Jura Wine Region Guide

Geography and terroir

Few oenophiles are indifferent to the bucolic splendor and peaceful tranquility of the Jura. Stretching for over 250 kilometers along the French-Swiss border, it is the most unspoiled and timeless region in eastern France. To the west are the vineyards of Burgundy – Geneva, and its splendid food scene lies to the east. It is an area of wooded hillsides, verdant scenery, and pastoral farming, with approximately 2000 hectares given over to vineyards; 80 kilometers encompass the Jura vignoble within the département, beginning just north of Arbois and extending southwest to Baume-les-Messieurs. The zone has five key appellations: Arbois, Côtes du Jura, Chateau-Chalon, L’Étoile, and Cremant de Jura.

Terroir and Climatic Similarities with Cote d’Or:

While discussing the terroir and climate of Jura, critics often make (favorable) comparisons with the Cote d’Or. This is hardly surprising: growers have long been influenced by their more famous neighbor, and the volume of Chardonnay cultivated in Jura increases yearly. So, too, the soils and weather conditions show broad similarities – enthusiasts celebrate Jura for its Jurassic limestone terroir that dates back over 200 million years. Indeed, the AOC L’Étoile takes its name from the tiny, star-shaped fossils in the soil. Moreover, similar to the Cote d’Or, the best climats (vineyard sites) are located on middle slopes facing south and southeast toward the morning sun. The calcareous soils of the zone are rich in minerals, well-drained, and able to store adequate moisture reserves in the summer months. Overall, the conditions are benign and highly suited to growing quality wine.

Like Burgundy, Jura’s climate is broadly classified as continental: warm summers and cold winters. However, unlike the gentle inclines of the Cote d’Or, the terrain in Jura is far more undulating, with vineyards rising to 350 meters above sea level in certain places. Winters can be very severe in Jura’s hills and vertiginous slopes; however, conditions are less extreme in the lower-lying areas found on the valley floors.

Winemaking and regional classifications

It is remarkable to find such a broad range of wine styles in such a compact region, from the sherry-like vin jaune to Arbois’s exquisite red Burgundy imitations. Super-sweet vin de paille, meanwhile, exists alongside light reds and nutty dry whites—an eclectic mix of flavors that will appeal to sommeliers and wine geeks alike.

Oxidative Aging Techniques

Yet, your first encounter with Jura wine will likely involve Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir. Traditionally, producers in the region would distinguish themselves from their Burgundian counterparts by exposing the wines to high levels of oxygen during aging, creating a very funky and aromatic expression of these two noble varieties. Chardonnay and the native Savagnin blend exceptionally well together, producing a complex white renowned for its vigor and distinctive aromas of hazelnuts and marzipan.

However, locals now produce the most commercially successful Pinot Noir in a non-oxidative style they call floral; this style accounts for a growing volume of Jura’s exports, capitalizing on the insatiable demand for this magnificent grape. The best examples resemble Volnay and Premier Cru Beaune, celebrated for their soft tannins, bright, juicy fruit, and fine acidity. As international demand continues to rise, so does the average bottle price.

Vin Jaune 

Of course, there is much to admire in Jura’s fruit-forward and well-made Pinot Noirs. However, I personally find more excitement in the area’s richly oxidative – and inimitable – dry white wines. In the 19th century, Jura’s iconic yellow wine, vin Jaune, was the height of fashion, drunk with relish by the French aristocracy.

Sommeliers often (and not unreasonably) compare it to Sherry because of the long periods of oxidative aging and its pungent bouquet of flor (yeast), grilled nuts, and lanolin. Winemaking is a practiced art – a process that requires patience and immense skill. It begins with harvesting very ripe Savagnin berries rich in sugars and acids.

After fermentation, winemakers let the base wines mature in old Burgundian barrels for about six years before bottling. The staves allow a considerable amount of oxygen ingress during the aging period. However, a thin layer of the protective layer of yeast will also appear, floating on top of the wine.

As it evaporates and oxidizes, a myriad of complex aromas will develop as the yeast prevents total spoilage. It is then traditionally housed in a 62cl bottle known as a clavelin. The deep, yeasty flavors and rich texture make vin jaune a wine for the dinner table. Try it with roast duck or poulet de Bresse.

