Les Dolomies
| Vigneron | Céline and Steve Gormally |
| Location | Passenans (Jura) |
| Size of Domaine | 6.5 ha |
| Terroir | Continental climate. Stony Triassic marls with outcrops of limestone. Gentle to steep south-west facing hillsides. 250-350m altitude. |
| Viticulture | Certified organic (Ecocert), practising biodynamic. |
| View Les Dolomies wines ↓ |
The road to establishing Les Dolomies was long, but the quality of Céline and Steve Gormally’s wines and their success on various export markets has made it all worthwhile.
Joined full-time by husband Steve in 2016, Céline initially rented a small 0.5ha parcel in Passenans while working for other producers in the Jura, including the domaines Labet, Badoz, and St-Pierre.
With the help of Terre De Liens, an organisation that supports agroecological farmers in securing land, she then bought another hectare in 2008 and created Les Dolomies – a reference to Passenans’ dolomitic rock, a salty magnesium-rich limestone.
Nowadays the couple farm 5.5ha of vines, scattered around 10 plots in five villages, including the prestigious Château-Chalon, with a potential of 6.5ha once the restructure and ongoing plantations are completed.
Based in Passenans next to the original vineyard, the couple live above their cellar with their three young daughters; extremely busy Céline and Steve grew tired of regularly battling against the INAO and its administration, and from 2017 onwards they renounced the Côtes du Jura appellation for the Vin de France designation (on all bottlings).
It's also good to note that Julien Labet was a big influence on Céline’s winemaking – it is therefore no surprise that the labels of both domaines are the work of a mutual friend and local artist.
On top of La Chaux vineyards looking towards Château-Chalon Wild yeast fermentation and bottling without fining or filtration have always been the norm. The whites are whole bunch pressed, until recently they were vinified in smaller barrels (228ltr, 350ltr) with tricky fermentations that used to linger over a year; this led to the addition of homeopathic doses of SO2 for protection (30mg/l total).
Céline and Steve decided to introduce the 'pied de cuve' technique and the use of bigger vessels (600ltr demi-muids and diamond-shaped concrete vats) for a fast and efficient fermentation process – from 2020 no sulphur is used during vinification and ageing, and the wines have gained in clarity and depth.
The reds are destalked by hand, given three weeks maceration and a short élevage in cuve, no sulphur has ever been deemed necessary.
Lieu-dit Croix Sarrant in Château-Chalon Over the past vintages, the yields have been extremely low due to frost, hail and mildiou (with a catastrophic 18hh in 2017, 13hh in 2019, and 2021 likely to be the lowest ever). The financial pressure is consequent, and the effects of global warming won’t disappear anytime soon, so the couple decided to diversify their revenue streams: they raise pigs and poultry for food delights to be served at their newly built 'chambres d’hôtes' – an address to be kept in mind while visiting the region!
Les Dolomies Wines
LES COMBES 2022
Vin de France
100% Chardonnay
100% Chardonnay (14% alc.)
The original plot bought through Terre de Liens, the lieu-dit Les Combes is a stunning coteau with heavy and clayey red marlstone. As for most of the vines in Passenans, they were replanted in the 60s – relatively old vines that yield fruits of great depth and intensity. Aged in concrete vats for 2/3 as well as old barrels. A classy chardonnay that combines power and elegance with a depth of flavours that would make some top burgundy producers envious.
LES GRANDVAUX 2020
Vin de France
100% Savagnin
100% Savagnin (14% alc.)
Located in Passenans, the combe des Grandvaux is adjacent to and as qualitative as the terroir Les Combes. Naturally low yielding 50yo vines grow on brown and red marls, giving a tightly wound, dense wine with lip-smacking spicy flavours, and a chalky almost chewy finish.
LA CHAUX 2018
Vin de France
100% Chardonnay
100% Chardonnay (13 % alc.)
35yo vines on marls with rocky limestone scree, a steep south-west facing hillside in Nevy-sur-Seille (lieu-dit La Chaux) – a village entitled to the Château-Chalon AC for many of its vineyards. Aged for ten months, the terroir cuts through the incredibly pure zesty fruit, with roasted almond notes, and the low yields give the wine resonance and intensity.
ARCO 2022
Vin de France
100% Savagnin
100% Savagnin (14% alc.)
35yo vines on stony marls in Nevy-sur-Seille lieu-dit La Chaux. Arco is the name of one of the two donkeys that help the team, during harvest, on that particularly rocky and steep slope. This is a sensational wine expressing a rapier cut of acidity and vibrant citrus flavours, with bitters and an intense mineral, saline impression on the finish.
CROIX SARRANT 2022
Vin de France
100% Savagnin
100% Savagnin (13.5% alc.)
A tiny 0.3 ha 20yo vineyard in Château-Chalon on stony limestone-rich marl, this is a special terroir tucked away, up a cool and humid combe surrounded by a lush and biodiverse forest. Taken over in 2012 the vines have never seen any chemicals, they are ploughed by horse, and the only two neighbours are vignerons friends sharing the same sustainable approach. Packed with jolting acids and a dense texture it is reminiscent of a perfectly ripe apricot with salivating bitters, vanilla bean and fresh almond aromas sustaining a lengthy finish. Une grande bouteille.
LA CABANE 2022
Vin de France
100% Pinot Noir
100% Pinot Noir (12% alc.)
Situated in Fontenay, a village neighbouring Passenans, the vines are planted on argilo-calcaire, a warmer soil compared to marlstone. Known as the lieu-dit Les Boutonniers this is where the Gormallys have recently planted more trousseau and chardonnay. Bright and crunchy this pinot displays noble herbal flavours with bramble fruit and refreshing rustic tannins.
BORDEL C'EST BON 2022
Vin de France
100% Trousseau
100% Trousseau (13.5% alc.)
The wine and label are a tribute (hommage) to a close friend Gabi who passed away and was a successful cartoonist for the newspapers Le Monde and Le Canard Enchainé. Gabi's line 'bordel c’est bon' can be translated into 'god that's good' (polite version), and indeed it is! The grapes come from Les Combes, fully destalked and vinified without SO2, this is juicy and joyful with a lovely peppery black fruit.