From vines planted between 1999-2004, the grapes for this wine come from two parcels. Sur Lyas benefits from a southwestern exposure with typical marnes clay soil. En Champaux is exposed to the southeast but the soil is composed of clay and limestone. Hand harvesting is de rigueur and the grapes are de-stemmed by hand except for a small layer of whole clusters that are placed in the bottom of the vat. This serves as a slow release of sugar to keep the vat bubbling along during the fermentation as well as giving the finished wine the added airy spiciness that comes when ripe stems are kept in the vat.
The wine is aged in stainless steel vat for 10 months, and then 2 years in neutral barrel before bottling. (Burgundian style)
Farming
Low/No Sulfur: Vinification, Organic & Biodynamic
Vinification: Aged in bottle before release, Barrel Aged, Bio-Dynamic farming techniques, Dry Farmed, Estate grown grapes, Hand harvested, Indigenous yeast fermented, Low Sulfur Vinification & Aging, Organically Grown Grapes

Soil Type: Chalky Limestone, Clay, Marlstone

Founded in 1869, this family-run estate, like most during that time, was originally structured on a poly-culture model; vines, grain and livestock. It gradually evolved to producing only grapes and wine over the last 50 years and is now run by Jean-Marie (father) and Damien (son) Courbet. The estate now comprises 7.5 hectares of vineyards. Half are located on the slopes directly below the famous village of Château-Chalon which is arguably the greatest appellation of the region. The balance of the vineyards are located nearby in the communes of Domblans and Menétru.
Savagnin is grown in marnes soils (blue, gray, and red) while the Chardonnay can be found in clay-limestone soils. The reds, Poulsard, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir, are grown in light marne soils with some limestone. Pruning is very short and the vineyards are plowed regularly. Since 2005, the Courbets have been farming biodynamically and the estate is currently in transition to organic certification. All harvests are manual and only indigenous yeasts are used. Minimal use of sulfur dioxide is used and the doses range from 20-30ppm.