Jura Flashcards
What is Jura’s signature white grape variety?
Savagnin
This variety is native to Jura.
What is the Savagnin grape descended from?
Wild grapes
Which grape varieties are related to the Savagnin grape variety?
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Chenin Blanc
- Petit Manseng
- Sylvaner
- Gewurztraminer (its pink-skinned variant)
What unique wines does Jura create?
- Vin Jaune: France’s only wine product created through the action of suface yeast.
- Vin de Paille: straw wine
- Macvin: fortified must
What styles are white wines of Jura produced in?
- Sous voile (under veil): dry white in oxidative style
- Ouille: non-oxidative
What is an indication of the diversity of wine and stylized wine products in Jura?
It is not uncommon for even small producers to produce 10-15 different wines each vintage.
What factors have wreaked havoc on Jura’s wine industry?
- Mildew
- Phylloxera
- Wars
- Frosts
- Freezes
- Economic depressions
- Recessions
These all wreaked havoc and whittle away the productions numbers to just one-tenth of what they used to be.
What percentage of Jura’s total production is carried out by 3 wineries?
53%
- 1 co-operative
- 2 negociants
Note: the top 11 producers are responsible for 60%.
What are the characteristics of Jura wines?
Good, fresh, vibrant, mineral and moderate in alcohol.
How much of Jura wine is exported?
16%
Where does the Jurassic geological time period (200-145mya) take its name from?
The Jura Mountains
Rock strata dating back to when dinosaurs roamed the earth were first identified here.
What percentage of France’s total wine production is produced in Jura?
Less than half a percent.
What percentage of Jura’s wine production is Cremant?
29% and growing
Who is Louis Pasteur?
A French chemist & microbiologist born in the town of Dole in Jura. He developed milk pasteurization, the anthrax/rabies vaccines, and performed groundbreaking work on alcoholic fermentation. He discovered that yeast is responsible for the fermentation process. (1822-1895)
Who is Charles Rouget?
A winegrower from Salins-les-Bains who wrote an ampelographic compendium in 1897. He was a life-long student of the vine who noted that identical grape varieties often assumed alternate names, especially when grown on different sites and soils. (1828-1899)
Who is Alexis Arpin?
A winegrower and Secretary of the Arbois Viticulture Society, who campaigned against fraud and championed the idea of an appellation of controlled origin for Arboir. His work to authenticate wine origin set the stage for him to be among the first to receive AOC approval in 1936. (1867-1946)
Who is Pierre-Marie-Alexis Millardet?
A Jura-born botanist and mycologist who studied vine diseases. He taught at the Universitites of Strasbourg, Nancy and Bordeaux. He is the creater of the famous “bouillie bordelaise” or “Bordeaux Mixture” that was used to combat mildew.
Together with botanist Jules-Emile Planchon, the two pioneered the grafting of French vines onto American rootstock to protect the vines from phylloxera.
Where is Jura located?
This mountainous region is sandwiched between Bourgogne and Switzerland in Eastern France.
The vineyards lie entirely within the Jura departement which is located in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comte.
It stretches from Salins-Les Bains in the north to the town of Saint-Amour in the south.
What name is the Jura winegrowing region known by?
Revermont
What is the climate in Jura?
Continental with alpine influences.
What are the seasons like in Jura?
- long, cold winters
- potentially very warm summers
- summer nights tend to stay relatively cool
How do the Jura Mountains affect the weather in Jura?
They block moisture-containing west winds, so precipitation falls year-round on the mountains’ western flanks (where the vineyards are located).
How much annual rainfall does Jura receive?
Approx. 39-59in/1,000-1,500mm.
(more than Bourgogne)
How much sunshine does Jura receive each growing season?
Between 1,800-1,900/ hours of sunshine.
(more than Bourgogne)
What climate hazards present a threat to Jura?
Similar to other northerly winegrowing areas:
* frost
* hailstorms
* disease pressure (due to moisture)
* etc.
What is a Reculee?
A “blind valley” is a deep, narrow valley common in limestone/karst landscapes. The valley starts abruptly at the point where its stream emerges from underground. Such a valley is formed when permeable soil or rock, such as limestone, rests atop an impermeable sublayer (of dolomite, sandstone, shale, flysch). Water moves through the permeable top layer and erodes it down to the impermeable layer, thereby forming the valley.
How was the Jura landscape created?
During the Triassic through the Middle Jurassic (230-160mya), the area was submerged under a sea. Over these millenia, layers of marl (limestone-clays) formed as sea creatures died, accumulated and compacted. Eventually the land emerged from the sea.
When the Alps rose, the Jura Mountains rose, and the Saone Graben formed. As the Alps continued to rise, they pushed the Jura Mountains westwards, creating a series of folds comprised of sedimentary bedrock that are now plateaus and buttes.
