2021 Jean-Francois Ganevat Chardonnay Les Survivants

The 2021 vintage in Jura was one of the most brutal in recent memory. Spring frosts swept through the vineyards and devastated white wine production across the region, leaving Ganevat with yields of around two hectolitres per hectare of Chardonnay. Almost nothing.

Rather than walk away from it, he gathered what survived from multiple parcels across the domaine and blended them into a single cuvée. Les Survivants. The survivors. The name earns itself.

The wine then spent four years on fine lees in large 600-litre barrels with no added sulfur, which is as patient and unhurried as winemaking gets. What emerged has real concentration and depth, with fresh apple, citrus peel, white flower, and a chalky, saline mineral character that runs right through to the finish.

This exists because of one extraordinary, difficult year. There won't be many bottles.