L'Etoile Chardonnay, Domaine de Montbourgeau 2018 (Jura, France)

Reference point Jura white made from 95% Chardonnay and 5% Savagnin from 40 year old organic vines planted on clay and limestone in the village of L'Etoile, named for 5 star shaped hills but also for the fossilized starfish found in the vineyards. The grapes are hand harvested and crushed whole cluster and wild fermented in steel, then moved to a mix of large old barrels for just over two years, without being topped up, then bottled unfiltered with little to no sulfur. Textured and complex with notes of apple skin, crushed hazelnuts and mountain herbs with a salty mineral finish.