Jura yellow wine

Vin jaune du Jura is an appellation d’origine contrôlée wine from the Jura vineyards, recognized in 1937. This wine is highly atypical in that it is a vin de voile, i.e. it is aged in rancio using biochemical principles designed to form a biofilm on the wine’s surface following natural post-fermentation yeasting during maturation in unoaked barrels.

Don’t you get it? Clearly, the winemaking process allows the wine to reduce any acidity and acquire great ageing capacity, as well as complex organoleptic properties and woody, rancio flavors.

Vin jaune can only be made from Savagnin grapes. Another of its many distinctive features is that it is bottled in clavelin, a rather compact 62-centiliter bottle that originated in the 18th century and is typical of the region.

The best years

Of all the Jura yellow wine vintages, 2005 is widely acclaimed as the greatest. This is a long-ageing vintage, with an aromatic framework as complex as it is expressive.

The 2004 and 2006 vintages are also good years, but they are softer and should be drunk earlier. As with many wines, the 2000 vintage was also one of great quality, thanks to good weather conditions.

More recently, 2018 has been a very good year, with generous yields and good weather conditions that have spoiled the Jura as a whole, producing grapes of the highest quality.

Food and wine pairing

Jura vin jaune is perfectly calibrated to accompany cheeses, especially pressed cheeses. It can also be found on chocolate and walnut cakes.

On another note, vin jaune goes well with seafood such as lobster or trout. It can also be paired with white meats such as coq au vin jaune or poulet fermier.