulphites whatsoever.

The range is distinguished by its mastery of the two great traditions of Jura winemaking. For ouillé (modern-style) whites, the barrels are kept permanently full to prevent oxidation and preserve the fruit. For veil-aged (oxidative) whites, a yeast veil naturally forms on the surface of the wine during ageing, imparting the characteristic aromatic signature of walnut, curry, honey and spices. The Vins Jaunes, jewels of the Jura, age for a minimum of six years and three months in oak barrels under veil, in the pure tradition of the appellation. The reds are vinified using varied techniques (ageing in tanks, in barrels, or carbonic maceration depending on the cuvée), with particular attention to the finesse and purity of the fruit.

The cuvées of Domaine Jérôme Arnoux

Rosé: saignée rosé cuvée, crafted from the various red grape varieties of the Jura (Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir) on clay-limestone terroir. Tank-aged, pale salmon colour, nose of small red fruits, fresh and fruity palate.

Poulsard: red cuvée in AOC Arbois, crafted from 100% Poulsard on clay terroir. 10 months of ageing in tank. Pale colour, aromas of undergrowth and red fruits, fresh and fruity palate. An authentic expression of Arbois's emblematic grape variety.

Pinot Noir: red cuvée on clay-limestone terroir, vinified using carbonic maceration to preserve the fruit. Unfiltered wine, generous and very fruity, with silky tannins and the typical red fruit notes of Jura Pinot Noir.

Trousseau: red cuvée in AOC Arbois, crafted from 100% Trousseau on limestone terroir. 12-month ageing, 50% in tank and 50% in barrel. Deep red colour, complex aromas of strawberry and raspberry with spicy nuances. A fully realised expression of the Jura's great red grape variety.

Trousseau Les Corvées: single-plot cuvée in AOC Arbois, crafted from 100% Trousseau sourced from the lieu-dit Les Corvées, a Bajocian limestone terroir. 12 months of ageing in barrel, of which 15% are new. A tribute from the winemaker to his native grape variety from Montigny-les-Arsures, giving rise to a wine of great sensitivity, refined, suave and complex.

Trousseau Quintessence: an exceptional cuvée crafted from Trousseau in a denser and more complex expression. Long and mineral palate, toasted and smoky notes, aromas of spices. A very fine wine for ageing, a hallmark of the winemaker's experience.

Chardonnay Initial: entry-level cuvée in Chardonnay AOC Arbois. Pale colour, mineral and fruity nose, fresh and precise palate. An ideal gateway into the world of Jura white wines.

Chardonnay Chantemerle: single-plot white cuvée in AOC Arbois, crafted from 100% Chardonnay sourced from the eponymous lieu-dit. Fermentation and ageing in barrel for 12 months. Aromas of linden blossom, white flowers and yellow fruits, taut and deep palate, limestone mineral signature.

Chardonnay Côtes du Jura: white cuvée in AOC Côtes du Jura, crafted from 100% Chardonnay on limestone terroir. Fermentation and ageing in barrel for 12 months, of which 15% are new. Toasted notes, a wine of great complexity and beautiful length.

Savagnin Ouillé Entre-Deux: a cuvée in AOC Arbois, crafted from 100% Savagnin vinified in ouillé style (without veil). 12 months of ageing in oak barrels with topping up. Pale golden colour, floral nose with notes of white flowers and lychee, taut and precise palate. Another elegant and modern facet of the Jura's great grape variety.

Nuance (Chardonnay/Savagnin): a blended cuvée in AOC Arbois, where the Savagnin brings its aromas of honey, brioche, dried apricots, almonds and spices, while the Chardonnay contributes vivacity, minerality, salinity and roundness. A perfect balance, a testament to the winemaker's expertise.

Paradoxe Savagnin: a bold cuvée in AOC Arbois, crafted from 100% Savagnin with 10 days of maceration and 3 months of ageing in a fibre tank, with no added sulphites. A natural and original expression of the grape variety, with a unique signature.

Tradition: an introductory cuvée to the world of veil-aged wines, crafted from 80% Chardonnay aged in stainless steel tanks and 20% Savagnin aged 2.5 years under veil. A gentle introduction to the oxidative world of the Jura.

Savagnin Sous Voile: a cuvée in AOC Arbois, crafted from 100% Savagnin aged 30 months under veil on clay terroir. Typical notes of walnut, curry, honey and spices, complex and deep palate. A fully realised expression of the great oxidative tradition of the Jura.

Vin Jaune: the jewel of the estate, crafted exclusively from 100% Savagnin, aged for more than 6 years in oak barrels under veil, in the pure tradition of the Arbois appellation. Golden colour, intense oxidative aromas of walnut, curry, almond, honey, celery, baked apple, cinnamon and brioche, with spicy and peppery notes. A unique and captivating experience, with great ageing potential.

Vin de Paille: a luscious cuvée in AOC Arbois, crafted from grapes dried on straw racks for several months to concentrate the sugars. Brilliant amber colour, complex nose of candied fruits, honey and spices, silky and long palate. A great Jura dessert wine, ideal with foie gras or desserts.

Macvin du Jura: traditional mistelle crafted from Poulsard, Trousseau, Savagnin, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, mutted with Marc du Jura eau-de-vie. A renowned Jura speciality, ideal as an aperitif or with a chocolate dessert.

Crémant du Jura Élégance Extra Brut: sparkling wine crafted from 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir using the traditional method. Fine bubbles, aromatic nose, taut and precise palate, Extra Brut finish with no dosage. A graceful and well-balanced Crémant.

Crémant du Jura ZD: Blanc de Noirs crafted from 100% Chardonnay (depending on the vintage), zero dosage. Lovely power, fruity nose with aromas of pear, almond and brioche notes, fine bubbles well integrated into a creamy texture. A typically Jurassian marly length, which wins unanimous praise from enthusiasts.