2006 Arbois Pupillin Vieux Savagnin Ouille

There are always some older wines released in half-liter bottles, like the 2006 Arbois Pupillin Savagnin Ouillé (but you won't find 'ouillé' on the label, the same as you won't find the name of the varieties anywhere, and you have to know the color code of the wax used to seal the bottles!). This is a Savagnin that has been matured in topped up barrels for almost eight years. It was bottled in December 2014. It has some volatility and a little oxidative personality with the notes of green walnuts. It’s impossible to imagine that this wine has been in barrels for so long, as there is no trace of oak. But after such a long time, somehow the wines take on a little of the vin jaune character of spices, curry, nuts and mushrooms. This was a very warm vintage, when they also got rain, and there was a lot of rot. After all, this the wine is extremely fresh, very complex, mineral and lifted by that little volatility. I swear I could taste Comté cheese here. And after decanting it and letting it breathe, it smelled of tomato soup! Is it exotic? It’s very tasty, makes you salivate and leaves a saline sensation on your lips. This will be one of those wines released in half-liter bottles after a long élevage. It is a triumph over the vintage.