Domaine Berthet-Bondet

The History of Domaine Berthet-Bondet

Domaine Berthet-Bondet was founded by Chantal and Jean Berthet-Bondet who moved to Chateau Chalon in 1984. The couple is not directly descended from an old winemaking family, although some of their respective ancestors farmed the wine lands of Languedoc and Burgundy.

Chantal and Jean Berthet-Bondet settled in an old Jura house dating from the 16th century, including a vaulted cellar. The neighboring tower dating from the 13th century suggests earlier constructions. The house has known many owners, peasants and winegrowers, who have gradually converted it.

In 1986, the Berthet-Bondet couple built a winery in the old barn, then, in 1987, a 400 square meter aging cellar. Finally, in 1997, a storage and labeling cellar completed the production tool.

Since 1985 and the first harvest of Domaine Berthet-Bondet, the couple has acquired a know-how that they have been keen to pass on to their daughter, Hélène. Hélène began her career in a completely different field, working as a translator in Brussels for about ten years. However, the call of the land was the strongest and Hélène returned to settle in the Jura, accompanied by her nurse husband Fabien.

Hélène returned to school in 2013 to retrain in viticulture. Graduating in 2015, she took over the management of Domaine Berthet-Bondet in 2018.

The Domaine Berthet-Bondet vineyard

The vineyard of Domaine Berthet-Bondet extends from 15 hectares. The production of Jura wines is divided between the white varieties Chardonnay and Savagnin, and red Trousseau, Poulsard and Pinot Noir. The AOC Côtes du Jura occupies 10.5 hectares, while the Savagnin belonging to the AOC Château-Chalon covers 4.5 hectares.

The wines of Domaine Berthet-Bondet belong to 2 appellations :

Appellation Château-Chalon

Vines from the communes of Château-Chalon, Domblans, Ménétru and Nevy sur Seille in Savagnin grape variety.

Côtes du Jura appellation

Vines from the communes of :
- Château-Chalon (Chardonnay) ;
- Domblans (Chardonnay and Savagnin) ;
- Lavigny (Chardonnay, Trousseau and Savagnin);
- Pannessières (Chardonnay and Poulsard);
- Passenans (Pinot noir, Chardonnay, Poulsard and Gamay).

The wines of Domaine Berthet-Bondet

The range of Jura wines is composed of six appellations and two traditional mentions. The appellations Arbois and Côtes du Jura are rosé, red, white, yellow, straw. The Domaine Berthet-Bondet also produces Crémant du Jura and Macvin du Jura.

The yellow wine is a particularity of the Jura. It owes its name to its golden yellow color and its fame to its organoleptic qualities, as well as to its elaboration as original as mysterious.

The AOC Crémant du Jura is recent, as it only dates from 1995, but the Jura was already producing sparkling wines at the end of the 18th century.

The straw wine represents another curiosity of the Jura. It has a traditional mention linked to its particular method of elaboration. It owes its name to the bed of straw on which the grapes must dry for a minimum of six weeks.

The appellation Macvin du Jura - dating from 1991 - corresponds to a liqueur wine made from grape brandy and not from wine. It is made from unfermented grape juice, to which one third of the marc is added. It is aged for a minimum of one year and its alcohol level must be between 16 and 22.

Finally, the marc du Jura is a brandy with a minimum alcohol content of 50.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)