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The Jurançon appellation is located in the Southwest of France, in Béarn and the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department. This small vineyard in the foothills of the Pyrenees spans approximately one thousand hectares between the Gave de Pau river and the town of Oloron-Sainte-Marie. It takes its name from the village of Jurançon, near Pau, and has always had a strong identity, celebrated at least since Henry IV. The vines are planted on hillsides, between 300 and 400 meters above sea level, on puddingstone or clay sandstone soils. High-trellis cultivation is common, with foliage reaching up to 2.5 m in height.
Jurançon is primarily known as a sweet wine with the Jurançon AOC appellation (one of the first AOCs in France, classified in 1936). There is also a dry Jurançon, a white wine classified as AOC in 1975. The reds and rosés produced in the region are under the Béarn AOC.
There are five grape varieties used for Jurançon, all white. The two main ones (more than 50% of the blend) are Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng, the only ones authorized for so-called late harvest wines. Courbu Blanc, Camaralet de Lasseube, and Lauzet play the role of complementary grape varieties. It is said that Petit Manseng is more specific to sweet Jurançon and Gros Manseng to dry Jurançon (because it produces less acidity), but this is not a strict rule. Blends vary depending on maturity and parcels.
Sweet Jurançon wines can be exceptional. They sublimate with age, revealing notes of black truffle after about ten years. Due to their rich taste, some can be considered dessert wines. They are complex, tart, honeyed, with notes of white flowers and tropical fruits. They become more mineral and more luscious with age, taking on notes of mushroom, undergrowth, and truffle, especially in the case of late harvests. Dry or sweet, they are excellent as an aperitif but can accompany an entire meal. Sweet Jurançon wines pair well with foie gras, confits, cured meats, and dishes from the Southwest. Dry Jurançon is an elegant and complex wine that pairs well with fish (salmon and Adour trout), seafood, goat and sheep cheeses (Ossau-Iraty) from the Western Pyrenees.
What grape varieties are used to produce Jurançon wines? The white wines of the Jurançon controlled appellation, located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, whether sweet or dry wines, have Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng as their majority grape varieties. They must indeed represent more than half of the blend for the wine to earn the appellation. The two grapes are of local origin and related but well differentiated within the appellation. Gros Manseng, producing a little less sugar, is rather associated with dry white wines, and Petit Manseng with sweet wines. The latter has superb aging potential and acquires subtle and complex notes with age, often reminiscent of black truffle. In reality, blends are decided based on maturity and parcel, so their proportions are variable.
The three other grape varieties are Courbu Blanc, early and a bit fragile but appreciated for its acidity; Camaralet de Lasseube and Lauzet, which are used in minor proportions. Camaralet brings spicy notes to dry white wines, while Lauzet enhances their minerality.
Why is Jurançon wine considered a royal wine?
Since at least the 14th century, Jurançon has been a favorite wine of the noble families of Foix and Navarre, but it was not until the baptism of King Henry IV of France (December 1553) that this wine entered French history and never left. Henry of Navarre, the future king's grandfather, is said to have rubbed the lips of the baptized baby with a clove of garlic before making him drink a little Jurançon wine. Jeanne d'Albret, Henry IV's mother, carefully maintained the vineyard her father had bought in Jurançon, and the region's wine was renowned throughout France. Since this royal baptism, Jurançon wine has had various destinies but has never ceased to be associated with royalty. In the early 19th century, a monarchy seeking restoration and symbolism reproduced the royal baptism ceremony, propelling Jurançon into a prosperous period once again. However, it was from the second half of the 20th century and the awarding of an AOP (1936) that the Jurançon vineyard regained its strength. Reconstituted and restored after the difficult passage of phylloxera and various vine diseases, it has since experienced progress that makes it today a small but highly prestigious vineyard.
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3 products
3 products
Argile White 2020,
Argile is a dry Jurançon, 100% Petit Manseng, produced by direct pressing, fermented and aged in terracotta jars. This wine, with its strong personality, will surprise you with its balance, length, and frank minerality. Fresh, long, and lively, with a continuous line between tension and fruit, enhanced by a unique aromatic palette due to fermentation and aging in terracotta. It's a real companion to oysters and seafood, but it also tastes great on its own. Harvested by hand in mid-September, the grapes are healthy and meticulously sorted. Petit Manseng lends itself to the production of very fine wines, with aromas that faithfully reflect their terroir and region. No chemical additives in the vineyard or cellar, no added sulfites. Keep it in the cellar for two to five years.
