Land in Burgundy doesn’t come cheap—just ask Ludwig Bindernagel and Nathalie Eigenschenk, two passionate vignerons who established their domaine in the Jura after Burgundy became financially unfeasible.

Had those prices been a bit more in their... Read More

Land in Burgundy doesn’t come cheap—just ask Ludwig Bindernagel and Nathalie Eigenschenk, two passionate vignerons who established their domaine in the Jura after Burgundy became financially unfeasible.

Had those prices been a bit more in their favor, the world would be without some of the finest Jura wines we’ve tasted in some time.

Like many, Ludwig—Lulu to his friends—and Nathalie developed a passion for wine while working in Paris, and decided to throw caution to the wind, abandon their careers and begin anew amongst the vines. With much enthusiasm and a band of supportive friends, they were able to purchase and tend a plot of 40-50 year old vines.

The couple is devoted to the traditional grapes of the Jura, especially Pinot Noir and Savagnin. Is their Pinot inspired by their passion for Burgundy? Perhaps, but it’s got an unmistakeably Jura earthiness we just adore—black tea leaves, raspberry (fruit and leaves) and cool minerality.

Where the inspiration comes from for their magnificently mineral Savagnin is a true mystery. Savagnin, the imperial grape of the Jura that is unlike any other, becomes something golden and luscious, with brisk minerality and a piercing core of citrus-tinged freshness.

Ludwig and Nathalie believe that wine is made in the vines—not in the cellar. They credit a few things to their success: the diverse landscape of their vines (two types of marl soils, plus a seashell-rich layer of limestone soil); the group of friends who chip in at harvest; and lastly, a careful and precise vinification, done the ancient way, in ancient cellars.