THURSTQUEEN WORLD TOUR: JURA
Jura is a French Wine Region that might be on its way to becoming the next Burgundy.
For all you collectors out there - Jura is a wine region to pay attention to (and snag as many bottles as you can before they get too expensive.) Seriously, start taking notes.
I was introduced to this pocket-sized region that borders France and Switzerland about six years ago, and the wines have appreciated significantly since then. Back in my day, as an elder millennial, you could snag a good bottle of Jura for about $25.00 a pop. Now, producers that used to cost that much regularly cost $40+
Sure, this makes me feel old. But what this also tells me is that if you’re the type of person who is interested in collecting wines and cellaring them so they appreciate - Jura is a region you need to get up on. Stat. And if it doesn’t become the next Burgundy? You still have some delicious wine.
I worked for an importer not too long ago, where we focused heavily on Bordeaux Classified Growths. These were the types of wines that people bought because they appreciated in value and were often treated as assets to be sold. In simplest terms - these wines were investments. During 2020, wine was actually one of the most stable alternative assets to invest in and some of the wines from top tier producers tripled in value. There were loads of heavily sought-after collector’s wines that were exceedingly limited in terms of production, and people would purchase these wines for speculative purposes.
Do I think Jura is going to go in this direction as a wine region? Is Jura right now the way Pomerol was in the 1980s? If you don’t know what I mean, you could actually buy a bottle of Pomerol - the most expensive region in the world - for a relatively modest sum until Robert Parker hyped the crap out of Pétrus.
But back to Jura. Is Jura going to be the next Romanée Conti, Médoc, or Pomerol? I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the prices some Jura producers appreciated until they were at least on par with wines from Châteauneuf de Pape or some of the Northern Rhône heavy hitters - like Côte Rotie or Hermitage.
But I’m just speculating at this point. Gosh I wish I had a crystal ball so I could tell you, Thurstqueen.
In short - I don’t know. All I can tell you is to explore some of this region’s amazing wines - especially if you love a good bottle of Burgundy. Maybe consider cellaring a few and saving them for a special occasion. But that’s all I can say. So now, let’s chat about Jura’s history and three communes you should know if you’re thinking about picking up a bottle of wine from this magical place.
The history of Jura
Jura is probably just as famous for cheese as it is for wine. It is one of those wine regions where the vignerons - winemakers - are truly jacks and jills of all trades. There are no tasting rooms in Jura. In fact, you’re more likely to taste out of a winemaker’s dining room than anything.
As a wine region, Jura is about 2,000 years old. The grapes were planted by Cistercian Monks, and due to being on the border of Switzerland, this region had a turbulent past. Jura was under a mixture of Spanish, Austrian and French rule for several years. At the turn of the 19th Century phylloxera devastated this region.
Jura took a long time to recover its wine production, but things balanced out because they were making lots of cheese. Eventually, Jura got its status as an AOC in 1937, but until fairly recently the region hasn’t had much press or exposure. Even when I took my Level One CMS in 2016, people weren’t talking about it much. When I asked about Jura - because I was a weird wine hipster - most of the people looked at me with blank stares.
But that’s totally chill. What it means is this: Jura is an insider’s region.
If you love Pinot Noir & Chardonnay - buy wines from Jura.
(All the cool kids are doing it.)
Among the tatted, “natty-by-nature” crowd of hipster Somms who are killing the game at some of the sexiest wine spots in Los Angeles (and in other cities like New York and Chicago) Jura is the ultimate cool kid region.
I do believe as the younger generation of wine consumers get older, wines from Jura are going to be on very hot ticket item. So, without further ado, let’s chat about some of the communes in the Jura, and what wines to purchase from these places.
ARBOIS - THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS COMMUNE IN JURA
KNOWN FOR: PINOT NOIR, POULSARD, TROSSEAU & SAVAGNIN
Not only is the Arbois picturesque and beautiful - I mean, that picture is worth a thousand words, come on - but they make some damn good wines as well. The Arbois is responsible for 70% of Jura’s wine production, so if you’re ever planning a trip to visit the Jura, Arbois would be a great place to stop and check out some vineyards.
