An airy and extremely fresh red wine from the Jura mountains. Very expressive and open on the nose, with clear notes of strawberry and pale plums. Towards the end, an almost animal note appears aromatically, which is echoed on the palate. Light and feathery in style, yet with impressive flavour intensity—an outstanding balance of delicacy and depth.
Poulsard is one of the local grape varieties in the Jura mountains: extremely pale in colour, yet remarkably intense in flavour. At Rolet, fermentation takes place at a low temperature for three weeks before the wine is transferred to old oak barrels. The wine then ages in these large, old casks for 15 months before bottling.
Arbois Poulsard Vieilles Vignes is produced in the Jura from the local grape Poulsard, sourced from old vines, which typically yield less fruit and therefore provide greater concentration. The grapes are usually harvested by hand and sorted, then either fully or partially destemmed (depending on the producer’s style) and gently crushed.
Fermentation is often carried out with native yeasts in open vats or tanks. To preserve Poulsard’s pale, delicate expression, many producers favour gentle extraction: a relatively short maceration with careful pump-overs or punch-downs, aiming for perfume and finesse rather than power. Temperatures are typically kept moderate to highlight freshness and pure fruit. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine is gently pressed, and malolactic fermentation is often allowed to occur naturally to soften the acidity.
The wine then ages for a period in older oak barrels or larger wooden vessels (foudres), which provide subtle micro-oxygenation and complexity without obvious oak flavour. The goal is to support Poulsard’s character rather than mask it. Finally, the wine may be minimally clarified and filtered—or not at all—depending on the producer, with typically only moderate sulphur added before bottling.
The result is a very pale, elegant red (often ruby to brick-rosé in colour) with high drinkability: fine tannins, bright acidity and aromas of red berries, flowers, and often a lightly spicy, earthy Jura note.
