# Léon (2021)

- **Producer:** Domaine Les Bottes Rouges
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay
- **Region:** Jura, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €40
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** lemon, apple, peach, grapefruit, butter, toast

## About this wine

Domaine Les Bottes Rouges was founded in 2012 by Jean-Baptiste Ménigoz, a former special education teacher and cross-country skier from Arbois. Inspired by natural wines he tasted in the mid-2000s, Jean-Baptiste learned viticulture under Jura icons Stéphane Tissot and Raphaël Monnier before setting up his own domain in Abergement-le-Petit. In 2014, he was joined by Florien Kleine Snuverink. The domaine is committed to organic and biodynamic farming across its small holdings. Cuvée Léon is a tribute to Jean-Baptiste's grandfather, crafted from historic Chardonnay vines planted back in 1956.

## Interesting facts

- The domain name 'Les Bottes Rouges' was inspired by a song by French punk-rock band Les Wampas.
- Cuvée Léon is a personal homage created in tribute to co-founder Jean-Baptiste Ménigoz’s grandfather.
- Winemaker Jean-Baptiste Ménigoz was a special education teacher and cross-country skier before pursuing viticulture.
- The Chardonnay grapes are harvested from old vines originally planted in 1956.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and chalky mineral drive of this topped-up Jura Chardonnay make it an outstanding match for fresh shellfish and raw seafood. Its old-vine depth and subtle oak maturation also allow it to complement richer dishes such as roasted poultry and regional hard cheeses like aged Comté without being overwhelmed.

## Wine making process

Grapes for Cuvée Léon are hand-harvested from low-yielding old vines grown on clay and calcareous marl soils. Winemaking follows natural methods with gentle direct pressing and spontaneous fermentation using native yeasts in concrete tanks and large 3,000-liter oak foudres. The wine is made in the topped-up (ouillé) non-oxidative style. Aging takes place over 6 to 12 months in neutral oak foudres and barrels. Bottling is completed without fining, filtration, or added sulfites.