Domaine de la Touraize

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Domaine de la Touraize 2020 Zero Dosage Cremant du Jura AOC	Login	—
Domaine de la Touraize 2020 'Les Voisines' Chardonnay, Arbois AOC	Login	—	In Stock
Domaine de la Touraize 2022 'Cotes a Cotes' Rouge, Arbois AOC	Login	—	In Stock

André-Jean (“A-J”) Morin represents the 8th generation of Morins to tend vines in Arbois, with roots tracing back to his ancestor Etienne in 1704. Yet despite this deep legacy, the domaine nearly vanished in the 20th century. A-J’s grandfather, Marius, traumatized by World War I, halted wine production in 1922 and sold off all but one parcel: La Touraize. It was from this single vineyard that A-J’s father, Michel, began rebuilding in the 1950s—slowly and with determination. A-J joined his father in 1985, and for many years, their fruit was sold to the local co-op.

In 2009, with a clear vision and unwavering drive, A-J left the co-op and sold three of his 15 hectares to finance a new winery. Today, alongside his wife Héléana, he bottles the full production under the Domaine de la Touraize label, crafting some of the Jura’s most compelling and thoughtful wines.

The domaine’s modest cellar just outside Arbois houses a mix of large old foudres, well-worn tonneaux, a handful of clay amphorae, and barriques tucked in an attic, where Savagnin slowly evolves under voile. The domaine earned organic certification in 2016 and biodynamic certification in 2019. All vineyard work is done by hand—including destemming, which A-J performs manually using a crible, a traditional wooden plank with grape-sized holes over which the harvested bunches are rolled back and forth until the fruit falls through. This method was famously used by Pierre Overnoy.

In the cellar, A-J is firmly non-interventionist: native yeasts, no chaptalization, no pumping, no fining, no filtration, and minimal sulfur (typically 10–20 mg/L after malolactic fermentation). Despite the hands-off approach, the wines are remarkably clean, focused, and precise—a testament to his meticulous, passionate work.

While many Jura producers embrace oxidation, most of A-J’s whites are ouillé (topped-up), showcasing a piercing minerality and Jura's signature salinity without oxidative influence. His two sous-voile Savagnins, however, are extraordinary—vibrant, concentrated, and stylistically aligned with the clarity and energy of the rest of the lineup.

Domaine de la Touraize embodies the best of Jura: historic roots, artisanal farming, and honest wines crafted with care, humility, and profound respect for the land.