Marcel Cabelier

About Marcel Cabelier

Marcel Cabelier is a Jura house whose range focuses squarely on the classic appellations and grapes of this distinctive French region. The name is closely associated with Côtes du Jura and Château-Chalon, appellations in which tradition, extended cellar ageing and, often, the role of oxygen matter more than an overtly international wine style. Detailed information on the estate’s early history is not widely documented, but its wines sit firmly within the regional Jura tradition.

The vineyards of Côtes du Jura run along the western foothills of the Jura Mountains, on soils rich in limestone, clay and marl. The continental climate brings cold winters, while altitude and rainfall can preserve freshness during the growing season. Chardonnay generally shows more tension and saline character here than in warmer regions. Savagnin is the region’s historic calling card: a late-ripening, aromatic grape with naturally high acidity. Poulsard and Trousseau underpin Jura’s light to medium-bodied reds, which are often pale in colour yet fragrant and spicy.

Marcel Cabelier’s range includes Côtes du Jura Chardonnay, including a Vieilles Vignes bottling, as well as Côtes du Jura Poulsard-Trousseau. The 39 Esprit Savagnin places the region’s signature grape at the centre of the range. White Jura can run from fresh, fruit-led wines to more developed, nutty examples, according to vinification and ageing. A useful regional distinction is between ouillé wines, whose barrels are topped up and therefore less oxidative, and wines matured sous voile, beneath a layer of yeast.

Château-Chalon is the most prestigious origin represented here. The appellation is reserved exclusively for Savagnin vin jaune, aged under voile and not released until at least six years and three months after harvest. Vin de Paille Côtes du Jura is another regional speciality: a concentrated sweet wine made from dried grapes. Together, these wines explain Marcel Cabelier’s appeal for drinkers drawn to gastronomic, characterful Jura wines with considerable ageing potential.

• Château-Chalon is exclusively Savagnin vin jaune
• Vin jaune ages under a yeast veil for at least six years and three months
• Château-Chalon is traditionally bottled in a 62 cl clavelin
• Côtes du Jura includes white, red, rosé and sweet wines
• Limestone, clay and marl underpin Jura’s freshness and savoury character