The graben’s uplifts (the Morvan uplands/escarpments of the Cote d’Or and the Jura Mountains) were separated by the Bresse Plain. Over time, blind valleys formed in Jura, creating a distinctive topography.
Where are the vineyards of Jura planted?
- some lie on the south- or southwestern-facing Jura foothills below the first/lower plateau.
- some on the slopes of small limestone hills that detached themselves from the sedimentary bedrock during all the geological upheavals.
- most are positioned between 720-1,475ft/220-450m in elevation.
How do the soils of Jura compare to those of Cote d’Or?
Exactly the opposite despite being positioned opposite one another across the Bresse Plain.
* the base rock in the Cote d’Or is composed of 80% limestone & 20% clay
* Jura is the reverse
Which topsoils are ideal for which grape varieties in Jura?
- Red grapes: red marl
- Savagnin & Poulsard: gray/blue marl (sometimes accompanied by shale)
- Trousseau & Pinot Noir: Gravel
- Chardonnay: pure limestone with sea fossils or limestone-rich marls
How many different grape varieties were planted in Jura by the end ot the 19th century?
42
There were unsuccessful attempts to limit the number of varieties.
How did Jura reduce their large variety of grape plantings?
Phylloxera did what wine law could not. It separated the marginal grapes from those more suited to Jura’s climate.
Name the grapes of Jura.
White:
* Chardonnay
* Savagnin
Rose/Gris:
* Pinot Gris
Red:
* Poulsard
* Pinot Noir
* Trousseau
How long has Chardonnay been documented in Jura?
Since the 14th century.
How much of Jura’s white wines are crafted from Chardonnay?
Two-thirds
Note: most of it is used in cremants
What are the characteristics of the Savagnin grape variety?
- high in acidity
- thick skins
- resistant to mildews/rot
- prefers gray/blue marl soil
What iconic wine is produced from the Savagnin variety in Jura?
Vin Jaune (yellow wine)
Jura’s signature long-aged and long-lived oxidative wine.
What style of wine is the Pinot Gris variety used for in Jura?
It is authorized for Cremant du Jura but is rarely found. It is not considered to be a principal variety.
What is another name for the Poulsard grape variety?
Ploussard (in the village of Pupillin)
What styles of wines are produced from the Poulsard variety?
- Iconic pale-coloured reds & roses
- sparkling Cremant du Jura rose
- Vin de Paille (it forms part of the blend for this sweet wine)
What are the characteristics of the Poulsard grape variety?
- very site-sensitive
- disease-prone
- difficult to grow
- prefers gray/blue marls
Rank the red grapes grown in Jura from most to least widely planted.
- Poulsard (40%)
- Pinot Noir (37%)
- Trousseau (23%)
What styles of wine are produced from the Pinot Noir grape in Jura
- Macvin du Jura
- Cremant du Jura
- some red wine as well
Where in Jura is the Pinot Noir variety grown?
Mainly in the southern portion of the region.
Although it is vulnerable to frost, it ripens dependably and is usually the first grape to be harvested.
What are the characteristics of the Trousseau grape variety?
- requires more sunlight to ripen than other varieties
- likes fairly warm gravel or stony soils or red marl on south-facing slopes
- rustic
- tannic
Where is the Trousseau grape variety native to?
It is believed to be native to Jura, but has been grown in Portugal (as Bastardo) for a long time.
It shares kinship with Savagnin.
Rank the grape varieties grown in Jura from most to least widely planted.
- Chardonnay (43%)
- Savagnin (22%)
- Poulsard (14%)
- Pinot Noir (13%)
- Trouseau (8%)
What are some challenges that vignerons face in Jura?
- long, cold winters
- copious rain: wet climate promotes weed growth & risk of fungal disease/rot is high
- steep slopes: mechaniztion is impossible
What percentage of Jura vignerons were certified organic or biodynamic as of 2018?
17%
The wet climate makes it difficult to be agrochemical-free. Nevertheless, reduction of pesticide use is a priority in Jura.
What vine-training method is used in Jura?
Guyot is most common, most vines are cane-pruned.
Why are most vines in Jura cane-pruned?
To minimize the number of pruning cuts.
Savagnin & Trousseau are susceptible to Esca trunk disease, a fatal bacterial infection that develops from pruning wounds. Cane-pruning helps reduce this risk.
How much has the average temperature in Jura risen from 2002 and 2012 due to climate change?
1.6°F/1°C.
How has/will the increase in temperature due to climate change affect the grapes/wines of Jura?
The additional warmth:
* benefical for reds
* unlikely to be an advantage for cremant
What beverages does Jura produce besides wine?
marc & fine (brandy)
What is Sous Voile?
Meaning “under flor/with ullage)
This is the method of aging wine oxidatively that is used in Jura.
