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Laurent Macle is the 7th generation winemaker of Domaine Macle. He works closely with his father, Jean, to produce some of the top wines from the Jura. They render sous voile or “under veil,” a semi-oxidative style of wine. Vin Jaune is not made every year: a committee of wine growers visits the vineyards to determine if it can be produced that year, depending on the grape quality. Jean has a knowledge of the chemistry of Vin Jaune production that is second to none and is known as the true master of Château-Chalon, while his son, Laurent, continues to learn more every year so that he may live up to his father’s reputation.
The Macle family has a 16th-century cave where they store all the barrels for aging. Attached to each barrel is a little spout that is beneath the surface of the wine, so that it can be tasted without disturbing the veil of flor. They keep a library of their wines and are able to verify themselves whether there was something wrong with the vintage and the storage conditions of each lot.
Breaking with a long-standing tradition, Laurent has experimented with producing a non-oxidative (ouille) wine in very small proportions. According to Laurent, after sampling other examples of this style, he simply wanted to try his hand at it. What sets Macle apart from nearly all other Jura producers is their ability to give clear, diverse and unique flavors, with an undeniable mineral-driven elegance.
