7 Stellar Wines From the Jura, the Tiny French Region With a Cult Following
As the natural wine movement took hold in the 2010s, there was a French region that the hipster somms loved to evangelize for: the Jura. The region’s fans gravitated to some producers’ rustic style of wine and biodynamic farming practices and they served it to people in the mood to get a little more adventurous with their night out. But long before the natural wine movement started and well after the fervor surrounding it has eased, there’s been great Jura wines worthy of aficionados’ tables and cellars.
The region takes its name from the Jura Mountains and its vineyards cover just under 5,000 acres. It borders the Swiss Jura region directly to the east and French Burgundy to the west. There are seven AOCs (Controlled Appellation of Origin) in the Jura but the two most important are the Côtes du Jura and Arbois two of the oldest, while L’Etoile and Chateau-Chalon take a bit of a back seat to the larger, better-known appellations. There are also four PAO (Protected Appellations of Origin) including Macvin du Jura, Cremant du Jura, and Marc du Jura which regulates the production of a strong distilled alcohol similar to Italian grappa.
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Five main grapes are grown in the Jura: Savagnin, Chardonnay, Poulsard, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir. Winemakers in the Jura make their white wines from the first two, Chardonnay and Savagnin and then can choose to make it in a newer style that requires topping up the barrel with fresh wine as evaporation occurs or an older, traditional style that allows evaporation to occur and promotes the growth of a thin layer of yeast on the surface that many people find similar to Fino Sherry from Spain. Poulsard is used to make light red wines while Trousseau and Pinot Noir are used to make more tannic reds.
Vin Jaune (which translates either as yellow wine or golden wine) is considered a specialty of the Jura and is only made from Savagnin that is kept in oak barrels for a minimum of 75 months. During this period the winemaker essentially leaves the barrels untouched until bottling. Cremant du Jura is a sparkling wine made using a double fermentation method similar to Champagne and Vin de Paille is made from dried grapes to produce a much-adored sweet wine. We had the opportunity to taste a lot of different types of wines from Jura at an annual gathering of wine professionals last week called Wine Paris and believe us when we tell you that it was hard to pick our favorites. But when it comes down to it, that’s our job, so here are seven that we enjoyed immensely.
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Benedicte et Stephnane Tissot 2021 Arbois Le Graviers Chardonnay Jura France
Benedicte and Stephane Tissot farm 123 acres of land that encompass terroirs of La Mailloche, En Barberon, Curon, and Les Bruyeres in the Jura. They are certified biodynamic by Demeter and make 28 different cuvées. The winery is large enough to employ 15 full-time workers throughout the year and during harvest it brings in 50 more. The 2021 Arbois Le Graviers has aromas of dried apricot, apple, and a whiff of spice which open on the palate to flavors of white stone fruits, citrus peel, and pear.
Domaine de Montbourgeau 2017 L’Etoile Vin Jaune Jura France
Nicole Deriaux, the current winemaker at Domaine de Montbourgeau, learned her technique at the elbow of her grandfather, who began making Jura wines in the 1920s. Nicole tends her vines on steep hills with soils composed of limestone and marine fossils, many of them starfish which give the name L’Etoile (the star) to this appellation. Made from Savagnin grapes, this vin jaune is golden yellow in the glass with aromas of roasted hazelnuts, vanilla, apricot, and brown baking spices. Dense and concentrated on the palate it offers flavors of vanilla, citrus, and dried pear.
Pierre Girardin 2022 Le Noyer Savagnin Jura France
Pierre Vincent Girardin is a young winemaker who learned to make wine from his father, the legendary Vincent Girardin. Pierre represents the 13th generation of his family and now continues to make wine in his home turf in Burgundy but also has a notable project in the Jura. This wine is made from grapes sourced from 60-year-old Savagnin vines. It is fermented in barrel with indigenous yeast and aged in 600-liter barrels, half of which are new. It has enticing aromas of citrus and stone fruits and is full bodied on the palate with flavors of peach, apple, and apricot with refreshing acidity in the post palate.
François Rousset-Martin 2020 Cotes du Jura Cuvee de Professeur Sous-Roche Savignin Jura France
François makes his wines in Nevy-Sur-Seille, a small village located in the Reculées Valley surrounded by gigantic limestone cliffs. His father worked for the Hospices de Beaune in Burgundy and François fell in love with winemaking at a young age. He opened his eponymous winery in the Jura in 2007 and is well known for his non-oxidative, fresh style. His 2020 Cuvee de Professeur Sous Roche, which is named for his father, is made from Savagnin. It has aromas of white flowers, citrus, and peach that transition to flavors of white stone fruits, yellow peach with just a touch of apricot in the mouth filling finish.
Champ Divin 2022 Pinot Noir Jura France
Champ Divin produces excellent wines from Pinot Noir, Trousseau, Chardonnay, and Savagnin grapes grown on their own 17 acres of vines. It has varied soils consisting of calcium, ancient seabed, and Kimmeridgian limestone, and its vineyards are certified biodynamic by Demeter since 2011, using only biodynamic preparations including essential oils, fertilizers, and teas to treat their vines if necessary. Champ Divin Pinot Noir is black cherry colored with aromas of red raspberry, crushed oyster shell, and cranberry and offers flavors of ripe red fruits, finely ground brown baking spices, and a lingering note of pomegranate in the post palate.
Domaine du Pelican 2022 Arbois Savagnin Ouille Jura France
One of the principals of Domaine du Pelican is Guillaume d’Angerville who fell in love with Jura wines when he drank a 2005 Chardonnay made by Stephane Tissot. After this memorable evening, he began his search for vineyards in the Jura and signed a contract to lease 12 acres of biodynamically farmed vines belonging to the Chateau Chavanes in Montigny-les-Arsures. His team is now lead by François Duvivier and together they make stunning wines. Their 2022 Arbois is vinified without oxidation and has aromas of white peach, green apple, and crushed oyster shells that lead to flavors of dried peach, Anjou pear, and apricot nectar with a bright splash of acidity at the very end.
Domaine Henri Maire 2016 Arbois Vin Jaune Savagnin Jura France
Domaine Henri Maire uses grapes grown from a variety of plots with gray marl soils to create a balanced blend in its Vin Jaune. Plot No. 1 consists of vines planted on steep slopes that get sun from all directions, while the vines on plot No. 2 face southeast and get early morning and early afternoon sun. The 2016 was aged in large oak barrels and has aromas of apple sauce, Indian spices, and toasted almonds. In the mouth it is quite full bodied and round with flavors of yellow peach, freshly picked almonds, and Bartlett pear.
