Jean-François Ganevat
The green, rolling landscape of the Jura is a sight to behold, and the perfect picture of how a mountainous region nestled in between Burgundy and Switzerland should appear in the mind’s eye. In this cooler climate, vineyards are planted on slopes at varying altitudes and gradients. This region is home to forty different grape varietals with styles so different that they tend to shock the uninitiated. And at the heart of it all, in the charming hamlet of La Combe (just south of Lons-le-Saulnier), Jean-François Ganevat is making wine with the inspired magic of an alchemist. Known as “Fanfan” to his friends, Jean-François’ wines have occupied the better part of the hamlet, filling picturesque country cottages with barrels and barrels of his diverse yet traditional wines. He comes from a long line of winegrowers, dating as far back as 1650, although the family supplemented their grape growing with a dairy that produced milk destined for the local cheese, Comté, until 1976. After working both for his father and for the prestigious Domaine Jean-Marc Morey in Chassagne-Montrachet, Jean-François returned to the Jura in 1998 to take over the family domaine. With only eight-and-a-half hectares under vine, the family had seventeen different local varietals planted of both red and white grapes—an incredible amount of variation to consider for holdings of such small size. For such a fervent perfectionist and insatiable lover of details as Jean-François, the decision to have the domaine certified as biodynamic was a natural choice.
Jean-François creates a stunning number of cuvées, ranging between thirty-five and forty every year! His methodology goes far beyond the details of the average vigneron. For some, his process would be maddening, as each cuvée calls for a highly individualized élévage. Jean-François is committed to minute doses of sulfur, so low in fact, that many fear it hurting the wines during transport. He curbs this issue entirely by aging many of his whites on the lees for extended periods of time, anywhere from two to eleven years! In all of his years making wine, he has never had a problem. In the Jura, many of the wines go through a traditional, intentional oxidation; however Jean-François aims to lend a greater lightness and elegance to wines of this style than are typical. He gravitates toward the Burgundian style, using ouillage to top off barrels. Jean-François Ganevat is a master of his craft, one of the true magicians of the eclectic. To say that his grapes are spun into gold would not be far from the truth; they are entirely otherworldly.
The green, rolling landscape of the Jura is a sight to behold, and the perfect picture of how a mountainous region nestled in between Burgundy and Switzerland should appear in the mind’s eye. In this cooler climate, vineyards are planted on slopes at varying altitudes and gradients. This region is home to forty different grape varietals with styles so different that they tend to shock the uninitiated. And at the heart of it all, in the charming hamlet of La Combe (just south of Lons-le-Saulnier), Jean-François Ganevat is making wine with the inspired magic of an alchemist. Known as “Fanfan” to his friends, Jean-François’ wines have occupied the better part of the hamlet, filling picturesque country cottages with barrels and barrels of his diverse yet traditional wines. He comes from a long line of winegrowers, dating as far back as 1650, although the family supplemented their grape growing with a dairy that produced milk destined for the local cheese, Comté, until 1976. After working both for his father and for the prestigious Domaine Jean-Marc Morey in Chassagne-Montrachet, Jean-François returned to the Jura in 1998 to take over the family domaine. With only eight-and-a-half hectares under vine, the family had seventeen different local varietals planted of both red and white grapes—an incredible amount of variation to consider for holdings of such small size. For such a fervent perfectionist and insatiable lover of details as Jean-François, the decision to have the domaine certified as biodynamic was a natural choice.
Jean-François creates a stunning number of cuvées, ranging between thirty-five and forty every year! His methodology goes far beyond the details of the average vigneron. For some, his process would be maddening, as each cuvée calls for a highly individualized élévage. Jean-François is committed to minute doses of sulfur, so low in fact, that many fear it hurting the wines during transport. He curbs this issue entirely by aging many of his whites on the lees for extended periods of time, anywhere from two to eleven years! In all of his years making wine, he has never had a problem. In the Jura, many of the wines go through a traditional, intentional oxidation; however Jean-François aims to lend a greater lightness and elegance to wines of this style than are typical. He gravitates toward the Burgundian style, using ouillage to top off barrels. Jean-François Ganevat is a master of his craft, one of the true magicians of the eclectic. To say that his grapes are spun into gold would not be far from the truth; they are entirely otherworldly.
