Arbois's Quiet Revolutionaries
Domaine Ratte is one of the most compelling stories in the Jura — a 9-hectare biodynamic estate in the heart of Arbois that spent decades farming some of the region's finest terroirs only to sell their fruit to the local cooperative. Michel-Henri and Françoise Ratte have been working their vines organically with biodynamic principles since 1989, around the same time they acquired additional vineyards, replanting them biodynamically from the start — a process Michel-Henri insists is the only way to produce amazing quality fruit from vines that have never seen chemicals. The vineyards had been in Françoise's family for generations, but they were shackled to a fruitier (cooperative), selling their grapes under contract. In 2015, they broke free — not an easy feat in the Jura, where cooperative contracts are often signed for life — and began making wine for themselves from some of the best terroirs in Arbois: Les Corvées, Clos Maire, and Pré Levront. The vines range from 20 to 80 years old, with a small plot of 100-year-old Savagnin in Pré Levront planted by Françoise's great-grandfather. Everything is carefully planned in the vineyard for the best use of their terroirs. The Trousseau comes from the increasingly rare Trousseau à la Dame variety; the Poulsard is the old musqués variety; and the Pinot Noir is a selection massale of the Jura. In the cellar, all wines are fermented with wild yeasts in stainless steel vats, then transferred to old Burgundy barrels for maturation and bottled without filtering. Nothing added, nothing taken away. Their son Quentin has joined the business after completing his viticulture studies, ensuring the family's biodynamic legacy continues. These are classic, clean, terroir-driven natural wines — more on the traditional side of the natural spectrum, but with an honesty and purity that speaks of decades of meticulous vineyard work.
Breaking the Cooperative Chains
The Ratte family's vineyards had been in Françoise's family for generations, but for decades they were under the shackles of the local fruitier — the cooperative that buys grapes from small growers and blends them into anonymous wines. In the Jura, these contracts are often signed for life, making it extraordinarily difficult for growers to break free and bottle their own wines. But Michel-Henri and Françoise had a vision: they knew their terroirs were among the finest in Arbois, and they believed their grapes deserved to be expressed as wine, not sold by the kilo [^148^][^155^].
In 2015, they made the leap. It was not easy — cooperative contracts in the Jura are notoriously binding, and the transition from grape seller to winemaker requires investment, courage, and a belief in one's own fruit. But the Rattes had been preparing for this moment since 1989, when they began farming their vines organically with biodynamic principles. They had acquired additional vineyards around that time, replanting them biodynamically from the start. "A process François insists is the best way to produce amazing quality fruit from vines that have never seen chemicals," as one importer noted. By 2015, the fruit was ready, and so were they [^148^][^155^].
Their son Quentin has now joined the business, bringing fresh energy and formal viticulture training to the family operation. The future looks bright for this long-standing Arbois family — three generations of biodynamic farming, a new generation of winemaking, and some of the most celebrated terroirs in the Jura finally expressed under their own label. The domaine is based on the outskirts of Arbois, close to the vines, in a new office and cave that houses stainless steel fermentation vats and old Burgundy barrels [^148^].
"Everything is carefully planned in the vineyard for best use of their terroirs."
— GM Wine Imports
Les Corvées, Clos Maire & Pré Levront
The estate's 9 hectares are spread across some of the most famous parcels in Arbois. Les Corvées is perhaps the best-known — a parcel that has been made illustrious in the modern era by Jean-François Ganevat, whose Trousseau from this site is legendary. Domaine Ratte's Trousseau from Les Corvées is biodynamically farmed, from vines of significant age, and handled with the same respect for terroir that has made the parcel famous. The soils are a classic Jura mix of marl, clay, and limestone, with the specific character of each parcel giving the wines their distinct personalities [^148^][^158^].
Clos Maire and Pré Levront complete the trio of celebrated sites. Pré Levront is home to a small plot of 100-year-old Savagnin vines planted by Françoise's great-grandfather — a living link to the family's deepest history. The vine ages across the estate range from 20 to 80 years, with these ancient plants providing the concentration and complexity that only old vines can achieve. The biodynamic farming, now in its fourth decade, has created a vineyard ecosystem of extraordinary health and biodiversity [^148^][^155^].
The varieties are chosen with the same care as the parcels. The Trousseau is the increasingly rare Trousseau à la Dame — a variety that is being uprooted in favour of more easily cultivated clones, but which Michel-Henri preserves for its unique character. The Poulsard is the old musqués variety, prized for its aromatic intensity. The Pinot Noir is a selection massale of the Jura — propagated from multiple plants to preserve genetic diversity, rather than from single clones. This commitment to heritage varieties is part of what makes Domaine Ratte's wines so distinctive [^148^].
A famed parcel in Arbois that has achieved legendary status through Jean-François Ganevat's Trousseau. Domaine Ratte's biodynamically farmed vines here produce a Trousseau of unusual depth and structure. The marl-limestone soils give the wine its mineral backbone, while the biodynamic farming ensures purity of fruit. This is terroir that demands respect, and the Rattes give it.
A small plot of Savagnin planted by Françoise's great-grandfather over a century ago. These ancient vines produce tiny quantities of intensely concentrated fruit — the kind of raw material that makes extraordinary wine possible. The old vines have deep root systems that extract minerals and complexity from the subsoil, giving the wine a depth that young vines cannot match.
