Jura wine ‘pope’ Jacques Puffeney sells off vineyards

Jura wine veteran Jacques Puffeney has announced that he has sold the vines from his namesake estate to the d’Angerville family of Volnay, as part of a retirement plan.

This year’s ‘percée du vin jaune’ festival in Jura. Image credit: Getty/AFPSebastien Bozon. Second image: Jacques Puffeney. Credit: Jacques Puffeney.

Puffeney, whose renown has seen him nicknamed as the ‘Pope of Arbois’ – the subregion of the Jura where he is based – has been seeking to move into semi-retirement for some time.

He has sold the majoirty of his vines – just over 4.2ha – to the d’Angerville family via its Domaine du Pelican estate, also in the Jura and established in 2011 by Guillaume d’Angerville. The d’Angervilles also own Domaine Marquis d’Angerville – including Clos des Ducs – in Volnay.

Puffeney confirmed to Decanter.com that he has vinified the 2014 vintage and will both mature it and sell it, but he will be stepping back from further vineyard and winery duties as of January 2015, working only as a ‘consultant for a little while’. He will remain in the family house in the village of Montigny-les-Arsures in the Arbois appellation.

Puffeney and his wife are keeping back a small area of 40-year-old Trousseau and Savignin vines, from which they will produce around 2,000 bottles per year.

‘I will continue to make wine in a small way,’ he said, ‘as I have not sold the rights to my family name along with my vines.’

Reflecting on the future for the region, Puffeney said he saw potential for red wine in the Jura, beyond its famed vin jaune. ‘We have long been known for our white wines, but the red wines have great potential here and are starting to get better recognition as working methods continue to improve.’

Puffeney’s 2014 Arbois Vin Jaune, the estate’s last wine under its current form, will not be released until 2012, following the rules of this style of wine.

Written by Jane Anson