What do you know about this obscure and relatively unknown region of France? Let’s shed some light on the fantastic French ‘Sherry’ that will surprise and delight you!

Undoubtedly one of France’s great, and often overlooked, wine styles. Vin Jaune is made exclusively from the local Savagnin grape variety and hails from the blue Jurassic clay soils of Jura in France’s most Easterly wine region (also home to the famed Comté cheese). The region is also known for it’s Trousseau reds and Savagnin white table wines, but it is the Vin Jaune along with the sweet Vin de Paille, that sets this region apart.

Savagnin Grapes

Comté Cheese

Grapes are harvested and vinified like any other wine but it is afterwards when the magic happens to give this wine it’s unique flavours. After fermentation it matures in oak barrels for 6 years and 3 months, without ‘topping up’ the wine to compensate for the significant loss of volume through evaporation over that time. Due to not topping up and due to the unique cellar conditions in the Jura a thin layer of yeast forms on the surface of the wine and protects it from oxidation. Known in the Jura region as ‘sous voile’  it forms in the same way that ‘flor’ forms in dry sherry casks and helps to prevents oxygen getting to the ageing wine.

Looks revolting but tastes divine!

It is a complex and intriguing wine. During its long ageing it acquires aromas of nuts, verbena, almond and curry spice. It has a broad texture and fine acidity not too dissimilar to a Fino Sherry, albeit not fortified. There are reasons for these aromas, scientific ones! The yeast layer that forms is high in Soloton which gives the aromatic profile to maple syrup and fenugreek. The Savagnin variety is a close relative of Traminer and is high in Geraniol which is the same compound found in citronella.

Uniquely Vin jaune is also packaged in a unconventional bottle size; the Clavelin or ‘bouteille-dites- anglais’, with a volume of 62cl. This is because during its 75-month aging period the initial litre of wine reduces to 62cl.

How best to enjoy Vin Jaune? Drink as an aperitif, or with chicken (especially with mushrooms and always with some wine in the sauce) rich seafood and fish dishes, strong cheese, (obviously Comté), or bitter chocolate.

Now you know all about Vin Jaune, do you want to try some?

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Domaine Badoz Vin Jaune Côtes du Jura 2016

The Badoz family have been vignerons in Poligny, in the Jura since 1659, transferring traditional winemaking techniques and local know-how from father to son for more than 10 generations. In 1970 Bernard Badoz set about a varietal re-planting programme to match varietals with the different soils found in the ‘Roussots’ vineyards of the family domaine. This rigorous work enabled him to develop high end wines combining an expression of grape varietal with that of terroir. In 2003 his son Benoit took over and brought about further changes and new wines which further improved the overall quality.

A similar flavour profile to dry fino sherry, this highly celebrated French wine is smooth and aromatic with notes of nuts, green apple, and spice. Perfect with strong cheeses, scallops, and lobster.