Domaine de Saint Pierre Savagnin Autrement 2020

Domaine de Saint Pierre Savagnin Autrement 2020

Domaine de Saint Pierre
$135.00

Grape: Savagnin
Vintage: 2020
Type: White

Grown in certified organic and biodynamic limestone-marl soils in Arbois, this topped-up or ouillé cuvée represents winemaker Fabrice Dodane's fresh approach to savagnin. The hand-picked fruit undergoes a direct press before a spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in neutral barrels. By keeping the barrels topped up throughout its cellar aging, the wine avoids oxidative flor development to showcase pure varietal tension. The liquid is bottled unfined and unfiltered without added sulfur, delivering a clear, chiseled portrait of its Jurassien terroir.

It opens with a pale golden hue and vibrant aromatics of citrus oil, preserved lemon, green almond, and white orchard fruit. The palate unfolds with flavors of ripe apple, salted lemon, and dried herbs, all carried by a medium-full body with a supple, leesy texture. Driving, cool-climate acidity cuts directly through the weight, providing sharp focus and a saturated chalk-mineral core. It finishes crisp, long, and saline, leaving a mouthwatering trail of grapefruit pith and crushed sea salt.

Domaine de Saint Pierre is a benchmark natural estate based in Mathenay, a small village near Arbois in the Jura. Winemaker Fabrice Dodane began managing the domain in 1989, converting its 6 hectares of vines to organic and biodynamic practices before purchasing the property outright in 2011. Situated across the Arbois and Côtes du Jura appellations, his plots are rooted in stony clay-limestone and nutrient-dense gray and blue marl soils. Dodane cultivates traditional regional varieties—including chardonnay, savagnin, ploussard, pinot noir, and trousseau—while also producing a playful micro-négociant line, Le Dos d'Chat, using organic fruit sourced from like-minded vigneron friends to offset severe regional spring frosts.

In the cellar, Dodane follows an uncompromising hands-off methodology aligned with Jura’s low-intervention movement. All fermentations rely on native yeasts in neutral oak puncheons, large vats, or stainless steel tanks. Red wines undergo gentle extraction and are bottled completely without added sulfur, fining, or filtration. His white cuvées are crafted in two distinct styles: topped-up (ouillé) bottlings that preserve laser-sharp acidity and crystalline minerality, and traditional sous voile expressions aged oxidatively under a veil of flor. The resulting wines offer a pure, high-tension snapshot of Jura terroir, characterized by electric citrus, wild herbs, fine lees weight, and a persistent salty finish.