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Château Lafitte is located in Béarn, on the noble terroir of Jurançon, the origin of superb sweet wines and dry wines that have nothing to envy. Since the 14th century, Monein, the commune where the estate is located, has been nestled in an exceptional natural, rich, and hilly environment. In the 16th century, vines already occupied a significant part of the property, and they have persisted to this day. Philippe and Brigitte Arraou, the current owners, have undertaken to revive viticulture on the site, helped since 2012 by their son Antoine, a winemaker as passionate as his parents. Château Lafitte is now managed biodynamically and with agroforestry: five hectares of marl-limestone soils typical of the appellation, on a hilly terrain that can become very cold in winter. The king grape varieties of Jurançon, Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng, represent the majority of the grape varieties. Also typical of Jurançon and the Pyrénées-Atlantiques in general, viticulture en hautains, that is to say raised and trained very high, is practiced. As it was in many primitive vineyards, some of which are still active (Portugal, Spain, Georgia, etc.). On this beautiful estate, winemaking experiments are legion: aging in terracotta jars for dry wines, solera for sweet wines in untopped barrels, photovoltaic roofs for the cellar, rainwater harvesting, gravity-fed vinification. Château Lafitte produces sweet Jurançons as well as still dry wines and a very successful natural sparkling wine, Funambule.
Le Litre Arbitre White 2020,
Le Litre Arbitre, a dry white wine with a strong aroma of white fruit and lemon, is deliciously mineral and lively, perfect for all occasions and also a joy to drink on its own. It's so perfect for gatherings with good friends that Château Lafitte decided to pour it directly into a one-liter bottle. The beverage is obtained by directly pressing different grape varieties from a very old, planted plot whose birth date is unknown. The blend includes the classic Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng grapes from the Jurançon terroir. The harvest is done among friends, the viticulture and winemaking (100% biodynamic) are done without the slightest addition of chemicals or sulfites. Fruity as desired, designed for the most intense conviviality, and not even a pinhead of added sulfites. This wine will keep for a very long time if given the chance.
To find out more
Château Lafitte is located in Béarn, on the noble terroir of Jurançon, the origin of superb sweet wines and dry wines that have nothing to envy. Since the 14th century, Monein, the commune where the estate is located, has been nestled in an exceptional natural, rich and hilly environment. In the 16th century, vines already occupied a significant part of the property, and they have persisted to this day. Philippe and Brigitte Arraou, the current owners, have undertaken to revive viticulture on the site, assisted since 2012 by their son Antoine, a winemaker as passionate as his parents. Château Lafitte is now managed biodynamically and with agroforestry: five hectares of marl-limestone soils typical of the appellation, on a hilly terrain that can become very cold in winter. The king grape varieties of Jurançon, Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng, represent the majority of the grape varieties. Also typical of Jurançon and the Pyrénées-Atlantiques in general, viticulture en hautains, that is to say raised and trained very high, is practiced. As it was in many primitive vineyards, some of which are still active (Portugal, Spain, Georgia, etc.). On this beautiful estate, winemaking experiments are legion: aging in terracotta jars for dry wines, solera for sweet wines in untopped barrels, photovoltaic roofs for the cellar, rainwater harvesting, gravity-fed vinification. Château Lafitte produces sweet Jurançons as well as still dry wines and a very successful natural sparkling wine, Funambule.
Orange Blanc 2020,
Château Lafitte
This Orange cuvée, with its spectacular old gold color and supple, enchanting tannins, is made from 100% Petit Manseng, the emblematic Jurançon grape variety. It is harvested by hand during the second half of September. Both the viticulture and the vinification process are carried out without the addition of chemical additives or sulfites. Orange is macerated for three weeks in terracotta jars, which gives it its beautiful tawny color, powerful nose, and supple, melting tannins. A true treasure to cellar for up to ten years (if you can manage that). The possibilities for almost infinite flavor pairings are endless (everything goes with it, including the most unlikely ingredients). A dense and powerful orange, of astonishing complexity, which at the same time does not forget to be fine and caressing.
To find out more
Château Lafitte is located in Béarn, on the noble terroir of Jurançon, the origin of superb sweet wines and dry wines that have nothing to envy them. Since the 14th century, Monein, the commune where the estate is located, has been nestled in an exceptional natural, rich and hilly environment. In the 16th century, vines already occupied a significant part of the property, and they have persisted to the present day. Philippe and Brigitte Arraou, the current owners, have undertaken to revive viticulture on the site, helped since 2012 by their son Antoine, a winemaker as passionate as his parents. Château Lafitte is now managed biodynamically and with agroforestry: five hectares of marl-limestone soils typical of the appellation, on a hilly terrain that can become very cold in winter. The king grape varieties of Jurançon, Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng, represent the majority of the grape varieties. Also typical of Jurançon and the Pyrénées-Atlantiques in general, viticulture en hautains, that is to say raised and trained very high, is practiced. As it was in many primitive vineyards, some of which are still active (Portugal, Spain, Georgia, etc.). On this beautiful estate, winemaking experiments are legion: aging in terracotta jars for dry wines, solera for sweet wines in untopped barrels, photovoltaic roofs for the cellar, rainwater harvesting, gravity-fed vinification. Château Lafitte produces sweet Jurançons as well as still dry wines and a very successful natural sparkling wine, Funambule.
