A burst of energy and precision that reminded us why Montbourgeau is a must-try from L’Étoile.

The Montbourgeau estate was one of our absolute favorites at the latest Nez dans le Vert wine fair, held last March. Right at the end of the tasting, when our palates were really starting to get tired and our legs were feeling a bit heavy after hours of sampling dozens of wines, we decided to push on a little further and check out a few last booths. Thank goodness we did. Because Baptiste and César Dériaux literally blew us away with their wines.

It was one of those tastings that instantly awakens the senses. A wild energy, vibrant, precise, luminous wines that immediately make you want to pour another glass… and then another. Honestly, after that, we could have kept tasting for hours.

We were already quite familiar with the Dériaux family’s work on oxidative wines. In the Jura, and particularly in the L’Étoile appellation, the Domaine de Montbourgeau is clearly one of the leading names in the genre. But we actually knew very little about their topped-up wines. And that was a big mistake.

Because these ouillé cuvées are absolutely superb. Wines of remarkable precision, with tremendous energy, finesse, and tension. The aging, often long or even very long, carried out in large containers, brings tremendous depth without ever weighing down the balance. Everything remains clean, lively, and finely crafted.

L'Etoile 2023 is a well-rounded Chardonnay with an almost Burgundian profile. The great Savagnin "Les Budes" 2022 underwent three years of aging (top-up). Here, we are clearly in a different league. It is a well-rounded, briny wine, full of subtlety. 

And then there are those oxidative wines we dream of seeing arrive at the table when a fine Comté cheese begins to make the rounds. These are wines for fine dining—deep, complex, yet always imbued with that sense of energy that makes the great wines of the Jura so captivating.

The Savagnin 2022, aged for three years under a veil, perfectly illustrates the family’s philosophy. We obviously find the Jura characteristics we love so much, but with a delicacy that’s quite stunning. No heaviness, no sense of ostentatious power: just tension, depth, and a beautiful finesse on the palate.

The "Cuvée Spéciale" 2020, made from 100% Chardonnay and aged for four years under a veil, offers a slightly denser and fuller profile, with greater body. But here again, the balance is magnificent. The wine is characterized by a freshness and precision that make it utterly addictive to drink.

Montbourgeau is also a wonderful family story that now spans four generations. In 1920, Victor Gros purchased the estate and began planting the vineyard before selling the first bottles. Jean succeeded him, expanding the estate and the winery. Then Nicole Dériaux modernized the cellars, continued planting, and developed exports. Since 2019, César Dériaux has taken the reins of the estate with new projects and a clear desire to continue promoting this magnificent Jura estate.