Taken from the traditions of Vin Jaune, wines are aged in barrel without topping up. This exposes them to oxygen and allows for a flor-like surface yeast to develop.
What characteristic notes develop through the process of Sous Voile in Jura?
The primary by-product of “controlled oxidation” is aldehyde. The wines develop aromas of walnut, hazelnut and spice.
What grape varieties undergo Sous Voile in Jura?
- Savagnin: traditionally to make Vin Jaune
- Chardonnay: in small amounts
How are wines with ullage usually labeled in Jura?
“Tradition”
This term is not legally defined by AOC law.
What is ouille (“without ullage”)?
Ouille means “topped up.” In Jura, some white wines are made reductively in which oxygen exposure is avoided.
This term appears most often in conjunction with Savagnin (which is typically made in an oxidative style). Chardonnay wines, which are normally topped up during winemaking are not typically labeled ouille.
The term “ouille” is not legally defined by AOC laws.
Note: blends between reductively made Chardonnay and oxidatively made Savagnin are common.
How are ouille Savagnin wines in AOC Arbois labeled?
Nature
What methods are used for red wine production in Jura?
- single-varietal or blend
- many matured in tank or old, large oak casks & bottled within the year for early drinking
- some Poulsard wines made via semi-carbonic maceration
- some Trousseau/Pinot Noir wines made using Bourgogne methods & aged in oak barrels for 6-18 months.
What are some typical characteristics of red wines from Jura?
- light-coloured
- high acidity
- low tannins
Where did Vin Jaune originate in?
There is debate as to whether it originated in Chateau-Chalon or in Arbois.
Where is Vin Jaune currently produced?
- Chateau-Chalon
- Arbois
- L’Etoile
- Cotes du Jura
How is Vin Jaune made?
Produced solely from the Savagnin grape.
After fermention is complete, the wine is transferred to old barrels, which are not filled completely and then stored in an aerated environment either above or below ground with natural temperature variations (i.e. no temperature control).
The wine barrel is not allowed to be topped up or moved for 60 months. A film/veil of surface yeast (similar to Sherry’s flor) develops over time and metabolizes ethyl acetate and acids into aldehydes while protecting the wine from direct contact with air.
This controlled oxidation delivers a wine of unique “sherried” characteristics and also conveys long aging potential.
How long can Vin Jaune last?
Decades
What are the requirements of Vin Jaune?
- may not be sold until 6 years & 3 months after the vintage (or January, seven years after harvest)
- must be bottled in a clavelin (an unusual 620mL bottle)
How is the clavelin tied to myth?
Depending on cellar conditions, a significant volume of wine may be lost during the aging period, hence the erroneous belief that a liter of wine is always reduced to 620mL, the size of the statutory clavelin.
In reality, the amount of wine lost varies, but the use of this botlle has become traditional.
What controversy and struggles has the clavelin endured in?
In 1973, Europe drafted legislation that would create uniform wine bottle sizes for the commercial market. The 620mL bottle was slated to be outlawed. The winemakers, armed with rounds of Comte cheese and bottles of Vin Jaune, stormed the European parliament in the hopes of preserving its unique traditional bottle size. It was a prolonged battle.
This bottle did not receive official recognition until 1993.
Which AOCs are authorized to make Vin de Paille?
- Cotes du Jura
- Arbois
- L’Etoile
What grapes are used to produce Vin de Paille?
A blend of white and red grapes are often used. Most is made from (usually in equal proportions):
* Chardonnay
* Savagnin
* Poulsard
* (Occasionally, Trousseau is also incorporated)
Pinot Noir is disallowed.
How is Vin de Paille made?
Grape clusters are dried for a min. of 6 weeks.
Between December & February, the dried grapes are pressed and fermented, followed by a min. 18 months aging in barrel.
What is the residual sugar (R.S.) of Vin de Paille?
Typically 6-13% (60-130g/l)
When can Vin de Paille be released?
After 36 months and is sold in half bottles (375mL)
What grapes are used to produce Macvin?
This wine can be made with all 5 of the red/white authorized varieties.
* Savagnin
* Chardonnay
* Poulsard
* Pinot Noir
* Trousseau
How is Macvin made?
By adding marc (at 1/3 volume) to grape must. The fortified slurry is pressed, then aged in a cask for a min. 10 months.
The marc is made by distilling Jura wine pomace. Wine law mandates a min. 14-month barrel regimen for the marc before it can be used to fortify the must.
It is released with a final alcohol of 16-22% by volume.
How many AOCs are there in Jura and what areas do they cover?
6 AOCs in total:
* 4 cover geographical areas
* 2 cover specific styles of wine
Name the 4 geographical AOCs of Jura.
- Arbois AOC
- Chateau-Chalon AOC
- L’Etoile AOC
- Cotes du Jura AOC
Which of Jura’s wine areas is the largest both by volume and by size?
