Small in size (2000 ha), but large in its exceptional diversity, the Jura vineyards stretch 80 km along the Revermont and 6 km wide. Discover the wines of L'Étoile, Côtes du Jura, Arbois and Château-Chalon, the 4 geographical AOCs that make up the Jura vineyards. Labeled "Vignobles et Découvertes" destination in 2011, the Jura vineyards are to be discovered in the numerous wine-producing villages and the variety of terroirs, where the famous Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille are produced, but also whites and reds of character. Local products, gastronomy, local know-how, leisure activities, remarkable sites, festivities, ... the offer is most varied on this destination and everyone will be able to meet their desires, without forgetting tasting moments in one of the 135 wine estates to discover the geographical AOC Arbois, L'Étoile, Côtes du Jura, Château-Chalon and the AOC products Macvin du Jura, Crémant du Jura and Marc du Jura.
The different grape varieties of the region
LE POULSARD
Sometimes confused with a rosé, the Poulsard (or Ploussard) is illuminated with a unique pastel pigment. Poulsard is an easy to drink but robust wine that will take you to the undergrowth.
The Color :
Pretty and tender pastel red hue, which lets perceive clear ruby to orange reflections.
The Bouquet:
The nose is assailed with sweetness, thanks to the delicate and familiar aromas of wild red and black fruits. Spicy accents of undergrowth and a touch of veraison.
In the mouth:
The exterior sweetness reserves many surprises: the tannins impose themselves from the attack in the mouth, enveloping like the skin of a plum. The aromatic complexity of the Poulsard becomes richer with age. With a finish that never leaves one indifferent...
LE TROUSSEAU
Illuminated with an intense red color, the Trousseau surprises by its finesse, creamy and vivacious.
The Color :
The dress of a Trousseau seduces by an intense ruby red. It displays clear cherry-colored reflections and its legs promise a well-balanced wine.
The Bouquet:
More intense with age, the nose smells of wild red and black fruits such as strawberry, cherry, blackberry or sloe. There are notes of spices, white pepper and undergrowth.
In the mouth:
The round and sustained tannin asserts itself as soon as it is put in the mouth. The trousseau offers rich and delicate aromas of strawberry and cherry marked by a light spicy tonality, a signature of its unique terroir.
Le PINOT NOIR
Its luminous ruby red dress and its assertive frame are often married to its cousins the Poulsard and the Trousseau.
The Color:
The deep robe of the Pinot Noir announces the color; it concentrates on a dark ruby red, and lets perceive reflections of black cherry, promising power.
The Bouquet:
The perfume is at the height. It offers all the intensity of small red and black fruits, with a wide range of aromas, from raspberry to blackcurrant, cherry, redcurrant and blueberry. The whole is well supported by a spicy note.
In the mouth:
The attack is lively, and the grain of the tannin rolls under the tongue like velvet. Real delight of freshness, the aromas perceived in the nose burst into a silky tasting, revealing a beautiful density.
THE WHITES OF THE JURA
The floral wines of the Jura ideally enhance a quiche, a cheese soufflé, a gratin or a grilled fish. They go perfectly with a creamy pan-fried snail, crayfish or a scallop... Surprise your guests by accompanying them with a thin slice of local cured ham. But save some for the cheese!
SUBTLE FLORAL WHITES
Behind their straw yellow dress, the floral whites impose their elegance. Fine on the nose, long on the palate, these wines develop aromas of great subtlety.
Color :
The Chardonnay grape variety develops a pretty clear, brilliant and limpid yellow color, with silvery glints.
The Bouquet:
The nose offers a real bouquet of freshness, where hawthorn, linden, peach, pear and sometimes a hint of exotic fruits.
In Mouth:
The attack is lively and powerful. The aromas of the nose come one after the other like a flowery spring basket, and deliver a fresh and well-structured balance.
POWERFUL TRADITION WHITES
Their promising amber color announces the power of the terroir's aromas. Sometimes vinified in blending with chardonnay, the Tradition whites express themselves with an admirable length in the mouth.
Color:
Bright golden yellow, its promising intensity increases with age.
The Bouquet:
Fresh nutty scents invade you. Note the buttered notes of green apples and dried fruit, sometimes gently spicy.
Taste :
On the palate, an aromatic terroir wine, the Savagnin offers a rare compromise of finesse and typicality to its blends with Chardonnay. Its aromas of hazelnuts, almonds and Comté will surprise you.
more detailed designations
AOC ARBOIS
Born from the Celtic "ar" and "bos" meaning "fertile land", the appellation Arbois was the first French AOC to date. It is also today the first in the Jura by its production volume, around 29,100 hectoliters per year. This appellation is spread over 12 communes with a total of 766 hectares. The five grape varieties authorized in the Jura are eligible for the AOC Arbois, which produces about 70% of Jura red wines and 30% of white wines. Indeed, the reds dominate in terms of surface area and production on this terroir which is favourable to it. In a tormented relief with limestone scree, the soil is composed of very deep iridescent marls, clayey-siliceous and compact. Among the other winegrowing villages of the appellation are : Abergement-le-Grand, Les Arsures, Mathenay, Montigny-lès-Arsures, Mesnay, Molamboz, Les Planches-près-Arbois, Pupillin, Saint-Cyr-Montmalin, Vadans and Villette-les-Arbois.
