Les Bottes Rouges

Les Bottes Rouges is a highly regarded organic and low-intervention winery in the Jura, based in Abergement-le-Petit, just outside Arbois. The domaine was founded by Jean-Baptiste Ménigoz, who originally worked as a schoolteacher before becoming increasingly fascinated by wine. After spending years working in vineyards alongside local vignerons, he trained with Jura benchmark producer Stéphane Tissot and established Les Bottes Rouges in 2012. The domaine takes its name from a song by French rock band Les Wampas, reflecting Ménigoz's independent, unconventional spirit.

Jean-Baptiste was joined by Florien Kleine Snuverink, originally from the Netherlands, who became his partner in the domaine. A passionate advocate of natural wine, Florien had previously owned Café Schiller in Amsterdam before moving to the Jura to pursue winemaking. Together they have developed the estate from its original 2.5 hectares to around 7 hectares spread across seven parcels, with some more recent sources reporting close to 10 hectares. Their vineyards lie across Arbois and Abergement, on a diverse mix of limestone, heavy clay and marl soils.

The domaine has followed organic farming principles from the beginning, with biodynamic treatments used experimentally according to individual vineyard needs. In the cellar, the philosophy is similarly minimalist: indigenous yeasts, gentle extraction, little or no added sulphur depending on the cuvée and vintage, and generally no fining or filtration. The aim is not to impose a fixed winemaking recipe but to allow each vintage and parcel to express itself.

The range showcases the classic Jura varieties. Chardonnay and Savagnin form the backbone of the whites, while Pinot Noir, Poulsard and Trousseau provide the reds. Notable cuvées include Léon, a precise Arbois Chardonnay; Face B, an elegant, mineral Savagnin; Tôt ou Tard, a vibrant Poulsard; La Pépée, Pinot Noir; and Gibus, a pure Trousseau. Boomerang, a Poulsard-Trousseau blend, is another signature red.

Today, Les Bottes Rouges is regarded as one of the leading contemporary domaines of the Jura, producing wines that combine natural winemaking with remarkable precision, freshness and terroir expression.

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