Berthet-Bondet - Château-Chalon Vin Jaune 2017

The estate overlooks all of Château-Chalon, perched on a rocky outcrop at an elevation of 450 meters. Jean has passed the torch to his daughter Hélène, who returned to take over the business after a career as a translator in Brussels, and now ensures the smooth operation of the 15-hectare estate. Certified organic since 2013, the wines are among the vineyard’s greatest successes, particularly the “vins de voile,” the estate’s signature specialty. The yellow wines (4.5 hectares in Château-Chalon) are aged in magnificent vaulted cellars.

Beautiful green highlights accentuate a golden color. Full-bodied and appealing, the nose takes its time to reveal itself. It unfolds very gradually, leading us slowly but surely down the secret path of vin jaune with its aromas of nuts and spices. Full of nuance, the palate follows directly from the nose, offering (measured) power, (assured) balance, and (endless) length.

The estate was founded in 1985 by Jean Berthet-Bondet, former mayor of Château-Chalon and an agricultural engineer, as is his wife. Cultivated according to organic farming practices, the 13 hectares of vineyards and the vaulted cellars have been managed by their daughter Hélène since 2018.

The 2017 Château Chalon comes from the first year of a recent pattern of frosts that now occur every two or three years (2019, 2021, 2024), which is a departure from the past, when they occurred only once every 30 years. After the frost, the rest of the growing season was magnificent and perfect (unlike in other years with frost). The wine has a sharp, incisive nose, with notes of peat, iodine, nuts, and morels. It has piercing, very intense, long, savory, and complex flavors—even for such a young wine. It has an alcohol content of 15.5%. This must be one of Château Chalon’s best vintages. They produced 10,000 bottles of this fantastic wine. I also tasted a bottle from 1997, which was magnificent. I think the 2017 will be superb with age.

The 2017 Château-Chalon beautifully combines power and finesse. A deep, full-bodied, expressive nose, punctuated by peat and fresh leather; a beautifully concentrated palate, balanced by a refreshing, inspired vein of freshness; and what a finish! A true work of art…

Chantal and Jean Berthet-Bondet, both agricultural engineers, left the city in 1985 to establish this 11-hectare estate, located equally within the Château-Chalon and Côtes du Jura appellations, and certified organic since 2013. Hélène, Jean’s daughter, is now at the helm. The quality of the wines continues to evolve toward greater fruit expression and purity. New cuvées and labels for wines made with added wine have been thoughtfully redefined, although the wines aged under a veil remain the estate’s undisputed stars, with a Château-Chalon that serves as a model for the prestigious appellation.

Bottled a week before my visit, the 2017 Château-Chalon won me over in the blink of an eye. It immediately catches the eye, offering an expressive and precise bouquet of chamomile, dried grass, bread dough, and white almonds. On the palate, this multidimensional wine unfolds in every direction, dazzling with its remarkable sense of harmony despite its power and body. Readers will note that due to severe spring frosts, the estate did not produce any Savagnin Côte du Jura in 2017—whatever remained was blended into the Château-Chalon.