2022 Domaine du Pelican Arbois Savagnin Ouille

When Guillaume d’Angerville, the head of Volnay’s iconic Domaine Marquis d’Angerville, tasted a blind bottle of Jura white in a Paris restaurant, he was so stunned by its elegance that he immediately set out to buy land in Arbois. Thus, Domaine du Pélican was born in 2012, merging elite Burgundian precision with the singular, cool-climate terroir of the Jura.

The 2022 Arbois Savagnin 'Ouillé' represents the estate's masterclass in non-oxidative winemaking. In traditional Jura production, Savagnin is often allowed to oxidize under a veil of yeast (sous voile), but 'Ouillé' means the barrels are meticulously topped up as the wine ages. This technique preserves the grape’s natural electric acidity, radiant fruit, and transparent mineral backbone rather than cloaking it in heavy nuttiness.

Cultivated on steep, biodynamically farmed grey marl and gravel slopes, the 2022 vintage delivers astounding drive and energy. In the glass, it reveals delicate aromas of dusty lemon peel, green apple, crushed chalk, and a subtle cedar lift. On the palate, it explodes with razor-sharp focus, driving tart citrus, wet stone, and subtle almond husk through a long, laser-pure, salivating finish.

At forty dollars, this is the lowest price in the country for one of the most sought-after whites in all of France. Pair it alongside aged Comté, roasted chicken, or rich seafood.