Jura

In an effort to shed some light on how I study for WSET Diploma Course’s D3 exam, Le Club des Vins is running a series of posts covering wine regions. Today’s topic: Jura

📍 Location

Jura is a small wine region in the east of France sandwiched between Burgundy and Switzerland. It accounts for less than 1% of French wine production.

In a nutshell

France
Continental climate
Limestone and marlstone
Bourgogne varieties + poulsard, trousseau and savagnin (vin jaune)

☁️ Climate

Jura has a continental climate, more so than in Burgundy. Winters can be very cold and rainfall is usually higher. Fungal disease and spring frost are the main risks.⠀⠀

🌋 Soils

The region is named after its limestone mountains, which occurred between 145 million and 200 million years ago – the Jurassic period. The key soil types are limestone and marlstone.⠀⠀⠀

🍇 Grapes & styles

Same as Burgundy, pinot noir and chardonnay work well here too. Jura also has three local varieties: poulsard, trousseau and savagnin. Poulsard accounts for 20% of the plantings, it produces a pale wine, quite perfumed. Trousseau, also found in Galicia, needs warmth and is usually planted on the gravelly soils near Arbois. It’s more powerful and perfumed than Poulsard. Savagnin, also known as Naturé, is the main grape variety responsible for vins jaunes.⠀⠀

💡 Something you didn’t know (did you?)

Jura is full of specialties: vin jaune (oxidative style), vin de paille (straw wine) and macvin (vin de liqueur). Also, the organic and natural wine movement is a big thing here and still on the rise. Favorite producers include Jean-Francois Ganevat, Domaine Tissot and Domaine de Saint Pierre.⠀⠀⠀⠀

Your turn now

I always put a new region on instagram first. If you have any additions or comments on a region, please do share. You can drop a comment on instagram or on the website – see below. Your help is much appreciated!