Domaine des Marnes Blanches - Les Molates - Chardonnay 2024
The 2024 Les Molates from Domaine des Marnes Blanches reveals a very accomplished interpretation of Jura Chardonnay, rooted in the Lias marls of Cesancey and the light of the South Revermont. The color presents itself in a bright golden yellow, clear, promising a wine that is both dense and precise. The nose opens with notes of fresh pear, crisp apple, and fine citrus, complemented by hints of hazelnut and sweet almond that reflect the quality of the aging. In the background, a sensation of warm stone and a slight chalky register recall the marl origin of the terroir. On the palate, volume and energy combine immediately, with a fleshy texture crossed by vibrant acidity. The long, salivating finish extends into a fine salinity and a touch of sweet spices, offering an impression of purity and great precision.
Upon aeration, the 2024 Les Molates gains complexity and reveals nuances of white flowers, lemon zest, dried fruits, and a very slight buttery touch perfectly integrated. The aging of about ten months in large oak casks and barrels refines the texture without ever marking the wine with heavy oak, shaping a tactile, enveloping mouthfeel always held by a mineral backbone. The low-intervention winemaking, faithful to the philosophy of Pauline and Géraud Fromont, favors indigenous yeasts and slow aging to preserve the identity of the terroir. This vintage shows a form of stylistic maturity, where the Chardonnay elegantly oscillates between a taut mineral expression and a broader, almost caressing Jura register. The balance between aromatic richness, tension, and salinity marks a white wine of great personality, immediately readable but endowed with real depth.
The 2024 Les Molates establishes itself as a gastronomic Côtes du Jura, capable of accompanying a wide range of refined dishes. It will pair ideally with river or sea fish with delicate flesh, a lightly seared pike-perch, creamy farm poultry, mushroom risotto, or regional cheeses such as a lightly aged Comté. Served around 11–12 °C, it fully expresses its freshness, saline framework, and tactile dimension. While it already offers intense pleasure through its fruit brightness and precision, it also has the potential to evolve for several years in the cellar, developing notes of light honey, dried fruits, and beeswax without losing its mineral backbone. This is a Jura Chardonnay with character, both modern in its purity and deeply rooted in its terroir, brilliantly illustrating the rise of Domaine des Marnes Blanches.
Grape variety: Chardonnay
