Domaine Joly Chardonnay ‘La Reine’2019
The Wine
From the exceptional but low-yielding 19 vintage, this wine showcases old oak left untopped, yet retains its stony and crunchy minerality. A hint of sea spray graces the nose, while the palate reveals a surprising depth that contrasts with the oxidative impression of the aroma.
94 Points, Kasia Sobiesiak, The Wine Front ‘This is on par with the deliciousness of its brother 'Le Monceau' albeit feels a little richer and riper. Still very much acidity driven wine with coolness of crushed spice, caraway, aniseed, coriander. The juice is fine with a silty texture, dusty, maybe with a bit of a furry grip in the aftertaste. There’s a green peach bite and firmness to the structure and a lot of the flor yeast influence in form of brine and green olive lift, along with notes of caramel dipped cashews. Crunch and energy and flavour satisfaction straight up.’
94 Pts Tom Kline, The Wine Front ‘Punchy aromas of peach skin, apricot flesh, quince, and nectarine are tempered by a hit of sea salt minerality. Hazelnut emerges with air, as does brine, ripe green apple flesh and skin, a hint of orange oil and an attractive touch of clotted cream. The palate is textural but taut, with bruised apple, hazelnut, brine, orange liqueur and lemon rind saturating the palate before being swiftly pulled into line by pithy phenolics and saline acidity. The lemon rind, saline and nutty notes carry long to a bitter, savoury finish.’
The Details
Variety - Chardonnay
Country - France
Region - Arbois, Jura
Extra - Cork
Year - 2023
Volume - 750ml
About the Wine Maker 
The Joly family have a proud sixty-year Jura history of wine production – the family having originated from Champagne. Winemaker Cedric Joly is the grandson of Michel who founded the domaine after moving from Champagne following WWII in search of a fresh start.
Cedric brings his experience from working in Burgundy, a region with a similar terroir, to the traditional winemaking of Jura. He makes sustainable, small production wines from the historic grapes of the region. One of the most intriguing is Trousseau, a grape that makes light and transparent reds that are wild and aromatic.
The domaine is based in the Southern Jurain the commune of Rotalier. Here the magic is made in the cold blue marl soils (decomposed limestone/clay). These notoriously hard & unforgiving soils to work allow the Savagnin & Chardonnay to reach mythical & enviable maturity, minerality and acidity - quite unique to the area.
Farming is organic and yields are impossibly low to always ensure quality is maintained. Like many Jura producers, the whites are released with significant bottle age & the reds quite young. None of Cedric’s whites are topped up yet they are very pure & show piercing minerality & very high salinity.
