Domaine Rolet

With its 60 hectares distributed over the best hills of the Arbois and Cotes du Jura AOC vineyards, the Rolet Estate is the second largest wine-growing concern in the Jura.

36 hectares of Arbois AOC on the Arbois and Montigny communes where Poulsard red vine varieties on blue and red marls are dominant, Trousseau on the thick gravel soils, especially warm ground, 35 hectares where young plants are placed side by side with the first plantations of the Estate, nearly fifty years of age in the famous places of “Gaillard, Chagnon, l’Euvrin, Vauxelles, Chateau-Gimont, le Moulin” in the Montigny commune and “Montesserin” in Arbois.

24 hectares in Cotes du Jura AOC where white vine varieties are dominant, Chardonnay and Savagnin, on very specific native soils with liassic gray marls of Voiteur and to a lesser extent, Poulsard and Pinot Noir on the steep foothills of the Grandvaux in Passenans.

The complexity of such a diversity of vine varieties is the result of our permanent concern for finding the best combination of soils, under-soils and vine varieties.

A Family

An Estate which reflects the image of an ever-changing Jura and family enterprise, this Estate was created in the early 1940s by Desire Rolet. Today, his children have taken over and share the various responsibilities of the management of the Estate, Bernard and Guy take care of the vines and vinification; Pierre and Eliane are in charge of marketing, each one of them working with a view to the final objective of a winegrower: the passion of obtaining, depending on the vintage, the quintessence of the grape knowing that wine starts being made in the vineyard.

With modern air-conditioned winemaking plant where stainless steel vats, new barrels and oak casks are next to each other, from grape picking to bottling, we apply all of our know-how to the making of highly renowned vintages.

Vine varieties on the Estate: Chardonnay: 34%; Savagnin: 21%; Poulsard: 21%; Trousseau: 10%; Pinot Noir: 13%.

The deliberate and patiently carried out selection of balanced vine variety stock on the most favorable soils in Arbois as well as Cotes du Jura AOC enables us to offer a complete range of the wealth of our native soils, pioneers in the Jura of typical red and white wines produced from a single vine variety which complement the traditional vintages.

White Arbois Chardonnay: native of Burgundy, it found in the Jura another friendly soil since the XIVth Century, classical vintage of great white wines; its aging in new casks gives it lingering fragrance and vanilla aroma. Lasting from 10 to 15 :years, with age it acquires nobleness and character. Served cool, it admirably accompanies entrees, seafood and fish dishes.

Cotes du Jura Chardonnay: aged for 21 months in casks having contained wine in order to thoroughly enhance the firm personality of the Cotes du Jura, it is a Chardonnay with a very personal native tang of flint stone and roasted almonds. Served at cellar temperature, it is best with pates, hot fish dishes and smoked cold cuts. It can be kept from 10 to 15 :years.

Arbois and Cotes du Jura Chardonnay-Savagnin: after 30 months of aging in casks, a happy mixture of the fullness and subtlety of Chardonnay and of the complexity of the Savagnin which gives it body and its so characteristic walnut aromas; very typical wines to be served at 14°C approximately and uncorked well in advance, they go marvelously well with seasoned dishes, such as fish, sweetbreads and poultry in cream sauces, seafood croustade and cheeses. It can be kept for 12 :years and more.

Arbois Rose: the only Rose wine to be obtained following a ten-day maceration, mainly of the Poulsard vintage. Fruity wine, it very rapidly acquires during aging an onion-skin bronze color. Served cool, it goes well with cold cuts, grilled meats and poultry dishes. It keeps for 7 to 10 years.

Arbois Red Tradition: vintage traditionally made of three vine varieties: Poulsard, Pinot and Trousseau. After aging for 18 months in casks before being bottled, it requires 2 to 3 :years in a cellar to reach its equilibrium, light red, served at cellar temperature, it may be drunk from beginning to end of any meal. It keeps for 8 to 12 :years.

Arbois Poulsard “Old Vineyards”: a choice of grapes from 20-year and more old vineyards, a light flavored and charming red wine with small red berry aromas. Rich when young, after aging it develops a cooked prune aroma. Served between 13 and 15°C, it goes well with pates, white meats, leg of lamb and roasts. It keeps for 8 to 12 :years.

Arbois Trousseau: the smallest red wine vintage of the Jura which is at its best on the native hills of Montigny, a very long keeping wine. Following aging for 18 months to 2 :years in casks, it develops complex aromas: leather and meaty flavor and after being bottled for several years, it is then fully developed and mushroom and forest aromas appear. It will go well with prepared meats, game, venison and cheeses. It should be kept for a while at room temperature. It keeps for 15 years and more.

Arbois Pinot: a good Jura version of this renowned vintage, vinous red with specific aromas acquired during aging in new casks, well known to wine tasters. Its mellowness and bouquet are appreciated by and large. It goes well with red meats and cheeses. Served between 15 and 16°C. It keeps for 8 to 15 years.

Arbois Yellow Wine: the King of wines and Wine of Kings; exclusively produced from the Savagnin vine variety. To reach its fullness which challenges the laws of analogy, it requires six years without topping up during which it acquires its unequaled walnut flavor. Bottled in a Clavelin (specially shaped bottle), it is a highly gastronomic wine which goes marvelously well with the dishes for the preparation of which it has been used: chicken with Yellow wine sauce and morels, veal meat and fish dishes with cream sauce, Franche-Comté cheeses. Served at 15°C, always uncorked in advance. It keeps for 100 years and more.

Arbois Straw Wine: selected crop from the nicest grape clusters, in general from Chardonnay and Savagnin, sometimes Poulsard, which are put to dry for 2 to 3 months on trays. The raisined grapes give a very small quantity of slightly liquorous wine with a 15 to 17% of alcohol, which is traditionally conditioned in half-bottles. It is drunk cool and goes well with foie gras, aperitifs and desserts. It keeps for 30 years and more.

White and Rose Sparkling Wines: produced in the Jura since the XVIIIth Century according to the Champagne method, called to-day “traditional method”. The whites are made with Chardonnay and the Roses with Poulsard. As time goes by, they have become very famous. Wines for celebrations, they will be served chilled as aperitif or at the end of a meal.

Macvin: Regional wine-grower aperitif; liquorous wine produced after adding old Jura brandy to grape juice. Its specific character has just been recognized by the granting of the guaranteed vintage label. Served iced for aperitif. It goes very well with melons and ice-creams and will be very much appreciated by ladies as a liquor.

Old Brandy and Old Fine (High Quality Brandy): the Brandy is obtained by distillation of destemmed grape brandy and the Fine by wine distillation. They are among the best French alcohols. They are aged in oak casks. Powerful and aromatic, they all have the personality of the native soil of the region. Served after remaining for a while at room temperature, they are very much appreciated.

See other places in the Jura region.