Mathieu Allante and Christian Boulanger are among those rare winemakers who go about their work far from the noise and the spotlight, with a humility that is inversely proportional to the grandeur of their wines.

Both have worked for many years at Domaine Labet, alongside Charline, Romain, and Julien, gaining, vintage after vintage, an intimate understanding of the terroirs of the southern Jura. At the same time, they have patiently built their own estate between Rotalier and Gizia, acquiring tiny plots as opportunities arose—plots that sometimes had to be cleared, replanted, or completely restored. A colossal undertaking, carried out without cutting corners and with the utmost dedication.

We were welcomed at Christian’s home in Rotalier, in the company of his faithful dog Rita, for a tasting that was supposed to last just a few moments but ultimately stretched on for over two hours. It must be said that Christian’s kindness is as rare as his expertise in wine—knowledge acquired over the years through careful observation, patience, and hard work.

We tasted a good dozen vintages. It was a feast—a veritable fireworks display of expertise, brilliance, and precision. All the wines tasted incredibly good, as if they had already reached a state of absolute perfection. Yet Christian quickly warned us: “They’re still far from their peak!”

Mathieu Allante and Christian Boulanger craft deep, powerful, and soulful wines—true terroir-driven wines meant to age and stand the test of time. This is particularly true of their whites, including the two exceptional bottles we’re featuring today: the 2023 Chardonnay Les Varrons and the 2022 Phénomaynal. Two wines of remarkable depth and energy, shaped by extended aging and crafted to evolve magnificently over the years.

When it comes to reds, as is often the case in the Jura, Mathieu and Christian place greater emphasis on immediacy, vibrant fruit, and the pleasure of youth. But the 2024 vintage took a terrible toll on the Jura vineyards, to the point of depriving them of Poulsard and Trousseau. So, for the first time, they purchased some excellent grapes—notably Gamay—and vinified them in their own style.

From this adventure came the Gamay Montaizin 2024: a vibrant wine with intense fruit, a velvety texture, and irresistible freshness. A bottle of immediate pleasure—lively and incredibly indulgent—that nonetheless bears the unmistakable precision and signature style of Mathieu Allante and Christian Boulanger.