Lulu Vigneron is a perennial favorite around here and the little bit we get each year sells out within days. So this year in order to save ourselves the pointless task of putting them on the shelves we are doing a presale. The wines arrive this Tuesday so you won't have too long. Some of you are very familiar with Lulu and Jurassic wines but if the producer and/or region are new to you then please dive into the story below. Otherwise go ahead and skip down to the wines to place your order.

Tucked into the Mountains of the same name, Jura flanks France’s eastern side on Switzerland's border. Gifted with rugged natural beauty, idyllic villages dot the landscape filled with some of the most hospitable folks you'll find anywhere in the world. Though near France's most famous epicurean regions, it has a food and wine culture wholly its own that is second to none. All of this is only accentuated by the generous and humble nature of those who call Jura home.

Although not originally from Jura, Ludwig Bindernagel and Nathalie Eigenschenck of Lulu Vigneron embody these traditions to the nth degree. Originally from Bavaria and Paris respectively, they met in Paris. Ludwig studied viticulture remotely while working as an architect in Paris, and ultimately decided to leave to pursue his passion for viticulture and wine production. In 2000, they took the improbable leap and purchased a winery with the intention of producing their own wines.

They also purchased a little hotel in the village of Poligny, and this is said without hyperbole, it is perhaps one of the most charming accommodations anywhere, filled with a lifetime of collected ‘objet’, each in its perfect place. Nathalie will cook you dinners and breakfasts that will stay with you forever. Her skills in the kitchen are only matched by her warmth and charm. If you can get Nathalie to sit and eat with you, she along with Ludwig will regale you with stories from their incredibly interesting lives. Both are intellectual powerhouses and often host raucous dinners with many of the area’s most talented and opinionated vignerons.

The original vineyard is about 2.5 hectares in Arlay, in the center of the Jura, and they have since expanded the estate to include vineyards at Poligny and Etoile and the legendary Château-Chalon. Their vineyards are all currently organic with the ultimate goal of becoming fully biodynamic. The soil in the Jura is very unique, with two marly layers and a calcareous stratus, which is rich in fossilized oysters. Each plot that Ludwig purchased was populated by very old vines as he prefers to work with older stock because of their ability to resist disease and produce grapes of exceptional concentration.

Ludwig works the vines every day, a testament to belief that the best wines are made in the vineyard. He has a completely natural approach to winemaking with a dedication and an affinity for making wine in the traditional style of the Jura. The fermentations are done at very low temperatures, lengthening the process for up to two years allowing the wines to achieve their potential complexity. Nothing is ever added or removed during winemaking and the wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered with a minute amount of sulphur.