JURASSIC JOY 😘 (DIRECT FROM DAMIEN + DOLOMIES DROP)

Source note: This post is adapted from Parched's July 7, 2026 newsletter

Hey,

Ahh Damien. This drop has been a long time coming. Our first allocation came in the back of a van years ago, but doing things properly this time round has taken a while. Still, we finally have wine! And whites too…

I've been fanatically hunting these down every time I've been across the Channel, so I've tasted and drunk these 2023s on numerous occasions and I'm utterly obsessed. With Damien's talent. With the vintage. And now with the price, which thanks to our pricing and direct importing is actually on par with France. We're very lucky to be the sole UK source of these elixirs, and whilst we've got more than we could fit in the boot of a car, it really isn't all that much. Don't be hasty.

ICYMI, Damien is a Jura native who spent his formative years working under the tutelage of Ganevat. Seven years soaking it all up, he's now based out of Orbagna, the sleepy hamlet home to the likes of Katie of Maison Maenard. With each passing vintage he seems to be refining his craft. The farming is, as most round here, respectful of the land, and the work in the cellar is beautifully lo-fi.

'23 is a vintage for the history books. Many in the region are raving about the wines, and after the pathetic '21 and the warmer '22, it feels like a return to the wines of old. Bright and crunchy, effortless but not lacking depth.

His Poulsard returns and encapsulates this year perfectly. I cracked into this almost immediately. There's a bit of reduction, but we're dealing with Poulsard so it's par for the course. It blows off quickly and then, wow. It unfurls into a medley of wild fruit with a wispy structure and a bit of white pepper. So drinkable.

The Trousseau is built in a similar ethereal mould. More brambled red fruit, a little of that varietal earthiness, blood orange like acid lines, energetic and high toned. Some vintage.

Completing the trio of dangerously drinkable reds is a negociant Gamay from Beaujolais. Ease of consumption is clearly Damien's calling card. The fruit here is a little plusher but still vibrant, with just the right amount of wild edge. I'd be buying the lot and throwing them on ice immediately.

For the first time we also have a pair of Chardonnays. The two plots might be familiar to fans of the region. Gravière is the more taut and vertical of the pair, high toned and citrus heavy, quite the compelling bottle. Grusse feels more on the fruit, riper but still with the same vibrancy. These are wines that will really benefit from some time in bottle, given the chance to settle into their sweet spot.

If that wasn't enough, we've miraculously received the final bottles of his 2015 maceration. His first experiment in winemaking. This is heady, complex and grippy. Not for the faint of heart, and I mean that in the best possible way. It requires some food, a hunk of cheese and a bit of contemplative thought. It's personally one of my favourite wines, truly unique, nothing else like it. When it sold out last time round I was heartbroken, I never thought I'd see it again. But here we are, tiniest of amounts. Get to it before I do.

We’ve had a last minute drop out and so we now have a final pair of tickets for our Damien Dinner tomorrow night too! Taste five wines, take two away, eat like Jura royalty. It’s the bargain of the century.

Sticking with paysan vignerons of the highest order, a good time to shout about some new arrivals from Dolomies. Another starlet from the Sud-Revermont. Small scale, top farming, no BS, real wines from a real family. Despite others getting all the hype, these firmly go underappreciated. When they're on, like in 2023, they can easily go toe to toe with the big names.

Croix Sarrant gains access to a Chateau-Chalon vineyard I love at an entry fee that's modest compared to others working this land. Likewise with La Chaux, a top vineyard for Chardonnay but even better for Savagnin. I love how they manage to balance tropics with tension. Premice being case in point example, Boutonniers also worth a look at the ‘entry level’ too. I wouldn't skip their reds either. Bordel C'est Bon is another famed vineyard in Les Combes, whilst Cabane is crunchy, crushable Pinot at its pinnacle.

They are humble people, humble wines, that far outpunch their humble price tags. Seriously, the vineyards they have access to, we should be looking at double. Ahh, this corner of France is so good!

Plenty more Jura coming from the region's biggest name, keep your eyes peeled.

Alright, speak soon!

Bisou
Fionn
xoxo