AOC CHATEAU-CHALON THE AOC OF EXCELLENCE
Born from a decree of May 29, 1936, the PDO Château-Chalon produces exclusively yellow wine, made from the Savagnin grape variety alone. This small AOC vineyard produces a wine of excellence on a very limited territory of 60 hectares. It is truly a quality vineyard where controls are even more numerous than for the others. Thus, since 1958, an AOC control commission has spent every year in the vineyards just before the harvest to check whether the grapes have all the qualities required to produce a yellow wine worthy of its reputation. This unique commission is made up of members of the Chamber of Agriculture, the Departmental Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry (DDAF), the INAO, the Viticultural Society, the agricultural analysis laboratory, producers and merchants who grant or refuse to grant the "Château-Chalon" appellation.
AN APPELLATION UNDER HIGH SURVEILLANCE
The control commission of the AOC Château-Chalon bases its analysis on the alcoholic potential of the grape but also on its sanitary state and on the yield plot by plot. It then takes a decision on which the income of the winegrowers but above all the reputation of the vineyard will depend. Producers have sometimes preferred to give up the appellation when the harvest did not seem satisfactory to them, as in 1974, 1980, 1984 and 2001. Since 2002, the INAO has been planning to extend this practice to all the AOCs in France in order to strengthen the image of French AOCs in the face of competition from new commonplace products, especially imports.
AOC L'ÉTOILE A CELESTIAL APPELLATION FOR EXCEPTIONAL WINES
Why the name of the Star?
Because the village is surrounded by five hills forming the branches of a star, and because its vineyards conceal countless pentacrines, those fossil stars that can be found walking through the vineyards. The grape varieties are mainly Chardonnay but also Savagnin and to a lesser extent Poulsard, especially for making straw wine. The white wines express the terroir of this AOC, with elegance and finesse. This appellation covers 67 hectares.
AOC CÔTES DU JURA
THE EXPRESSION OF DIVERSITY
The Côtes du Jura appellation was created by decree on July 31, 1937 and is the most extensive of the Jura appellations. It extends from the north to the south of the vineyard, which gives it a great number of contrasts of terroirs. In this, it constitutes a territory of discovery of the different expressions of the Jura grape varieties.
The Appellation Côtes du Jura listed about sixty communes in 1937. Today, it groups together 105 of them on a total surface area of 551 hectares of vines. The communes representing the most important surfaces are Arlay, Beaufort, Buvilly, Gevingey, Lavigny, Mantry, Passenans, Poligny, Rotalier, Saint-Lothain, Toulouse-le-Château, Le Vernois, Vincelles and Voiteur. Even if all Jura products are elaborated in the AOC Côtes du Jura, it is the production of white wines and Crémant du Jura that predominates with round, fruity and generous wines. In terms of production volume, this is the second largest AOC in the Jura.
AOC MACVIN DU JURA
The Macvin du Jura appellation, obtained by decree on November 14, 1991, covers all the AOC areas of Jura wines and represents 5% of the total Jura AOC production. Macvin du Jura belongs to the very closed French club of AOC mistelles (or liqueur wines), the only one to be made from grape marc brandy and not from wine. Known since the 14th century, Macvin du Jura is obtained from unfermented grape juice, the musts, to which a third of marc is added. It is aged for at least 10 months in oak barrels and must have between 16° and 22° of alcohol to obtain the AOC.
The five Jura grape varieties, Trousseau, Poulsard, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Savagnin, listed in the AOC "Côtes du Jura", are all authorized in the production of musts for Macvin du Jura. Macvin du Jura can therefore be white or red although most winemakers produce it white. The marc brandy used to make Macvin du Jura is obtained by distilling the marc du Jura. It must remain at least 18 months in oak barrels before making Macvin du Jura.
AOC CRÉMANT DU JURA
The AOC Crémant du Jura was obtained on October 9, 1995. The production of sparkling wines in the Jura dates back to the end of the 18th century, when Jura winegrowers already mastered the traditional method. The appellation area of Crémant du Jura is identical to that of the Côtes du Jura, Arbois, Château-Chalon and Etoile. The grape varieties authorized for its production are Poulsard, Pinot Noir, Trousseau, Chardonnay and Savagnin. For the white wines, the volume from the grape varieties Chardonnay B, Pinot Noir N and Trousseau is greater than or equal to 70% of the cuvée. For rosé wines, the volume from the black or grey grape varieties is greater than or equal to 50% of the cuvée.
The grapes, which must be harvested by hand, are transported in punctured boxes and pressed in whole bunches. Since its creation in 1995, the production of Crémant du Jura has grown steadily to reach about 16% of the total Jura AOC production, on a surface area of 282 hectares or 17,300 hectoliters on average per year.
