Vin Jaune and Other Oxidative Whites

Question 1

Regarding Vin Jaune:

Vin Jaune is made by fermenting ____ grapes to dryness and then ageing in barrels with a _____. A thin layer of a ____ _____ develops, here called _ ____or the veil

Answer 1

Savagnin

headspace

flor-type yeast

le voile

Question 2

Whilst ageing with head space and le voile the barrels must not be topped up or moved for __ months

Answer 2

60

Question 3

True or false?

Many producers will remove their wines before the Vin Jaune maturation limit (60 months)

This is used to make an oxidative Savagnin often single varietal or blended with Chardonnay (the latter is ALWAYS oxidatively aged)

Answer 3

False

Everything is correct except for the Chardonnay element, when being used as a blending component is can be fresh and without oxidative characteristics or not.

Question 4

flor type yeasts can be ______ or allowed to happen naturally by making sure the barrels are place in ___ _____ cellar with seasonal temperature changes.

The barrel-ageing cellar ____ and ____ are
considered crucial to how the veil forms and how these oxidative wines develop in barrel.

Answer 4

Inoculated

well ventilated

location and conditions

Question 5

What happens to the alcohol content of the wine when ageing in barrel and why?

Answer 5

alcohol level rises by about 1 degree up to 13.5%–15% abv due to the transpiration of water through the barrels

Question 6

TASTING NOTE:

Vin Jaune + other oxidative styles

Answer 6

Vin Jaune is typically

• medium lemon to medium gold in colour
• pronounced aromas of bread dough, walnuts, ginger and green apple
• high acidity.
• The wines are dry,
• often with high alcohol
• medium bodied.

They are very good to outstanding in quality
and premium to super-premium in price.
They are renowned for being able to age for several
decades.

Other oxidative white wines have similar but much less intense flavours and are not so high in alcohol.