François Rousset‑Martin is one of the Jura’s most electrifying rising stars, and this microscopic cuvée—barely 600 bottles produced—shows exactly why Burgundy collectors are scrambling to get in early. Most serious wine lovers have never heard of Savagnin, even though it’s the ancient white grape behind Jura’s legendary Vin Jaune. But this bottling is the opposite of that oxidative style: it’s crafted ouillé, topped‑up and protected from oxygen, revealing Savagnin’s purest form—fresh, linear, alpine‑bright, and electrically mineral. This bottling is named “Cuvée du Professeur” as a tribute to François Rousset‑Martin’s grandfather—nicknamed the Professor—whose private vines, cellar wisdom, and quiet mentorship inspired François’ entire winemaking path.
We had to pry this allocation from the U.S. importer, and if you crave Grand Cru tension and terroir transparency, this is the train to board before the rest of the Burgundy world catches on.
The Jura’s landscape is a geological fever dream—limestone caps, blue and gray marl, glacier‑carved cliffs, and rolling green hills that look like Chablis dropped onto an alpine ridge. This ancient terrain gives Savagnin its signature profile: piercing acidity, crystalline structure, and a mineral depth that Burgundy lovers instantly recognize. Critics have taken notice, with top Jura whites routinely earning mid‑90s scores and appearing on elite lists from Paris to Copenhagen. This is where the world’s most curious collectors are now hunting.
Within this rising landscape, Rousset‑Martin has carved out a position that insiders now speak of in the same breath as the region’s greats. Ganevat remains the untouchable cult unicorn; Tissot is the critical powerhouse with global recognition. Rousset‑Martin sits in the sweet spot between them: a terroir‑obsessed, climat‑driven producer with growing cult energy, delivering wines of precision and depth at prices that still feel sane. Trained in Burgundy and shaped by a father who worked for the Hospices de Beaune, François vinifies by parcel, uses minimal sulfur, bottles unfiltered, and allows some barrels brief sous‑voile influence for nuance—techniques that give his wines their unmistakable complexity.
This cuvée is a perfect example: white flowers, preserved lemon, crushed stone, alpine herbs, and a faint whisper of nuttiness, all carried by a tensile, mouthwatering finish that seems to glow from within. It’s exotic yet refined, savory yet crystalline—the kind of wine Burgundy collectors taste once and immediately start hunting. If you’re ready to expand your white‑wine universe beyond the Côte d’Or, this is the bottle that proves Savagnin belongs in the same conversation as the greats.
Critical Acclaim:
97+ Points, Wine Advocate:
"There is a special bottling of the Cuvée du Professeur from 2019, because it was a superb vintage and they did a longer élevage that he bottled as 2019 Vieux Savagnin ouillé Cuvée du Professeur, aged for 4.5 years in 500-liter barrels. He bottled one barrel and has another three barrels that he will bottle and release later, as he wants to age that wine for eight years. It's like one touch more in intensity, complexity and depth from the regular Professeur, with the same elegance, subtleness and ethereal qualities but with more complexity and subtleness. The oak is really integrated, and there's balance and nuance. It's not a big wine, at 12.5% alcohol. Bottled in January 2024, there are some 650 bottles of this." - Luis Gutiérrez, Aug. 2024
