Jacques Puffeney’s father was a vineyard worker who owned a mere speck of land in the village of Montigny Les Arsures (just around the corner from Arbois). Jacques made his first wine at the age of 17 but, to earn a living, he worked simultaneously as a “saleur de Comté” helping to make the fabled cheese of his region. Over time the Puffeney family acquired vineyards in Montigny and the surrounding villages and now the domaine encompasses 7.5 hectares, all in the appellation of Arbois. Jacques Puffeney’s prowess in both the vineyards and the cave has been recognized throughout France and has earned him the nickname among his colleagues of “the Pope of Arbois”.
The vineyards are situated in the villages of Montigny Les Arsures, Arbois, and Villette des Arbois. Four and one-half hectares are planted to white varieties: 2.7 hectares to the extraordinary local grape, Savagnin; and 1.8 hectares to Chardonnay. The remaining 3 hectares are devoted to a series of red grapes: 1.2 hectares planted to Poulsard (also known locally as “Ploussard”); 1.2 hectares dedicated to Trousseau; and Pinot Noir is found in the final .60 hectares. Montigny Les Arsures is recognized as the prime site for the Trousseau grape in the Jura and the village proudly proclaims its status as “the capital of Trousseau”.
The harvest, which normally begins in late September, is done manually. It commences most often with the Chardonnay, then the Poulsard, followed by Pinot Noir and Trousseau; finally, the Savagnin is picked at the close of the season which sometimes can extend into November.
Farming
Practicing organic
Treatments
Copper-sulfate only
Ploughing
Annual ploughing to promote vineyard health
Soils
Blue, red, and white limestone-clay marls
Vines
Trained in Guyot and planted at 5-6,000 vine/ha
Yields
Controlled through pruning and debudding
Harvest
Entirely manual, mid-September to early October
Sourcing
Entirely estate fruit
Fermentation
White wines ferment spontaneously in stainless-steel tanks. Red wines see total destemming and ferment spontaneously in stainless-steel tanks. Cuvaison lasts c. 3 weeks
Extraction
Red wines see pumpovers during cuvaison
Chaptalization
None
Pressing
Vertical basket press
Malolactic Fermentation
Spontaneous, in foudre following alcoholic fermentation
Élevage
Chardonnay, Melon à Queue Rouge, Cuvée Sacha, and all red wines spend 18-24 months in neutral oak foudres. Savagnin spends 3+ years in neutral oak barrels and demi muids. Vin Jaune spends 8.5 years in neutral oak barrels
lees
Wines are racked following malolactic and remain on their fine lees until assemblage prior to bottling
Fining and Filtration
Wines are unfined and unfiltered
sulfur
Applied at bottling if necessary
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