Fraté – 2022 Savagnin Côtes du Jura

Fraté – 2022 Savagnin Côtes du Jura.

This 2022 Savagnin from Fraté (Frédéric Cossard) is a wine of tension, clarity, and quiet authority. It does not shout, nor does it lean into Savagnin’s more oxidative stereotypes. Instead, it delivers a precise, mineral-driven expression that feels deeply Jura in soul, yet unmistakably shaped by the hand of one of natural wine’s most exacting craftsmen. The result is a Savagnin that balances energy and depth with remarkable composure—intellectual, gastronomic, and unapologetically pure.

About the Winery

Fraté—meaning brother in Corsican—is a collaboration rooted in friendship and shared philosophy. The project brings together Beaune-based distributor Wine Monopole, a small ownership group that includes two Burgundy winegrowers and a courtier, and the singular vision of Frédéric Cossard.

The idea behind Fraté is not scale, but opportunity: allowing talented winemakers to work with terroirs they do not normally access. After Roc Breïa in Burgundy and Plume in Jura, Fraté joined the portfolio in 2022 as Cossard’s new creative focus. Rather than launching a broad range, the debut vintage is deliberately concise—just four wines: two from Jura (Savagnin and Poulsard) and two from Burgundy (Meursault Blagny 1er Cru and Corton Les Chaumes Grand Cru), appellations Cossard had not worked with for years.

All wines are made in Cossard’s cellar in Saint-Romain, following the same rigorous biodynamic and minimal-intervention principles that defined both Domaine de Chassorney and his négoce wines. In the vineyards, soils are ploughed by horse and worked biodynamically, without chemical inputs. In the cellar, fermentation is driven by natural yeasts, no sulphur is added, wines are neither fined nor filtered, and bottling is done by gravity alone.

Cossard’s background in dairy production plays a crucial role here. The strict hygiene and discipline of that world translate into wines of striking purity, even without added SO₂. After selling Domaine de Chassorney in 2022 to Aurélien Verdet, Frédéric has been able to devote himself fully to Fraté—making this debut vintage not a side project, but a clear statement of intent.

About the Vineyard

The Savagnin for this cuvée comes from the Côtes du Jura, an area where the variety finds one of its most articulate voices. Rather than chasing oxidative power, the terroir here—combined with Cossard’s philosophy—favours freshness, mineral tension, and structural clarity.

Savagnin is a demanding grape, sensitive to both site and handling. In the right hands, it delivers a compelling mix of citrus drive, savoury depth, and saline grip. This vineyard expression leans firmly toward elegance and precision, allowing the grape’s natural acidity and textural complexity to take center stage without masking the origin.

About the Wine

The 2022 Savagnin Côtes du Jura is striking from the first pour. In the glass, it shows a bright, pale golden colour with a lively sheen—immediately suggesting freshness and energy rather than oxidative weight.

On the nose, the wine is taut and layered. Citrus zest, green apple, and lemon peel lead the way, followed by more savoury nuances: crushed stone, subtle herbs, and a faint nutty undertone that hints at Savagnin’s depth without tipping into overt oxidation. With air, the aromatics broaden into gentle floral notes and a delicate saline edge.

The palate is where the wine truly asserts itself. Linear and precise, it delivers vibrant acidity wrapped in a finely textured frame. There is a clear sense of structure here, but nothing feels hard or angular. The fruit is restrained and focused—more citrus and orchard fruit than richness—supported by a stony, almost chalky minerality that carries through the mid-palate.

What stands out most is the balance between tension and drinkability. The wine has grip and length, finishing dry, savoury, and mouthwatering, with lingering notes of citrus pith, subtle spice, and salt. It is a Savagnin that invites contemplation, yet remains effortlessly drinkable at the table.

This is not a wine built for immediate spectacle, but for those who appreciate detail, purity, and the slow unfurling of character. Over the coming years, it should gain further complexity—moving toward nutty, herbal, and umami-driven tones—while retaining its core freshness.

We award this wine a 92-point DWA score.

Pairing suggestions

This Savagnin excels at the table. Think Comté or aged Gruyère, poultry with cream or mushroom-based sauces, veal, or freshwater fish. It also shines with Jura classics, vegetable dishes featuring root vegetables or fennel, and plates that play with umami and subtle richness rather than overt power.

This review is written by our own Niels Aarts. Frederic Cossard’s wines, including this Savagnin, are available through Best of Wines.

Taste Date:                 May 2025

Website:                     Fraté