Fws-Jura

Question 1

What are the major components of the soil of Jura?

Answer 1

Jurassic limestone (like Burgundy for Chardonnay), clay and ancient shale. Clay and limestone intermingle to form marl.

Question 2

What is the origin of the name l’Etoile AOC?

Answer 2

a) tiny star-shaped fossils in the soil, b) region surrounded by 5 hills (only white wines)

Question 3

Savignin Blanc grows best in what soil?

Answer 3

gray shale (contrast with Chardonnay which prefers limestone)

Question 4

What are the main grapes of Jura and their relative distribution? Which color grape dominates?

Answer 4

Pinot Noir (37% of red), Chardonnay (66% of white), Savagnin Blanc (34% of white), Poulsard (40% of red), Trousseau (23% of red); a majority of vineyards are planted with white grapes [mnemonic: variation of its neighbor Burgundy]

Question 5

What are tasting characteristics Savagnin Blanc?

Answer 5

high acid, high alcohol, with ageing hazelnut ***

Question 6

What is Vin Jaune?

Answer 6

ripe Savignin Blanc (only) that is fermented and aged for 6 years in old Burgundy barrels. With evaporation a yeast film (thinner than Jerez flor) forms, bottled in 620 ml bottles.

Question 7

What AOC is famous for Vin Jaune?

Answer 7

Chateau-Chalon (however Vin Jaune is made in all the other geographic Jura AOC’s!)

Question 8

What is the geographical basis of Jura?

Answer 8

the eastern uplift of the Saone graben

Question 9

How far back do written records of wine production in Jura date?

Answer 9

80 AD (Romans)

Question 10

In what political department and region are Jura wines found?

Answer 10

Jura wines are made entirely within the Jura department which lies in Franche-Comte region

Question 11

Name the 6 Jura AOC’s.

Answer 11

Arbois, Chateau-Chalon, L-Etoile, Cotes du Jura, Macvin du Jura, Cremant du Jura

Question 12

How many grape varieties are permitted in Jura?

Answer 12

5

Question 13

How many graper varieties existed in Jura at end of 19th century?

Answer 13

42

Question 14

How many Jura AOC’s exist?

Answer 14

6, 4 are geographic and 2 are styles

Question 15

What was Pasteur’s contribution to viniculture?

Answer 15

native of Jura who discovered yeast responsible for fermentation

Question 16

What was Rouget contribution to viniculture?

Answer 16

winegrower from Jura that wrote a compendium of grapes, noting overlap of names [mnemonic: roget thesaurus]

Question 17

What was Millardet contribution to viniculture?

Answer 17

botantist that along with Planchon pioneered grafting of vines onto American rootstock.

Question 18

What was Alexis Arpin’s contribution to viniculture?

Answer 18

wine grower who spearheaded AOC designation for Arbois in 1936 [mnemonic: AAAA]

Question 19

What is the sun exposure of most of the vineyards of Jura?

Answer 19

South and Southwest.

Question 20

What is the climate of Jura?

Answer 20

continental with alpine influences

Question 21

What are the two most common grapes in Jura?

Answer 21

Chardonnay (43%) and Pinot Noir (37%) [not Savignin Blanc]

Question 22

What is the largest AOC in Jura?

Answer 22

Arbois (“fertile land”)

Question 23

What is Chateau-Chalon AOC known for?

Answer 23

produces only Vin Jaune, unless declassified in some years to Cotes du Jura

Question 24

What is the most widely planted grape in L’Etoile AOC?

Answer 24

Chardonnay

Question 25

Cremant du Jura AOC is a sparkling wine style that must come from which AOCs?

Answer 25

Arbois AOC, Cotes du Jura AOC, L'Etoile AOC (harvested by hand)

Question 26

What is Macvin?

Answer 26

It is style of wine from Jura. 1/3 volume of marc (distilled Jura wine pomace aged 18 months) is added to unfermented grape juice, resulting in a fortified grape must

Question 27

What color wine is Macvin?

Answer 27

a style of wine from Jura, red or white, but most is white

Question 28

When was Macvin first crafted?

Answer 28

14th century

Question 29

In the Jura, what does "without ullage" signify?

Answer 29

aged without oxidative exposure, barrels are topped off [ullage - think oxidation]

Question 30

In the Jura, what does "with ullage" signify?

Answer 30

aged with air contact and the formation of a yeast bloom that metabolizes acids into aldehydes [mnemonic: with oxidation]

Question 31

What is a Clavelin?

Answer 31

unique 620 ml bottle for Vin Jaune

Question 32

What is Vin de Paille?

Answer 32

Straw wine, grapes are dried on straw mats, pressed in mid-winter, fermented to 14-19% and aged for 3 years in barrel

Question 33

What are the tasting characteristics of Vin de Paille?

Answer 33

candied orange, prune, honey and caramel

Question 34

Where is Vin de Paille authorized to be crafted?

Answer 34

Cotes du Jura AOC, Arbois AOC, L'Etole AOC [mnemonic: in all the Jura geographic AOC's not designated solely for Vin Jaune, same AOCs as Cremant du Jura]

Question 35

What is the precursor to shale?

Answer 35

clay, mud and basalt subject to pressure and temperature in earth's crust

Question 36

With additional pressure and temperature, what becomes of shale?

Answer 36

slate and then shist