Amélie Vuillet & Sébastien Jacques of Méli-Mélo

Amélie Vuillet & Sébastien Jacques grow vines in Jura, one of the most renowned regions for winemaking in the world. Humbly, they would tell you they do not come from an oenology background, yet their wines are sought after by many wine connoisseurs for their freshness and lively texture, as well as their incredible ageing ability.

Since 2011, the Méli-Mélo duo has grown wines just outside of Molamboz, currently working about 1,5ha—a rather small assemblage of plots—of mixed vines. Chardonnay, Savagnin, Poulsard and Pinot Noir grow just behind their house on the Rue des Vignes (the Street of Vines), conveniently close by for early-morning work with the horse and regular check-ups of the grapes. Additionally, they have small plots around Arbois, the heart of Jura winemaking, and in Montigny-lès-Arsures, north of Arbois, where other varieties contribute to their cuvées, such as Gamay and Trousseau.

We are always excited about the new vintage from Amélie and Sébastien since they are a true example of a natural wine producer. They work without intervention or electricity to harvest and process their grapes. All work is done manually, and with the help of the horse, but that does not mean there is no control of what is happening in the vineyard. Climate change requires a constant reevaluation of the farming processes to ensure a successful harvest, and even then, sudden changes in weather conditions might be detrimental to their already small production. The winemakers do not despair though. They learn from and get inspired by the work of their fellow wineproducers and friends, and adapt techniques to battle the inevitable.

For the past few years, we have been buying their signature Méli-Mélo blend as well as Pif, a cuvée of Poulsard and Pinot Noir, and Vin Dzi to represent their white grapes, Chardonnay and Savagnin. As it may be with many natural wines, their quality shows double to those who are patient. Wines from Amélie and Sébastien show incredible freshness, maybe thanks to their crown-cap bottles, maybe thanks to their style of winemaking. And this is true for fresh vintages, as well as bottles that have been aged for some years. What we like the most is the contrast of delicate grape juice and its farmy aspects. There is a lot of mineral character in their wines which is neither tyring nor dirty. We absolutely love it.

We are incredibly grateful that Amélie and Sébastien continue to sell their wines to us. Their bottles are limited not only due to their small production but also to the winemakers' efforts to limit shipping them too far away. You will have a hard time finding Méli-Mélo outside of Europe. For some wines, you just have to travel to where they grew. Nobody would blame you if you spent a few days driving across the vineyards of Arbois. There are plenty to visit, and there is always a cheesemonger around to add to the treat.

Until your next visit to Jura, you can find your bottle of Méli-Mélo in our shop. There are still a few reserved for our gastronomy customers as well!