Technical Information
| Wine | Blend | Vine Age | Soil Type | Vineyard Area* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arbois Chardonnay “La Flandre”** |
Chardonnay | 50 years | Clay, Limestone | N/A |
| Arbois Savagnin “Petit Curoulet”** |
Savagnin | 80 years | Gravel, marl | N/A |
| Arbois Savagnin “Schiste”** |
Savagnin | 40 years | Blue Marl, Clay, Limestone | N/A |
| Côtes du Jura Blanc “Antide” |
Savagnin | 80 years | Marl | N/A |
| Côtes du Jura “Cuvée de Garde” |
50% Chardonnay, 50% Savagnin | 50 Years Average | Marl | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Julien en Billat—L’Enfant Terrible du Sud” |
40% Pinot Noir, 30% Poulsard, 30% Trousseau | Planted in 1959, 1990, 2000 | Schist, white and gray marls, pebbles | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Julien en Billat” |
Pinot Noir | Planted in 1977, 1990 | Clay and Limestone | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Les Terrasses de Chalandigna” |
Savagnin | Planted in 1977 | Clay, Marl | 7 ha total |
| Pétillant-Naturel Rosé “Mon Luc”** |
90% Pinot Gris d’Alsace, 10% Poulsard | 50 years average (Pinot Gris), Planted in 1959 (Poulsard) | Rocky, Sandy, Pink Sandstone (Pinot Gris), Liassic Marl (Poulsard) | .6 ha (Pinot Gris), .25 ha (Poulsard) |
| Vin de France Blanc “Kopine”** |
50% Chardonnay, 50% Aligoté | 50 years | Marl, Limestone | N/A |
| Vin de France Blanc “Le sa vient d’où”** |
35% Savagnin from Château Chalon, 40% Savagnin, 25% Viognier, Picpoul, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Riesling | 40-80 years | Granite, Limestone | N/A |
| Vin de France Rouge “Les Dentelles”** |
50% Syrah, 50% Grenache | 40 years | Limestone, Clay | N/A |
| Côtes du Jura “La Cuvée du Pépé” |
Chardonnay | 70 years | Marl | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Les Grands Teppes Vieilles Vignes” |
Chardonnay | Planted in 1920 | White marl | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Les Chalasses Vieilles Vignes” |
Chardonnay | Planted in 1902 | Gray Marl | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Grusses en Billat” |
Chardonnay | Planted in 1960 | Schist and marl | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Cuvée Florine” |
Chardonnay | Planted in 1996 | Limestone | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Cuvée Marguerite” |
Chardonnay | Planted in 1902 | N/A | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Chamois du Paradis” |
Chardonnay | Planted in 1949 | Red-marl, Gravel/Limestone | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Cuvée Oregane” |
50% Chardonnay, 50% Savagnin | Planted in 1973 and 1977 | Blue Marl, White Marl | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Les Vignes de Mon Père” |
Savagnin | Planted in 1930 | Schist and marl | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura Vin Jaune |
Savagnin | Planted in 1948 | Blue Marl | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Marnes Bleues” |
Savagnin | Planted in 1933 | Blue Marl | 7 ha |
| Côtes du Jura “Cuvée de l’Enfant Terrible” |
Poulsard | Planted in 1959 | White and gray marls | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Plein Sud” |
Trousseau | Planted in 2000 | Gray marl, pebbles | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Cuvée Julien” |
Pinot Noir | Planted in 1977 | Clay and Limestone | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “En Billat” |
Pinot Noir | Planted in 1990 | Schist and marl | 7 ha total |
| Vin de France “J’en Veux” |
See Info Below | Planted in 1900 | N/A | 7 ha total |
| Vin de France “SUL Q” |
Savagnin | N/A | N/A | 7 ha total |
| Macvin du Jura |
Savagnin | N/A | N/A | 7 ha total |
| Côtes du Jura “Cuvée Prestige” |
Savagnin | Planted in 1977 | Clay, Marl | 7 ha total |
| Vin de France Rouge “J’en Veux Encore”** |