Today, some of the greatest vin jaunes are made in the Château-Chalon AOC. According to the regulations, it is the only white style that can legally reference Château-Chalon on the label. That said, producers of the Cotes de Jura also market some very impressive examples of the genre, in addition to dry whites fermented in stainless steel: fresh and fruity Savagnin for early consumption. Nevertheless, they are probably more crowd-pleasing than the esoteric vin jaunes.

Meanwhile, growers are attached to their indigenous red grapes, even if the global market remains aloof. The most popular dark-skinned variety is the enigmatic Poulsard, sometimes called Ploussard, which finds its natural home in the green valleys surrounding Arbois. When gently fermented in stainless steel and aged in neutral wood, Poulsard yields a deeply-colored yet delicate style of red, with soft tannins and red berry fruit. The rare Trousseau is another local curiosity, renowned for its intense color, high alcohol, and black forest bouquet. If you manage to find some, serve it with game.

However, Cremant de Jura belongs at the start of your meal. Some of France’s most intriguing sparkling wines, a potent blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Trousseau, are produced here. Crémant du Jura rosé is another rising star, based on at least 50 percent Pinot Noir or Pinot Gris.

Both categories can only be made via the traditional method, aged for 12 months before release. Well-made, delicious, and very affordable, Cremant de Jura is the height of fashion in Lyon, Paris, and Dijon.

Alas, the same cannot be said for Jura’s dwindling supply of sweet wines. However, certain winemakers maintain the vin de paille tradition, an unctuous dessert wine made from Chardonnay, Savagnin, and/or Poulsard. Similar to Italy’s cherished passito wines, the berries undergo a meticulous desiccation process in carefully controlled, ventilated conditions until the January following the harvest.

The raisined grapes are then fermented to about 15% alcohol and matured in old barrels for two to three years. The results in bottle are memorable: aromatically expressive and incredibly rich concoctions of fruit, acid, and alcohol. As a niche style, they continue to find a home in the wine cellars of Michelin-starred restaurants, particularly in neighboring Switzerland.

The lowdown

Although the glory days of the 19th century are a distant memory, Jura’s community of winegrowers remains in high spirits. After much hard work (and proselytizing from sommeliers and key influencers), the region has carved out a successful niche as a leading source of weird and wonderful grape varieties: Savagnin and Poulsard are hardly seen outside France. This has caught the attention of restaurant buyers and independent merchants, who have, thus far, been most receptive to the rich, spicy tang of vin jaune and the superior quality of Arbois blanc.

Indeed, although Jura only exports a relatively small volume of wine, it enjoys several advantages over its rivals. The most important is the human factor: Jura is blessed with many smaller, quality-minded, vineyard-focused wineries, and more are emerging with each new vintage. Up-and-coming domaines are seeking out higher and cooler terroirs in the hills of eastern France to combat global warming, wisely exploiting altitude and all the benefits of diurnal temperature variation. Fortunately, there is no paucity of steep slopes in the Jura, where conditions can be distinctly brisk – all the better for maintaining acidity in the wines!

Then, there is the wonderful diversity of grapes and styles. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are blossoming in the hills of Arbois, while Trousseau is going from strength to strength; the old rusticity of the past has been tamed with better viticulture and winemaking. Look out for Cremant de Jura if you spot a bottle on the wine list. It offers an unbeatable price-to-quality ratio and bags of upfront fruit, supported by a vigorous mousse and great freshness.

That last word is integral to understanding Jura’s appeal in the 21st century. Many regions—and producers—look to provide ‘maximum impact’ in their top labels with ripeness, concentration, and maturation in new oak. However, the Jura philosophy leans heavily into minerality and terroir expression; over-extracted and overoaked wines are rarely seen today. Elegant, well-made, and subtly fragrant, the best wines of the Jura are world-beaters.

Jura gastronomy

From the heady delights of vin jaune to Fondue and Jesus de Lyon sausage, Jura is a gastronomic tour de force. Many of the best restaurants can be found in the regional capital, Besancon, especially in the old Battant quarter and around the river. Local highlights include Morteau sausage with pomme purée, chicken slowly braised in Savagnin, freshwater fish, and wild duck – delicious is the word.