Not having had any of the Overnoy/Houillon wines before, it may seem odd to start with a 1993, but this is the first bottle that I have found. At any rate, this was one of the most compelling bottles of any wine that I have recently - it makes a great case for terroir and "natural" winemaking, and increased my appreciation for Jura's red wines.
1993 Pierre Overnoy Arbois Pupillin Ploussard
Note: Manu Houillon did not become the winemaker here until 2001, when Overnoy – a friend and protégé of Jules Chauvet - retired. There is no reference on the label to a “Maison” Pierre Overnoy, as there apparently is on some more recent bottles.
Some people might not expect an unsulfured wine to age well, but this bottle is proof to the contrary. Based on notes that I read on Cellartracker and a blog, I decanted this wine for several hours in the hopes that some of the heavy brett would blow off, and most of it did. (I did try a small glass after half an hour, and the brett on the nose was indeed very strong.)
Nicely perfumed stony/floral/pine needle nose. Very light in weight, delicate, with good underlying acidity, and some very lightly dusty sediment. Shows notes of sour cherries, blood oranges, minerals, and autumn leaves (think a mature traditional Barbaresco). Nice length on the finish. Excellent+.
