Arbois Savagnin "Maceration Pelliculaire"

Domaine du Pélican's Savagnin emerges from the limestone-clay soils of Arbois, the northernmost appellation of the Jura, where continental winters and warm growing seasons concentrate mineral tension into this white varietal. The domaine practices macération pelliculaire—extended skin contact prior to fermentation—a technique borrowed from natural winemaking that extracts phenolic structure and aromatic complexity typically absent in conventional Savagnin production.

Fermentation occurs in neutral oak vessels without temperature control, allowing wild yeasts to drive a slow, deliberate conversion. The wine remains unoxidized—a critical distinction from the oxidative aging that defines Jura's famous vin jaune—preserving the varietal's native stone-fruit and herbal character while the skin contact adds textural grip and subtle tannin. No sulfur additions during élevage amplify the wine's mineral salinity and microbial complexity.

This expression represents a modern reinterpretation of Savagnin, stepping away from the region's oxidative tradition toward a fresher, phenolically engaged profile that rewards cellaring as the tannins integrate over 3–5 years.