Tucked at the end of the Sorne valley south of Lons-le-Saunier, Domaine des Coteaux du Val de Sorne is a tiny, fiercely natural Jura estate. Jean-Francois Ryon farms just a few hectares of classic Jura varieties on Jurassic marl, with a hands-off ethos that runs from vine to bottle.
Backstory
Domaine des Coteaux du Val's Jean-Francois Ryon represents the 14th generation of vignerons in the village of Vernantois. He started in 1987 and released his first wines in 1992, working from a 17th-century building in the heart of the village.
The Region
Domaine des Coteaux du Val sits in Vernantois, in a secluded pocket south of Lons-le-Saunier at the end of the Sorne valley, ringed by scenic hills in the Jura.
Vineyards and Farming
Domaine des Coteaux du Val covers just 2.68 hectares planted to Poulsard, Savagnin, Trousseau, and Chardonnay. Vines climb slopes up to around 300 meters on blue marl from the Jurassic and Triassic periods. Ryon has always farmed organically and earned certification in 2003.
Winemaking
Work in the Domaine des Coteaux du Val cellar is kept to a minimum, with no additives of any sort and minimal to no added SO2. Reds such as the Trousseau are destemmed and macerated for around eight days before aging roughly a year in wooden tanks.
The Wines
The Domaine des Coteaux du Val range showcases the Jura classics: Chardonnay, Savagnin, and the local reds Poulsard and Trousseau, all made in a pure, additive-free style.
