Domaine de la Borde - Julien Mareschal

The work of a young winemaker

Formerly the playground of retired winemaker Pierre Overnoy, the town of Pupillin is a truly blessed cradle for the cultivation of vines. Julien Mareschal, a native of the region, settled here in 2003 following his oenology studies, and set about introducing the general public to Jura wine, so little known outside its native region.

He began by acquiring three hectares of vines and gradually expanded his estate, which now covers five hectares. It didn't take long for Julien to make a name for himself in the business. Rigorous and serious, but at the same time idealistic and dreamy, it takes no less to produce original, high-quality cuvées.

The Jura vineyards in all their splendor

Little-known but richly endowed, the Jura vineyards offer an incredible diversity of terroirs. Julien Mareschal exploits the different types of soil found here, from the schistose blue clays of the Lias to the red clays of the Trias, and grows a variety of local grape varieties such as Ploussard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and of course Savagnin, the emblematic grape of the Jura.

The vineyard's ideal exposure, combined with the above-mentioned characteristics, create terroir-driven wines that perfectly express the subtleties of the land. The winemaker has chosen to respect his vineyard as much as possible by implementing organic and biodynamic farming practices.

He advocates contact treatments, natural grassing, soil cultivation, biodynamic preparations and manual harvesting, all of which have already proved their worth and guarantee the creation of quality wines. This back-to-basics approach is complemented by Julien Mareschal's love of Jura traditions, which is reflected in his wines. Terroir and hard work are perfectly combined in a winning combination!

Authentic vintages

This aforementioned attachment to local traditions can easily be observed in cuvées such as "Ploussard de Feule", "Terre du Lias", "Côte de Caillot" or the classic Savagnin "Les Écrins", which reflect the typicities of the Jura terroir.

However, Julien also offers us a few curiosities with special cuvées such as "Foudre à Canon", a wine in which the Savagnin grape is aged for 18 months, or "Vénéon", in which the red Ploussard grape is vinified as a white, which may come as a surprise to classic lovers of Jura wines.

Finally, at Domaine de la Borde, you'll find the region's traditional wines: Macvin and vin de paille, vinified in the traditional way.