Domaine de la Renardière

Jean-Michel Petit took over three hectares that he inherited from his family in 1990. His father was supplying the local co-operative, very quickly, Jean-Michel started to implement changes in the vineyards, stopping the use of weed killers in 1992, and from 1994 only making his wines with indigenous yeasts. Also, highly unusually for the time –he began making his wines according to the plot selection. Jean-Michel now runs his 7.5 hectare organic and biodynamic estate with his Leo, who joined in 2018.

Jean-Michel has been a very active member in both the village and appellation of Arbois and Arbois-Pupillin. The particularity of this Village Cru is the steep south facing slopes and a geological fault that runs through the appellation, resulting in a myriad of different soils. Particularly rich in marls and calcaire a gyphrées. Some of the parcels date back to the 1960s and 1980s

While making distinct changes in the cellar and vineyards in the 90s, Jean-Michel decided to begin working organically in 2003, reaching certification in 2012. He also now works biodynamically and plants with cover crops on every other row. Jean-Michel's estate is split equally between red – Pinot Noir, Ploussard, Trousseau – and white – predominantly Chardonnay with a bit of Savagnin.

Each plot of Jean-Michel's is hand-picked and fermented separately using native yeasts. He uses a mixture of inox tanks (for vinification), barrels of varying sizes, foudres and grès amphora. His Crémant is also made using foudres. Jean-Michel works with Savagnin that is made both under Flor (sous-voile) and topped up (ouillé). There are no additions in the cellar, bar the possible use of some sulphur at bottling.