Varies by vintage, see below | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Vin de France Rouge “Le Jaja du Ben”** |
Varies by vintage, see below | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Vin de France Rouge “Madelon”** |
50% to 60% Gamay from Morgon 40% to 50% Indigenous Jura Varieties | 60-80 years | Granite, marl, limestone | N/A |
| Vin de France Rouge “De Toute Beauté”** |
50% Gamay from Fleurie, Syrah from Côte Rôtie, Mondeuse from Savoie, Pinot Noir d'Alsace | 60-80 years | Granite, marl, limestone | N/A |
| Vin de Table Blanc “L’ailleurs”** |
Pinot Auxerrois, l'Enfariné, Savagnin Vert | N/A | Granite, marl, limestone | N/A |
| Crémant du Jura** |
Chardonnay | N/A | Clay, limestone | N/A |
| Côtes du Jura Blanc “Le Montceau”** |
Chardonnay | N/A | Marl | N/A |
| Côtes du Jura Blanc “Cuvée de Garde”** |
50% Chardonnay, 50% Savagnin | N/A | Marl | N/A |
| Vin de France Rouge ”P‘tiot Roukin”** |
Varies by vintage, see below | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Vin de France Rouge “Y’a bon the Canon”** |
50% Gamay and 50% old indigenous varieties from the Jura | 40 years | Marl, Decomposed granite | N/A |
| Vin de France Rouge “Seau-trou Les Corvées”** |
Trousseau | Gray marl, Limestone | Gray marl, Limestone | N/A |
| Vin de France Blanc “L'Apéro”** |
70% Muscat and 30% Chardonnay | 40 years | Marl, Clay, Schist | N/A |
| Arbois Vin Jaune** |
Savagnin | Gray marl, Limestone | 50-70 years | N/A |
| Côtes du Jura Blanc “La Pelerine”** |
Chardonnay | 60 years | Gray marl | N/A |
| Côtes du Jura Blanc “La Gravière”** |
Chardonnay | 60 years | Gray marl | N/A |
| Côtes du Jura Blanc “Champs poids”** |
Chardonnay | Planted in 1986 | Bajocian Limestone | N/A |
| Côtes du Jura Blanc “Les Cèdres”** |
Chardonnay | 80 years | Limestone, Marl | N/A |
| Vin de France Blanc “La Zaune à Dédée” |
80% Gewurztraminer, 20% Savagnin | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| * "ha" = hectares; one hectare equals roughly two and a half acres | ||||
VITICULTURE / VINIFICATION
After consecutive vintages of losing large portions of his harvest, Jean-François was forced to innovate to make more wine. In partnership with his sister Anne, he went to friends in Alsace, Beaujolais, and Savoie to source more fruit. Anne and Jean-François even went so far as to purchase vines in the Beaujolais. Each Vin de France cuvée is a blend of estate fruit from the Jura and purchased (or estate) fruit from another region, thus allowing Jean-François to apply his savoir-faire in winemaking with indigenous grape varieties from the Jura to create a new and unique line of wines. All of the vineyards contributing to this project are farmed organically.
• Biodynamic methodology (aeration of the soil, herbal infusions, natural composts, cover crops, planting in accordance with the lunar calendar) used to stimulate the natural immune system of the vine
Whites:
• Whole cluster fermentation à l’ancienne
• No racking of the must
• All whites go through malolactic fermentation
• No sulfur dioxide added during vinification, only a touch at bottling
• Aged in demi-muids of 300-L and 400-L, as well as 228-L barrels
• Bottled in the summer, two years after the harvest
Reds:
• Whole cluster fermentation
• Reds aged in Burgundian barrels for one year before bottling
Vin de France “J’en Veux”:
• Blend of 18 different red and white native varieties to the Jura : l'Enfariné, Corbeau, Gueuche, Portugais Bleu, Gouais, Beclan, Petit Beclan, Argant, Seyve-Villard
• “Grape by Grape” vinification : individual berries are cut off the cluster directly into barrel
• Vinification occurs within the skin
• No punchdowns, pumpovers, or pressing
• 900L total production
• All vines are franc de pied
Vin de France “SUL Q”:
• A “sélections des grains nobles” of Savagnin though SGN is not officially recognized in the Jura
• 250 grams RS
Macvin du Jura:
• Blend of 2/3 unfermented must of Savagnin from 2003 vintage and 1/3 Marc of Savagnin from 1992 vintage
• Aged in barrel for 8 years before bottling
Côtes du Jura “Cuvée Prestige”:
• Made in an oxidative style, wine remains sous voile for 48 months in demi-muid
Côtes du Jura Blanc “Antide”:
• Aged 30 months in foudre
Côtes du Jura “Les Terrases de Chalandigna”:
• Made in an oxidative style, wine remains sous voile for 48 months in demi-muid
Côtes du Jura Chardonnay “La Cuvée du Pépé”:
• Aged 13 years sous voile in oak barrels
Côtes du Jura “Les Gryphées Vieilles Vignes”
Côtes du Jura “Cuvée Florine”
Côtes du Jura “Les Chalasses Vieilles Vignes”
Côtes du Jura “Les Grands Teppes Vieilles Vignes”
Côtes du Jura “Les Chalasses Marnes Bleues”:
• Aged 3 years in oak barrels
La Combe/Vin Jaune:
• Aged 10 years in oak barrels
Vin de France Rouge “J’en Veux Encore”**:
• Aged 10 months in conical wood tank
• 2016 vintage: 70% Gamay, 30% Trousseau, planted in 1900
• 2017 vintage: 50% Pinot Noir, 50% Pinot Gris, 70 years, clay, limestone
Vin de France Rouge “Le Jaja du Ben”**:
• Aged 9 months in conical wood tank
• 2016 vintage: 50-60% Gamay from Beaujolais, 40-50% indigenous Jura varieties, 80 years, granite, marl
• 2017 vintage: 60% Gamay, 40% Grenache, 60 years, granite, clay, limestone
Vin de France Rouge “Madelon”**:
• Aged 10 months in foudre
Vin de France Rouge “De Toute Beauté”**:
• Aged 10 months in foudre
Vin de Table Blanc “L’ailleurs”**:
• Short maceration, aged 12 months in foudre
• 2016 blend and soil type: 70% Riesling and 30% Savagnin; Marl, clay, schist
• 2015 blend and soil type: Pinot Auxerrois, l’Enfariné, Savagnin vert; Granite, marl, limestone
Crémant du Jura**:
• Aged 4 years sur lattes
• No dosage
Côtes du Jura Blanc “Le Montceau”**:
• Aged 12 months in demi-muid
Côtes du Jura Blanc “Cuvée de Garde”**:
• Aged in 228L oak barrels for 4 years
Vin de France Rouge “P’tiot Roukin”**:
• Semi-carbonic maceration for 10 months in conical wood tank
• 2016 vintage: Pinot Noir, Poulsard, and Trousseau, 70 years, marl, limestone
• 2017 vintage: 40% Gamay, 60% Pinot Noir, Poulsard, Trousseau, 80 years
Vin de France Rouge “Y’a bon the Canon”**:
• Aged 10 months in conical wood tank
Vin de FranceRouge “Seau-trou Les Corvées”**:
• Southwest exposition
• Aged 12 months in foudre
Vin de France Blanc “L’Apéro”**:
• Short maceration, aged 12 months in foudre
Côtes du Jura Blanc “La Pelerine”**:
• Aged 30 months on fine lees in barriques
Côtes du Jura Blanc “La Gravière”**:
• Aged 30 months on fine lees in foudre
Côtes du Jura Blanc “Champs poids”**:
• Aged 24 months on fine lees in foudre
Côtes du Jura Blanc “Les Cèdres”**:
• Aged 30 months on fine lees in barriques
Vin de France Blanc “La Zaune à Dédée”**:
• Gewurztraminer is skin-macerated
• Savagnin is vinified sous-voile and aged in 250-L oak barrels for 7 years
Vin de France Rouge “Les Dentelles”**:
• Aged 1 year in amphora
Vin de France Blanc “Kopine”**:
• A blend of two vintages
• 2016 Chardonnay, aged 2 years in barrel
• 2017 Aligoté, aged 1 year in barrel
Vin de France Blanc “Le sa vient d’où”**:
• A blend of multiple vintages: 2015, 2016, 2017
• Partly aged in barrel, partly macerated, partly sous-voile
Arbois Chardonnay “La Flandre”**:
• Aged 2 years in foudre
Arbois Savagnin “Schiste”**:
• Aged 18 months in barrel
Arbois Savagnin “Petit Curoulet”**:
• Aged 2 years in barrel
Pétillant-Naturel Rosé “Mon Luc”**:
• Aged one year in foudre
• Bottled before the end of fermentation to preserve “pétillance”
General Information
- Country
- France
- Region
- Jura
- Appellation(s)
- Côtes du Jura
- Producer
- Jean-François Ganevat
- Founded
- 1650
- Annual Production
- 1,700 cases
- Farming
- Biodynamic (practicing)
