The Fruitière Vinicole d’Arbois wine cooperative and wines of Jura
The Fruitière Vinicole d’Arbois is one of the first cooperative wineries ever established in France. It was formed on 4 January 1906 at the instigation of 26 wine growers from the town of Arbois. At that time French vines had been nearly decimated by the grape phylloxera blight and the wine market was occupied by inferior wines without any designation of origin.
The cooperative’s wine-growers decided to provide a collective high-quality solution by banking on the viticultural potential of Jura wines.
Their pursuit of excellence contributed to Arbois obtaining the first AOC label in France. It was attributed the very first Appellation d’Origine Controlee (controlled designation of origin) on 15 May 1936. The AOC Arbois was followed a few years later by the AOC Côtes du Jura.
Since 1969 the cooperative has had its premises in the heart of Arbois. Soon after setting up here, it installed a wine cellar and high-quality vinification facilities, and began turning towards an environmentally friendly wine-growing approach by engaging in integrated farming (agriculture raisonnée).
Today, it continues to be an adventure of men and women who work every day with great care and passion to ensure the authenticity and identity of the outstanding Arbois wines.
The Fruitière Vinicole d’Arbois currently has close to 100 members over a wine-producing area of about 250 hectares, for an annual production of more than one million bottles of Jura wines.