France - Jura Flashcards by Simon Kratzer

Where is the region located and how did it evolve from 1850 to today?

East of Burgundy, bordering Switzerland
Was formerly 10 times as large as today
Major setbacks (mildew, phylloxera, railway) led to radical reduction in land under vine

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What is the region known for?

Distinctive wines from local varieties
White: Savagnin
Red: Poulsard and Trousseau

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Describe the climate and rain

Moderate continental climate
High rainfall (1,100mm)

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What problems does the rainfall cause?

Threat to flowering and fruit set
Difficult do work in vineyards
Additional work to control wees and diseases

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What are two further potential hazards?

Spring frost
Hail

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Where are vineyards located and what is the soil?

West-facing slopes of Jura mountains
250-400m altitude
Soils: mainly clay and marl, with limestone in some places

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How are vines trained?

Mostly replacement-cane pruned (higher, bc of frost) with VSP

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How is harvest conducted?

Machine harvest if possible
By hand if slopes are too steep

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Why are yields often well below max yield levels?

Frost
Hail
Heavy rain early and late in the season

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What are the grape varieties in descending order (incl. %)

White
Chardonnay (40%)
Savagnin (20%)
Black
Poulsard (15%)
Pinot Noir (13%)
Trousseau (8%)

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Chardonnay
What is it mostly used for?

Crémant du Jura (not discussed here)

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Savagnin
What types of wines are produced with this variety?

Conventional white wines
Oxidative styles, incl. Vin Jaune

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Savagnin
What is its budding time and skin?

Early-budding -> spring frost
Thick-skinned -> resistance to fungal diseases

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Savagnin
On what soils does the variety thrive?

Steep slopes with marl

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Savagnin
Describe the characteristics of conventional wines made from this variety (intensity, aromas, acidity, body, alcohol)

Medium(–) intensity
Lemon, apple
High acidity
Medium body
Medium alcohol

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Poulsard
What is the budding/ripening time and skin?

Early-budding -> vulnerable to spring frost
Early-ripening -> avoid autumn rain
Prone to coulure
Thin-skinned -> prone to fungal diseases

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Poulsard
Describe the typical style of wine from this variety (color, intensity, aromas, tannin, acidity, alcohol, body, quality, price)

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Very pale ruby
Low intensity
Red fruit (redcurrant, cranberry)
Low tannins
High acidity
Medium alcohol (low end)
Light body
Good to very good quality
Mid- to premium priced

Pinot Noir
What is it mostly used for?

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Red blends
Single varietal red wines
Crémant du Jura

Trousseau
Describe skin, diseases, and vigor

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Thick skin -> resistance to fungal diseases
Can suffer from botrytis
Prone to poor flowering and coulure
Vigorous -> careful canopy management

Trousseau
Where is the variety planted and why?

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Warm sites (e.g., warm gravels)
Well-exposed higher, steeper slopes
To ripen fully

Trousseau
Describe the typical style of wine made from this variety

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Pale ruby
Low intensity
Red fruit (red cherry)
Low to medium tannins
Medium to high acidity
Medium alcohol (low end)
Light to medium(–) body
Good to very good quality
Mid- to premium priced

Winemaking
Describe the winemaking process for conventional white wines (varieties, vessels, fermentation temp, malo)

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Savagnin and Chardonnay
Stainless steel tanks or old barrels
Mid-range fermentation temps
Malo commonly used

Winemaking
Describe the winemaking process for conventional red wines (maceration, fermentation temp, ageing)

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Short time on skins (5–10 days), longer for higher quality
Fermentation temps 30°C or lower
Poulsard may be made with carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration
Some aged in old oak (< 1 year)

Winemaking
How much new oak is used?

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Very little

**Vin Jaune** Describe the winemaking process

* Fermenting Savagnin grapes to dryness * Ageing in barrels with a headspace * Thin layer of a flor-type yeast develops (called "the veil") * Min 5 years under flor * Min 6 years of ageing in barrel

**Other oxidative whites** Describe the difference to Vin Jaune

* Savagnin barrels are withdrawn earlier (e.g., 2–3 years under the veil) * May be blended with Chardonnay, either made conventionally or aged under the veil as well

**Vin Jaune and other oxidative whites** How is the veil created and what effect does it have on the wine?

* Selected yeasts or naturally (placed in a well-ventilated cellar with seasonal temperature changes) * Conditions in the cellar are crucial to how the veil forms and how the wines develop * Alcohol rises by 1% up to 13.5%–15% abv as water transpires

**Vin Jaune** Describe the typical style of the wine (color, intensity, aromas, sweetness, acidity, alcohol, body, quality, price, ageing)

* Medium lemon to medium gold * Pronounced intensity * Bread dough, walnuts, ginger and green apple * Dry * High acidity * High alcohol * Medium body * Very good to outstanding quality * Premium to super-premium price * Can age for several decades

**Vin Jaune and other oxidative whites** How does the style of other oxidative wines compare to Vin Jaune?

* Similar but much less intense flavours * Lower alcohol

**Vin de Paille** Describe the style and requirements

* Sweet wine through drying grapes off the vine * All varieties except Pinot Noir * Min 14% abv * Typically 70-120 g/L residual sugar * Min 18 months of ageing in oak * Earliest release: 3 years after harvest

Name the 5 appellations (incl. ha)

* Crémant du Jura (NOT in scope) * Côtes du Jura (560 ha) * Arbois (780 ha) * Château-Chalon (54 ha) * L’Etoile (73 ha)

What wines are typically produced in the larger appellations Côtes du Jura and Arbois?

* All five wine styles (red, rosé, white, Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille) * **Côtes du Jura**: Mostly white * **Arbois**: Mostly red

What wines are typically produced in the smaller appellations Château-Chalon and L’Etoile?

* **Château-Chalon**: Vin Jaune ONLY * **L’Etoile**: White wines only, incl. Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille

What are the regulations for white wines, excl. Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille? (varieties, max yield)

* Min 80% of Savagnin, Chardonnay * Max yield: 60 hL/ha

What are the regulations for red and rosé wines?

* Min 80% of Pinot Noir, Poulsard, Trousseau * Max yield: 55 hL/ha

What are the regulations for Vin Jaune?

* Only Savagnin * Max yield: 60 hL/ha (30 hL/ha in Château-Chalon) * Min 5 years under the veil (no racking or topping up) * Earliest release: January, 7 years after harvest * Must be bottled in 62 cL clavelin bottle

What are the regulations for Vin de Paille?

Max yield: 20 hL/ha

**Wine Business** What businesses are involved? (incl. %)

* Estates (50%) * Négociants (30%) * Four co-ops (20%)

**Wine Business** Name the three companies that account for 50% of wine sold

* Fruitière Vinicole d’Arbois (co-op) * La Maison de Vigneron (négociant) * Henri Maire (owned by Boisset)

**Wine Business** Comment on organic and natural winemaking

* 20% organic * Natural winemaking important as well

**Wine Business** How much is exported and what is the trend?

* 20% * Rapid increase

France - Jura Flashcards

(41 cards)