More is definitely more when it comes to Jura winegrowers. Yet, while I've never subscribed to the purebred thing quite as much as vampires (check your movies...), for a region such as this, I can't help but think it does add some clout. Marin Fumey has his parents, Adeline and Raphaël, to thank for founding the estate during the mid-1980s. Today, it remains a family affair, with Raphaël heavily involved, but it is very much Marin that now drives this exciting project.
He learned with his parents, and went through the Beaune Viticulture-Oenology diploma, before leaving for Paris to work at L’Ambassade de Bourgogne. Wine stints in part of the New World regions followed, providing a more rounded perspective on approaches to the vineyard and in the cellar. Having returned from his travels in 2015, it wasn't long before he took over the reins of the winery, leading to a change in the style of winemaking and helping to propel the estate forward in organic and biodynamic thinking.
Today, the estate totals seventeen hectares, with plots spread across 20 different locations in the Jura communes of Arbois and Montigny Les Arsures, with the cellar located in the latter. In some instances, the vines date as far back as 70 years. Since 2017, the entire domaine has been in conversion to organics and has since implemented biodynamic practices too. In the cellar, Marin takes a hands-off approach, with the wines vinified using native yeasts and they undergo no fining or filtration whatsoever. The introduction of wild fermentation and whole bunch maceration are other key changes.
The Fumey Chatelain wines are beautiful imprints of terroir, displaying real verve, elegance and a crystalline quality as they lap up their alpine surroundings. Much like the wider generational movement, these are a far cry from the oxidative Jura wines of yore. These wines are fully alive and vibrant, reflecting the new norm for Jura. We love them!