AOC MARC DU JURA
The mysteries of the still - decree n°2015-109 of February 2, 2015
Last born of the AOC of Jura, the appellation Marc du Jura means an amber brandy. An essential component of the famous Macvin du Jura, it has been distilled for centuries by most Jura winegrowers who considered it as a "heart warmer". Powerful and fragrant, today it enchants the end of a meal.
The "Marc du Jura" registered designation of origin is an eau-de-vie from old woodland, with the exception of quantities intended for industrial use and the production of compound products which may not be aged in the woodland. The marcs are made from grapes of the following varieties: chardonnay, savagnin, pinot noir, poulsard, trousseau. The marcs come from a farm cultivating at least 3 of these grape varieties, including savagnin. When marketed to the consumer, it has a minimum content of volatile substances other than ethyl and methyl alcohols of 400 g/L of pure alcohol, and a minimum alcoholic strength by volume of 40%.
The protected designation of origin "Marc du Jura" is an amber-yellow brandy. The dominant on the nose is candied grapes with hints of vanilla. When young, it generally has a minimum alcoholic strength by volume and a slight bitterness due to copper. Aged longer in the undergrowth, it loses its bitterness and reveals aromas of dried fruit.
If we are talking about the Jura, we can't forget the "vin jaune" and "vin de paille".
THE MYSTERIOUS YELLOW WINE
Yellow wine is considered one of the greatest wines in the world. Château-Chalon is its native vineyard but it is also produced in the Arbois, L'Étoile and Côtes du Jura appellations. Its color is golden yellow, hence its name. It owes its fame to its organoleptic qualities as well as to its elaboration as original as it is mysterious.
A KING'S WINE FOR THE KING OF WINES!
The Vin Jaune is the subject of a specific ageing process because once fermentation is complete, it must be kept for a minimum of six years and three months in oak barrels without racking or topping up. During its ageing, a veil of yeast develops on the surface and preserves the wine from oxidation by depriving it of contact with the ambient air. It is these yeasts that mysteriously allow the yellow wine to obtain its complex organoleptic characteristics. Once the aging process is over, it is bottled in a specific and unique bottle called "clavelin".
The Clavelin contains only 62 cl. This originality can be explained by the fact that one liter of grape juice is globally reduced to 62 cl of yellow wine at the end of its ageing. The clavelin is the only bottle authorized for the conditioning of the Yellow Wine. Exceptional wine, some of its bottles are more than a hundred years old. The oldest one tasted was from 1774!
The Color:
The king of wines can be appreciated first of all with the eyes. Take the time to plunge into its brilliant and limpid golden yellow robe, so sumptuous, which has taken so many years to gain its intensity.
The Bouquet:
Pure happiness for the nose. An extraordinary firework of aromas that mixes nuts, dried fruit, spices, white flesh fruits and fresh floral notes. Vin Jaune is the only wine in the world to develop so many aromas during its ageing.
In the mouth:
"Yellow" or "Château", the appetizer is massive and striking. After a light tannin of terroir, like chalk powder, the power is expressed through a demonstration of aromas of exceptional fullness on the palate: taste walnut, green apple, dried fruit, and exotic spices (curry, saffron, ginger).
THE WONDERFUL " Vin de Paille"
The particular elaboration of Vin de Paille and the aromas it develops make it a remarkable wine. Its bunches of grapes are selected with the utmost care in order to retain only the most beautiful fruits. They are then left to dehydrate for several months in a dry and airy room.
A NECTAR OF PATIENCE!
The Vin de Paille has a traditional mention which reflects a very particular method of elaboration. We find this mention for the AOC Côtes du Jura, Arbois and l'Étoile. The basic yield of Vin de Paille is set at 20 hectolitres per hectare. The grapes must dry for a minimum period of six weeks either on a bed of straw, from which it takes its name, or on racks, or suspended in order to make a selection of the most beautiful grapes. The objective is to obtain a natural concentration of grape berries.
The storage rooms are ventilated but not heated. Between Christmas and the end of February, after pressing the dehydrated berries full of sugar, we obtain 15 to 18 liters of must for 100 kilos of grapes. A slow fermentation which ends naturally, gives a naturally sweet wine with an alcohol content between 14.5° and 17°. It is then aged for three years in small barrels to develop its aromas of candied fruit, prune, honey, caramel, or candied orange.
The Color:
Depending on the winemaking process, the straw wine is decorated with an intense golden yellow or the sweetness of blond caramel. It is even sometimes mahogany, or amber but always brilliant and limpid.
The Bouquet:
The nose explodes, gained not a rainbow of fruity aromas. You will discover orange, plum and quince marmalade. Exotic fruits such as pineapple and candied dates. And even tea and spices...
In Mouth:
Let yourself be carried away by the sweet lightness of straw wine. The perfect harmony between alcohol, sugar and acidity. The palate rediscovers the fruits that had enchanted the nose, with an impression of richness and density.
About tourism in Jura :
of course as usual we make a small detour to the tourist attractions of the region! there is the famous wine route but also the waterfall of the hedgehog, magnificent waterfall of 65m high, visit the cheese dairy to taste the superb count with different maturation accompanied by a yellow wine which together is a harmony in harmony, you can also visit the firemen's museum.
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