Chardonnay La-Haut, 2023

The vines went in back in 1953, the oldest block on Nicolas Jacob's first hectare in L'Étoile.

Nicolas Jacob learnt his trade alongside Laurent Macle and Jean-François Ganevat, two of the Jura's great names, before buying a single hectare in L'Étoile in 2015. Là-Haut — 'up there' — is the top of that parcel, Chardonnay planted in 1953 on marl. It spends 18 to 24 months in demi-muids, big old barrels, kept topped up so the wine stays fresh rather than nutty. Nothing is added, not even sulphur. Lemon pith, white flowers and crushed gravel, a wisp of woodsmoke, taut acidity.