Situated between Burgundy and Switzerland, lies one of France’s smallest wine regions – Jura. With a continental climate, hot summers and cool winters, its gets more rain than Burgundy. Nowadays, Jura has about 20,000ha under vine but it would have been 10 times that size pre-phylloxera. The soil is limestone with overlays of different types of clay. With a tendency for spring frosts, many vines are trained high to help avoid damage. The Jura has become well-known for its less common grape varietals
Red Grapes
Pinot Noir – Of course being this close to Burgundy, Pinot Noir is popular is the Jura. Producing wines that are usually pale in colour, earthy and fragrant. Today there are many pure Pinot Noir bottlings, however in the past it was more commonly used as a blending component.
Trousseau – A late budding grape which is great in the Jura as it escapes the spring frosts, but is not consistent at cropping every year. Also known as the same Portuguese grape, Bastardo, which is used in Port production. The wine it produces is usually pale in colour, but full of flavour and body with gamey and earthy notes, sometimes with hints of strawberry. In good vintages, the wines will develop over time and gain much complexity. A great pair with poultry, game or charcuterie.
Poulsard – A black grape, but has very thin skin, low colour pigmentation and little tannins. Often blended with Pinot Noir, otherwise the wines are very pale. Poulsard makes wines that are delicate and fragrant, with the best of them having a lot of charm. Better served on the cool side and they are a good match with poultry, fish and charcuterie. Sometimes Poulsard is know as Ploussard
White Grapes
Chardonnay – Widely planted as it has adapted well to the heavy clay soils. Sometimes, chardonnay from the Jura can appear thin and lean, but at it’s best it has a character, richness and complexity. The acidity is higher than in Burgundy, which is why the wine is often aged for longer in oak. Chardonnay is used as the base wine for Cremant du Jura and can also be aged under flor to create a Vin Jaune like wine.
Savagnin – Producing small pale berries with very irregular yields, if any at all. It has adapted well to the climate of Jura and ripens slowly and is sometimes picked as late as December. Most Savagnin is reserved for the use in Vin Jaune wine, but some is made in a conventional way and it can be blended with Chardonnay. These wines are full and fresh with hints of spice, yet bone dry. Savagnin is the best match for Jura cheeses, especially comte. Sometimes Savagnin is known as nature or fromentin in France and in Switzerland it much loved and known as the grape Heida.
The appellations of Jura
Cotes du Jura – Covering any style or grape variety and covering the whole region, most notably the vineyards in the far north and all of the south which is where most of the Chardonnay is planted.
Arbois – The same name of the town in the northern part of the region, Arbois gives it’s name to a large appellation covering all styles, but most of the production is red and mostly from Poulsard. The village of Pupillin, a mile or two up the hill from the town can add it’s name to the appellation to produce Arbois-Pupillin.
L’Etoile – A small appellation for white wine only. It produces very good Chardonnay and great Vin Jaune in a style that is fresher and lighter than Chateau-Chalon. It is named after fossillised starfish found locally.
Chateau-Chalon – Situated on one of the loveliest hill-tops in France. With historical history (the castle was built under Charles the Fat and HM Queen Juliana and Henry IV were drinkers) this appellation is only allowed for Vin Jaune. The wines are complex, nutty, complex and are usually the longest living of all Vin Jaune’s. It is not the name of a single estate, but of the village.
How to make Vin Jaune
The wines must be 100% Savagnin. Usually harvested late (mid October-November), the grapes have to weigh in with a potential alcohol of between 13-15%. The wines ferment slowly before being transfered to barrels of 228L old oak. The barrels will never be topped up and the wines will become partially protected from oxidation by a thin layer of yeast called ‘viole’, which is similar to flor in sherry. The wine must remain in barrel for no less than 6 years and 3 months, by which time about only 62% of the wine is left. The wines are bottled in special tubby bottles that hold 62cl called ‘Clavelin’. They can be sold under the appellations of Cotes du Jura, Arbois, LEtoille and Chateau Chalon.
In wine, there is truth 