Another of the estate's celebrated parcels, Clos Maire contributes to the range of whites and reds with its own distinct character. The specific soil composition and exposure of this site give the wines a particular finesse and elegance. Like all Ratte parcels, it has been farmed biodynamically since 1989, creating a mature, balanced ecosystem.
The Rattes have been farming biodynamically for over 35 years — longer than almost any other estate in the Jura. This longevity matters: the soils have had time to recover from chemical agriculture, the microbial life has flourished, and the vines have adapted to natural rhythms. The result is fruit of extraordinary health and expression, the foundation of natural winemaking without additives.
Wild Yeasts, Old Barrels & No Filters
Domaine Ratte's cellar work is straightforward and uncompromising: wild yeasts, old Burgundy barrels, no filtering, nothing added, nothing taken away. All wines are fermented in stainless steel vats with indigenous yeasts that develop naturally in the biodynamic vineyards. The stainless steel allows for clean, temperature-stable fermentation without imparting oak flavour. After fermentation, the wines are transferred to old Burgundy barrels for maturation — barrels that have been used for multiple vintages and thus contribute texture and micro-oxygenation without adding wood character [^148^][^155^].
The whites — Chardonnay and Savagnin — are made in the ouillé (topped-up) style, preserving freshness and preventing oxidation. The Chardonnay is direct-pressed and fermented cool, then aged on lees in old barrels for complexity. The Savagnin, including the rare cuvée from the 100-year-old Pré Levront vines, is handled with particular care: long ageing, gentle handling, and a focus on expressing the variety's natural minerality and nutty complexity. The Savagnin "Ouillé Nature" is described as "Jura Savagnin for those who want the grape's mineral essence without the funk" — clean, precise, and deeply terroir-driven [^148^][^162^].
The reds — Trousseau, Poulsard, and Pinot Noir — are fermented with whole or destemmed bunches depending on the vintage, then aged in old barrels. The Trousseau from Les Corvées is the estate's most celebrated red: biodynamically farmed, from vines of significant age, fermented with wild yeasts, and aged in neutral oak. The result is a wine of unusual depth for the variety — structured, mineral, and deeply expressive of its terroir. The Poulsard and Pinot Noir follow the same protocol: gentle extraction, long ageing, no filtration, no sulfur [^148^][^158^].
The Ratte style is described as "more on the classic side of natural" — these are not extreme, funky, or volatile wines. They are clean, precise, and terroir-driven, with a clarity that reflects decades of meticulous vineyard work. The lack of filtering preserves the wine's natural texture and the living quality that comes from minimal manipulation. As one critic noted of the Clos Maire: "Light stony minerality, light earth, ripe strawberry" — a wine of subtlety and finesse, not power [^155^][^160^].
The Classic Side of Natural
Domaine Ratte occupies a unique position in the natural wine spectrum: they are undeniably natural — organic, biodynamic, wild yeast, no filtering, no additives — but their wines are not extreme. They do not chase funk, volatility, or shock value. Instead, they pursue clarity, terroir expression, and drinkability. The Chardonnays are mineral and fresh, not oxidative. The Savagnins are precise and saline, not funky. The reds are structured and elegant, not rustic. This is natural wine made by people who spent 26 years farming biodynamically before they ever bottled a wine under their own label. They did not rush to market with half-formed ideas. They waited until the vineyard was ready, the fruit was pristine, and the wine was complete. The result is a range that feels timeless — wines that could have been made a century ago or yesterday, with the same honesty and the same connection to the land.
Three Generations, One Vision
Domaine Ratte represents a new model for the Jura: not the young, outsider vigneron who arrives without roots, but the deeply rooted family that has been farming the same land for generations and finally decides to claim their voice. Michel-Henri and Françoise spent 26 years farming biodynamically for the cooperative before bottling their first wine. Their patience is extraordinary — and it shows in the wines. These are not the products of restless experimentation; they are the culmination of decades of observation, adjustment, and quiet perfectionism [^155^].
The arrival of Quentin Ratte, their son, marks the beginning of a third generation. With formal viticulture training and the energy of youth, he brings new ideas while respecting the foundation his parents built. The future is focused on refining the range, exploring the potential of each parcel, and continuing the biodynamic work that has defined the estate since 1989. The Ratte family is proof that the Jura's greatest wines often come not from revolution but from evolution — the slow, steady accumulation of knowledge and care [^148^].
The wines are now distributed internationally, with a growing following among natural wine enthusiasts who appreciate their classic, clean style. The estate's location in the heart of Arbois — close to the vines, close to the town, close to the history of the region — gives them a sense of place that is palpable in every bottle. Domaine Ratte is not trying to be the next Ganevat or Tissot. They are simply being themselves: a family that knows its land, respects its fruit, and makes wine with honesty and patience [^155^][^156^].
"Nothing added, nothing taken away. Kept as pure as possible to show their great terroirs from which they originate."
— GM Wine Imports
The Domaine Ratte Range
All wines are farmed biodynamically (since 1989), hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel, aged in old Burgundy barrels, and bottled without filtering. Nothing added, nothing taken away. The range covers all classic Jura varieties, with a focus on parcel-specific expressions from the estate's celebrated sites [^148^][^155^].