Domaine du Pélican - Chardonnay 2018

A single-vineyard Chardonnay that is still holding back, but whose body and structure show great promise. Tasted from the barrel in early 2019.

Guillaume d’Angerville, a winegrower in Volnay, acquired the Chavanes estate (5 hectares) in 2012 and renamed it Le Pélican, the symbol of Arbois. He later added 4.5 hectares purchased from Jacques Puffeney, as well as another 5 hectares of white wine vineyards located at the entrance to Arbois. Managed by François Duvivier, the estate is run biodynamically, drawing inspiration notably from Pignier. The lineup, focused on Jura grape varieties (ouillés), also includes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, offering a classic interpretation of their appellations. The estate continues to embrace innovation, with a new winemaking facility nearing completion, its first “vin jaune” in the works, and experiments with orange wine, single-vineyard cuvées, straw wine, late-harvest wines, whole-cluster vinification, and aging in large oak casks...

I preferred the bottled 2018 Arbois Chardonnay to the unbottled sample I tasted last time. It’s a well-crafted Chardonnay with toasty and spicy notes, a bit creamy, well-textured, and more Burgundian than most Jura Chardonnays. The wine is flavorful and finishes with a briny note, featuring well-integrated oak and the signature of a talented team of winemakers.

Owned by François d'Angerville, of the famous eponymous estate in Volnay, and by François Duvivier, his estate manager, the Domaine du Pélican is a recent venture. In addition to a young vineyard, replanted beginning in 2001, the estate—based in Montigny-lès-Arsures—has taken over the vineyards of Jacques Puffeney, a historic figure in Arbois winemaking, under a lease agreement. The first wines demonstrate great technical mastery, with serene, accomplished expressions that offer an interpretation of the region’s great classics that is both understated and original. We eagerly await the first vintages aged under a veil from this estate, which is poised to play a major role in the Arbois wine scene.

Ripe, creamy, and chalky on the nose, with notes of lemon and fresh apple; straightforward and pure. Creamy, firm, and chewy. The palate is tight at first and opens up slowly, with a creamy, fresh finish. It is pure and deep, though it lacks the same minerality as the single-vineyard Chardonnay. Creamy and rich after aeration. Surprisingly deep for such a low alcohol content.

The 2018 Arbois Chardonnay is absolutely delicious. Bright and full-bodied, this Chardonnay truly showcases the vintage’s potential. With notes of lemon zest, white flowers, mint, and tropical fruits, all these aromas come together to create a very expressive, warm Chardonnay. It’s a truly beautiful wine. It should be allowed to breathe slightly before tasting to let the reduction subside.