Exploring Wines of Jura

Last week my husband, Lisa,and I had the opportunity to learn about a wine region that was completely new to us: Jura, France. Unfortunately Mary Jo was unable to attend, something to do with four young children! But don’t worry, we brought home a bottle of Domaine Montbourgeau L’Ėtoile for a bit of continuing education at home!
The class took place at The Wine & Cheese Place in Clayton, MO www.wineandcheeseplace.com . Our instructor was the delightful and knowledgeable Dana Atwell from Vinoteca Wine Distributors. We sampled six wines from this French region which is east of Burgundy near the Switzerland border. Sampling these distinctive wines definitely broadened our experience of wine.
Before describing the wines we tasted, a bit of background on Jura (joo rah) wines will be helpful. The white varietals of the region are Chardonnay and Savagnin and the red varietals are Poulsard, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir. The red wines are light in color and often times are not aged in oak. You will see in my tasting notes that the whites sampled were a later vintage. That is because white wines of the region are actually aged longer than the reds in oak barrels. Vin Jaune, a dry white wine, is the main wine this region is known for. It is made with the Saviagnin grape and must age a minimum of 6 years in oak. This wine is often compared to a Spanish Fino Sherry although the Vin Jaune in not fortified. It is a highly oxidized wine. The barrels are not topped off during the aging process so a yeast film develops over the top of the wine in the barrel. This process helps to add a nuttiness to the wine.

The Wines

The wines were paired with two cheeses (Comté and Fleur de Jura) and some delicious mixed nuts.

Domaine Montbourgeau Crémant du Jura NV – This was a lovely sparkling wine made in the traditional Champagne method and was great way to begin the tasting. It was made with 100% Chardonnay. Yeast was definitely present on the nose with a bit of tartness on the finish. This was the most modern style of wine for the evening and what a bargain for your next celebration at $23.99!

Domaine Montbourgeau L’Ėtoile 2009 – Wow, the first sniff was an eye opener to the world of Jura wines! This is a highly oxidized Chardonnay wine which gives it a definite mustiness on the nose and yeast is present. At one point I thought I was smelling corn nuts! It paired nicely with the Comté cheese, but Lisa and I especially loved it with the cashews! Can’t wait to share this one with Mary Jo. I think we will do a side by side tasting with a California Chardonnay to really see the extreme affects of terroir and wine making style on a wine. Price-$25.99.

 

 

 

Jacques Puffeney Savagnin 2009 – At first sniff you would swear you were smelling a sherry! A very interesting wine. It is definitely a wine best when paired with food. Traditionally this wine is paired with Comté Cheese. We also enjoyed it with almonds. These still white wines definitely have a bit of nuttiness in the wines that compliment the nuts. Price-$34.99.

Domaine Montbourgeau Poulsard 2011 – This wine had a light pinkish/brown appearance. Some cherry on the nose and definitely more fruit than the white wines. This wine had no tannins to speak of and the higher acidity of this red reminded me of a dry Rosé. Price-$25.99.

Jacques Puffeney Trousseau “Berangeres – Best way to describe this nose was gamy. In addition to the mushroom, earthiness on the nose, some fruit did come through and a hint of Sherry. It paired best with the Comté cheese, but would work well with a gamey meat also. Price-$35.99.

Jacques Pufeney Arbois Vin Jaune 2004 – First of all the bottle shape. It is a square 620 ml bottle. And in the glass, the wine looks like liquid butterscotch. This wine spent 8 years in oak and definitely has that Sherry on the nose. We loved it paired with the walnuts! This unique wine is definitely an acquired taste and not something the casual wine drinker may enjoy.

I am so glad I was able to attend this class. Being able to sip these unique wines in a class setting really gave me a greater understanding of this region. Thanks to Dana for a great class!

 

Cheers,

Beth