Jura Extravaganza this Saturday: Come See What the Fuss is About!

6/14/10 - 

These days, people are falling in love with wines from the Jura at an incredible rate and it’s no wonder, really. We’ve been besotted for quite some time. Not long ago, the Jura was known almost exclusively for its regional vinous curiosity: Vin Jaune, nutty, “yellow” wine that attains its compelling, savory flavors from long aging under a veil of yeast. For many growers in the Jura, allowing white wines to mature under the veil is akin to an aspect of terroir, as integral as the grapes themselves to the character of the wines. Now, the almost rose-light reds and weighty, food-friendly whites from a handful of iconic producers such as Jacques Puffeney, Pierre Overnoy, and Jean-Francois Ganevat have made their mark on the wine loving community. Lucky for us, we also have access to the wines of a handful of wonderful new Jura growers like Philippe Bornard and Michel Gahier, each with a unique take on the region’s native grapes cultivated on ancient Jurassic soil. Energetic, passionate, and creative, some members of the new guard have chosen to move away from traditional sous-voille wine-making. However, nutty or not, these wines have magical transparency, purity, and an uncanny ability to express terroir, such that when they’re in the glass, they’re speaking of their place of origin, loud and clear. The aromas are those of the woods, the damp cellar, and the earth; the wines seem to take the drinker there in a remarkable way. These are growers who farm without pesticides, ferment without inoculating, and use minimal sulfur dioxide in the cellar, all practices that contribute to the wine’s expressiveness. There’s no doubt, wines from the Jura are amongst our favorites.