The Jura, France’s Tranquil Wine Region
In France’s most tranquil wine region, what makes Jura’s wines so different from those of neighbouring Burgundy?
The wine region of Jura is one of France’s greatest hidden gems. It is the more introverted cousin of the towering Alpine region of Savoie to the south. Although Jura boasts a number of ski resorts, its highest peaks are dwarfed by those of its neighbour, and the landscape is a more gentle mix of rolling hills and verdant pastures than the stark, perennially snow-capped Alps. At first glance, Jura appears like an extension of Switzerland, which is on its eastern flank, but the region somehow feels more similar to Burgundy, which lies to the west, and its grapes are grown on the same Jurassic limestone soils that reach all the way to the Côte d’Or. Burgundy’s Chardonnay and Pinot noir grapes are widely planted in Jura, but this is where the vinous similarities end.
Savagnin (not to be confused with Sauvignon!) is Jura’s noble indigenous white grape, a very ancient variety from which a dizzying number of other French favourites are descended from Sauvignon blanc to Sylvaner, Chenin blanc to Colombard. It is blended with Chardonnay in many of the region’s wines, both still and sparkling, producing floral, aromatic dry whites with crisp, nutty flavours. Savagnin is the only permitted grape in Jura’s most challenging, individual white (or ‘yellow’) wine, Vin Jaune.
Vin Jaune should not be confused with another local speciality, Vin de Paille: a sweet golden nectar, traditionally made by drying grapes on beds of straw in the loft for several months before pressing. By contrast, Vin Jaune is an austerely dry white wine, made from super-ripe Savagnin grapes, which are fermented and aged in old Burgundy barrels for more than six years before bottling. During this time, the wine evaporates and is exposed to oxygen, growing a protective film of yeast on its surface. The winemaking process is similar to that of Fino Sherry, except that the wine is not fortified; the Savagnin grape has a mysterious affinity with oxygen and an ability to support yeast colonies on the wine’s surface, just as the Palomino Fino grape does in Jerez. Jura’s most common dark-skinned grape is the cherry-scented Poulsard, which makes crisp red wines that are often so light in colour that they almost resemble Bordeaux Clairet. The red Trousseau variety is the same grape as Portugal’s Bastardo, which arrived in Jura in the 17th century, making more intense, spicier reds, the best of which have considerable ageing potential.
DOMINIC’S CHOICE
Choice wine: Trousseau ‘Les Gauthières’, Côtes du Jura AOP
Choice wine: Vin Jaune, Château Chalon AOP
Choice wine: Vin de Paille ‘Prestige’, Arbois AOP
From France Today Magazine
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