Arbois AOC
When was Arbois awarded AOC status?
1936
It was among the first French wine areas to receive AOC status in 1936, largely due to the efforts of Alexis Arpin.
What wine styles are produced in Arbois AOC?
- Dry white
- Rose
- Red
- Vin de Paille
- Vin Jaune
Which grape varieties are permitted in Arbois?
White:
* [P] Chardonnay
* [P] Savagnin
Red:
* [P] Pinot Noir
* [P] Poulsard
* [P] Trousseau
Where doe Arbois take its name from?
This small town is named for the Celtic words, “ar” and “bos”, which translate as “fertile land.”
What soil types are found in Arbois AOC?
- Outcrops of red marl & heavy clay (moreso than areas further south)
- Classic gray marl
How is wine production in Arbois AOC atypical for Jura?
It is red-dominant
How many denomination geographique complementaire (DGC) can append their name to Arbois?
1: Pupillin
Rank the wine production of the Jura AOCs from most to least.
- Arbois AOC (41%)
- Cotes du Jura AOC (26%)
- Cremant du Jura AOC (18%)
- Macvin du Jura AOC (7%)
- L’Etoile AOC (5%)
- Chateau-Chalon AOC (3%)
When was Chateau-Chalon awarded AOC status?
1936
What style of wine is produced in Chateau-Chalon AOC?
Vin Jaune
Which grape variety(s) are permitted in Chateau-Chalon AOC?
White:
* [P] Savagnin
How much vineyard area do the Savagnin vines of Chateau-Chalon AOC comprise?
125ac/50ha
How are Chateau-Chalon AOC wines labeled?
- The AOC may only be used for wine made as Vin Jaune.
- Vin Jaune is rarely stated on the label.
- Most labels carry the term “vin de garde” (wine for cellaring),
What evaluations do vineyards undergo each year when considering the production of Chateau-Chalon AOC wines?
- grapes’ potential alcohol
- state of health
- yield
If the potential crop is found to be unsatisfactory the wine cannot be sold as Chateau-Chalon and is declassified to Cotes du Jura AOC.
How are wines made from grapes harvested in Chateau-Chalon from grapes other than Savagnin bottled?
Cotes du Jura
When was L’Etoile awarded AOC status?
1937
What styles of wine are produced in L’Etoile AOC?
- Dry white
- Vin de Paille
- Vin Jaune
Note: only white wines may be produced.
What grape varieties are permitted in L’Etoile AOC?
White:
* [P] Chardonnay (most widely planted)
* [P] Savagnin (2nd most widely)
Red:
* [S] Poulsard
Where does L’Etoile get its name?
The name means “star” and is from two serendipitous occurrences.
* The wine region is surrounded by 5 hills that form the points of a star
* The vineyard soils are dotted with star shaped “pentacrinus” fossils
What soils are found in L’Etoile AOC?
Clay-limestone marls
How are red wines made in the L’Etoile area labeled?
Cotes du Jura AOC
Red wines cannot be labeled L’Etoile AOC.
When was Cotes du Jura awarded AOC status?
1937
What styles of wine are produced in Cotes du Jura AOC
- Dry white
- Rose
- Red
- Vin de Paille
- Vin Jaune
Which grape varieties are permitted under Cotes du Jura AOC?
White:
* [P] Chardonnay
* [P] Savagnin
Red:
* [P] Pinot Noir
* [P] Poulsard
* [P] Trousseau
Name the 2 Jura AOCs that are based on their production method.
- Macvin du Jura AOC
- Cremant du Jura AOC
Note: these appellations can incorporate fruit from the entire Jura region.
When was Macvin du Jura awarded AOC status?
1991
What wine styles are produced under Macvin du Jura AOC?
Vin de Liqueur:
* White
* Rose
* Red
Which grape varieties are permitted in Macvin du Jura AOC?
White:
* [P] Chardonnay
* [P] Savagnin
Red:
* [P] Pinot Noir
* [P] Poulsard
* [P] Trousseau
When was Cremant du Jura awarded AOC status?
1995
What styles of wine are produced under Cremant du Jura AOC?
- Sparkling White
- Sparkling Rose
Which grape varieties are permitted under Cremant du Jura AOC?
White:
* [P] Chardonnay, Savagnin
Rose/Gris:
* [S] Pinot Gris
Red:
* [P] Pinot Noir, Poulsard, Trousseau
What percentage of Cremant du Jura AOC is white?
88%
Note: and much of it is 100% Chardonnay
What are the grape requirements for Cremant du Jura AOC?
White Cremant must contain min. 70%:
* Chardonnay
* Pinot Noir and/or
* Trousseau
Rose Cremant must contain min. 50%:
* red varieties and/or
* Pinot Gris
