Domaine de La Borde

is a highly acclaimed natural wine producer located in Pupillin, within the Jura region of France. The estate, founded in 2003 by Julien Mareschal, quickly gained recognition for its exceptional, terroir-driven wines. Julien Mareschal, having a background in agriculture and winemaking studies in Dijon, was notably influenced by local Jura legends like Pierre Overnoy and Emmanuel Houillon, which shaped his commitment to minimal intervention.

The philosophy at Domaine de La Borde is centered on organic and biodynamic viticulture. The entire 5-hectare estate has been certified organic since 2011 (with biodynamic preparations being trialed since 2009). Julien believes that wine is made primarily in the vineyard, focusing on healthy soils, natural grassing, and avoiding chemical weeding and synthetic molecules. In the cellar, his approach is meticulously hands-off. Fermentations are spontaneous, relying solely on indigenous yeasts. Wines are typically unfined and unfiltered, and made with low or, for many cuvées, no added sulfur. Julien uses both traditional (oak barrels, foudres) and sometimes modern (stainless steel) vessels for aging, ensuring that the Pupillin terroir is not obscured. He is known for both "ouillé" (topped-up, non-oxidative) wines and, notably, his precise and expressive Vin Jaunes.

Domaine de La Borde cultivates all the classic Jura grape varieties: Chardonnay (almost half of his holdings), Savagnin(both "ouillé" and for Vin Jaune), and the red grapes Poulsard, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir. His wines are renowned for their purity, tension, salinity, and profound minerality, offering a precise and direct expression of Jura's cool climate and complex geology, particularly the blue marl-rich valleys of Pupillin.