Catherine Hannoun is based in Port Lesney, a small commune about 15 minutes north of Arbois which exudes the tranquility many associate with the hills of Jura. Having worked for many years in film, including on Mondovino (a film bringing some of the shadier practises of the global wine economy to light), Catherine settled in Jura in 2008. It was clear after working with Emmanuel Houillon for a year that this was the area for her, and in 2009 bought a small parcel of vines and her current cellar. She now has 3.2ha of vineyards of Chardonnay, Savagnin, Trousseau and Pinot Noir around Marnoz and Arbois and whilst she aims to make refreshing wines that in some ways follow the traditions of the area, she is not bound to the rules and regulations of the AOC. We are particular fans of her oxidative Savagnin which comes in at a refreshing 12% alcohol.

Natives of the Jura, both Pauline and Géraud’s families owned tiny plots (used to make wine for home consumption) and spending time in the vines in their childhood was enough to give them the wine bug. They met while studying winemaking in Dijon and created Domaine des Marnes Blanches when they returned to the Jura in 2006.

They farmed organically from the word go and have added (some planted) parcels along the way to reach a total of 12ha today, spread across three towns in the Sud-Revermont (south of the Côtes-du-Jura AC). Cesancey, their first acquisition, is home to the white marl after which the domaine is named, while Gevingey, Vincelles and Ste-Agnès have more varied soil types, the majority being red marl and gryphées (limestone rich in fossils).