Like I said, Jura is still a pretty sleepy wine region, so if you wanted to go wine tasting there, you’ll have to take the Jura wine route and consider booking a Jura Wine Tour. Some producers I really love that are a bit out of the Thurstqueen price range are Domaine du Pelican and Domaine Jean-Louis Tissot.
In Arbois, the terroir consists of limestone soils, which lend a distinctive mineral-driven quality to the wine. Climate here is very cold, and typically the nearby mountains can bring with them extreme weather conditions, like frosts and hailstorms.
RED ARBOIS - A WINE FOR PINOPHILES
If you’re looking to purchase some wines from Arbois, definitely pick up some red wines, which typically feature Poulsard - a very delicate red grape - that is often blended with Pinot Noir or Trousseau, a deep red grape with tons of ripe cherry and forest flavors. If Sonoma Pinot Noir, Washington Pinot Noir, or French Burgundy is your thing - red wines from Arbois are simply a must.
VIN JAUNE - FOR SHERRY LOVERS & NATTY WINE PEEPS
Vin Jaune is an acquired taste. This yellow wine typically made from the Savagnin grape - a special type of white grape that grows mostly in Jura. Savagnin is actually related to Gewürtztraminer, of all grapes! If dry Fino Sherry is your thing, or you love super acidic, cloudy, unfiltered natural wine, you should probably consider picking up a bottle of the stuff.
Vin Jaune begs to be paired with cheeses - especially Comté cheese, which is made in Jura. Vin Jaune has a lot of unusual flavors. Expect nutty, oxidative aromas coupled with aromas of spices, like curry. This wine is bulletproof in terms of aging, and if stored properly can remain in tact for 70-80 years.
CÔTES DU JURA - THE LARGEST COMMUNE
KNOWN FOR: CHARDONNAY, SAVAGNIN, POULSARD, PINOT NOIR, TROUSSEAU & ROSÉ
The largest commune within the Jura is the Côtes du Jura. Though this commune may not have the fame and recognition of Arbois, you can probably find wines that are a bit more affordable from the Côtes du Jura over the Arbois commune.
Some excellent rosé comes from the Côtes du Jura and you can also find some pretty solid sparklers that come from this part of the Jura. They are typically called Crémant du Jura.
L’ETOILE - THE WHITE WINE LOVER’S COMMUNE IN JURA
KNOWN FOR: CHARDONNAY, SAVAGNIN & SPARKLING WINE
For serious white wine lovers, look no further than the commune of L’Etoile. L’Etoile literally means, “The Star,” and this tiny commune certainly lives up to its name. Here, you can find Vin Jaune, dry white wines that heavily feature Chardonnay, and a sparkling wine called L’Etoile Mousseaux.
Expect the Chardonnay here to be more similar to Chablis - with racing citrus flavors. Its strong minerality comes from the limestone soil that is filled with fossils.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Domaine des Carlines Cotes du Jura Poulsard $29.99 @ K&L
This wine is distinctively French. The Domaine des Carlines Côte du Jura is a wine that’s a delicate dance of funky, animalistic qualities interlaced with candied maraschino cherry aromas. It’s all topped off with a whiff of wild marjoram.
Fruity yet feral, there’s a lot going on when you pour yourself a glass of this sexy beast. It honestly doesn’t surprise me that Côtes du Jura wines are going up in price. They just have their own unique personality. Picture the pure Burgundian funk savagery coupled with the light touch of a Beaujolais or something.
The beauty of Côtes du Jura wines is their versatility. I’d even go so far as to say they are more versatile than wines from Burgundy. They’re incredibly light, and can be enjoyed on their own. But, they also can stand up to heartier dishes. This particular wine you want to drink, not cellar, as Poulsard doesn’t tend to hold up in terms of aging as long as Pinot Noir might.
Jura wines always make me want to get in touch with my inner francophile. I’d have this beauty with some hot French Onion soup, covered with a huge hunk of French Bread slathered with gooey, melted cheese. I’d probably throw in a fresh marinated beet salad loaded with creamy goat cheese on the side for good measure.
If you’re a Jura fan, let me know in the comments section! I’d love to hear your thoughts.