Jura And Savoie Chapter From Wine Report 2009
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Jura & Savoie Wink Lorch DNA testing on Savoie grape varieties has revealed some surprises and finally laid to rest the myths surrounding the origins of certain varieties deemed unique to Savoie. Ampelographer Dr José Vouillamoz of the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, gave a sneak preview of the results from recent DNA research when he spoke at the first general meeting of the new Centre d’Ampélographie Alpine Pierre Galet (the Pierre Galet Centre for Alpine Ampelography) in Cevins on 8 December 2007. It has been known for a few years that WINK LORCH Mondeuse Blanche, a rare white Savoie variety, was one of the parents of the Rhône Valley’s Syrah grape. Now Vouillamoz, an expert on alpine varieties, has proved a genetic link with the black Savoie variety Mondeuse Noire and the northern Rhône’s white variety Viognier. It transpires that both Mondeuse Noire and Viognier are closely related to Mondeuse Blanche, as either a parent or an offspring. Exactly which is impossible to prove, since there is a missing link, likely to be a grape variety that no longer exists. However, this revelation means that both Viognier and Mondeuse are relatives of Syrah, one as a half-sibling and the other as a grandparent.
WINK LORCH is a wine writer and educator with a passion for the mountains. In 2007, she launched www.winetravelguides.com – a website with online guides for independent wine travellers, initially covering France. She is a past chairman of the Association of Wine Educators and has contributed to several books, including Jancis Robinson’s Oxford Companion to Wine, Time-Life’s The Wine Guide, and Le Cordon Bleu’s Wine Essentials. Wink particularly enjoys enthusing about wines from vineyards in sight of snowcapped mountains, whether the Andes, the Alps, or the Jura. She divides her time between London and the French Alps.
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DNA testing was also carried out on various white grape varieties, including Jacquère and Altesse (used to make Roussette de Savoie), both planted throughout Savoie. Jacquère has been confirmed as an offspring of a formerly very common grape variety, Gouais Blanc (known to ampelographers as the “Casanova of grape varieties”). Altesse is described in Savoie history books as having come from Cyprus and, more recently, was thought by Galet and others to be related to Hungary’s Furmint. Vouillamoz rejects this hypothesis and suggests a relationship with Chasselas, both grapes being of western European origin. Testing was also carried out on Gringet, which grows only in the tiny cru of Ayze, near Bonneville in Haute Savoie. Until now, Gringet was believed to be a member of the Traminer family and related to Jura’s Savagnin variety. DNA testing has proved that this is not the case; in fact, the variety is unique to Savoie and is probably related to Molette, which is grown mainly in Seyssel. The famous ampelographer Professor Pierre Galet (now 86) also attended the meeting in Savoie and was unperturbed that modern DNA techniques refute some of the older thinking on these varieties. He has donated his vast collection of research documents to the new centre, which bears his name and has the aim of preserving ancient alpine varieties. Both Galet and Vouillamoz confirmed the genetic importance of Savoie grape varieties. Wine producer Michel Grisard, one of the figures behind the creation of the centre and co-owner of Domaine de l’Ardoisières in Cevins, hopes that funding will be forthcoming to create an experimental conservatory of alpine grape varieties.
Vin jaune to have taste profile As part of AOC reforms, the Société du Viticulture du Jura, which is charged with liaising with the INAO (Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité), has initiated a study in conjunction with the Institut des Vin du Jura to establish an official taste profile for vin jaune. This is mainly in preparation for stricter controls being introduced on a national basis from July 2008 for the agrément (testing) carried out as part of Appellation Contrôlée rules. One of the study’s key challenges is to differentiate between the taste profile of a white Jura Savagnin wine that has been aged oxidatively and that of a “real” vin jaune. Once the profiling has been completed during 2008, the institute plans to train professional tasters to use the profile to judge whether a vin jaune may be allowed to carry the label.
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The crise begins to bite As indicated in Wine Report 2008, all is not well in some sectors of Jura and Savoie due to the national downturn in wine buying, especially in the restaurant sector, so important to these two tourist-driven regions. The victims are relatively small vignerons, who fall primarily into two categories: first, those who make and market their own wine but whose quality falls well short of the mark, mainly due to lack of technological equipment and know-how (a particular problem in Savoie); second, those who sell their grapes primarily to négociants. This concerns the Jura in particular, where the dominant Henri Maire company announced dramatic cuts in wine purchases two months before the start of the 2007 harvest. The company used to purchase from 130 growers, but in 2007 they bought from only 30. Some of the remaining growers managed to find buyers, but many left their grapes unpicked.
Bugey has no choice For several years, Vins de Bugey has tried without success to gain AOC status. With the VDQS category being abolished by 2010, promotion should finally become a reality. VDQS wine areas may choose to apply for AOC status or for the more flexible vin de pays category. The Syndicat des Vins de Bugey has been working on the required changes needed for elevation to AOC for some years; since over 60 per cent of its production is sparkling wine, AOC is the only sensible choice. Volumes of the sparkling pink Cerdon VDQS, made by the méthode ancestrale, and white and rosé Vin de Bugey Mousseux VDQS, made by the méthode traditionnelle, have increased by more than 50 per cent in the past decade, and demoting them to vin de table would be a severe blow to the region. Bugey is more than ready to adopt the AOC regime and hopes that it will receive approval in time for the 2009 vintage.
Grapevine • The Maison du Vin de Savoie in
Apremont finally opened in February 2008 after several years of planning. The official wine organizations have moved their offices and laboratories into the new building, which is in the heart of the wine area; however, there are administrative delays concerning the creation of a consumer visitor information centre and shop: this will not open before summer 2009.
• A heritage centre (Centre
d’Interpretation du Patrimoine) opened in Château-Chalon in April 2008. Combining displays about the geology and history of this classic hilltop village with comprehensive background information on the wines, this will make a highly educational visit for tourists. The cellar area will also be used for wine tastings presented by the growers.
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Opinion: Jura: seize this opportunity! In every appellation of France, committees have been meeting, commitments made, and papers written in time for the July 2008 deadline for AOC reform. The priority is to put in place all manner of checks – from the pruning of the vines, to the bottling of the wine – to be conducted by exterior independent inspection committees. This system will replace the existing compulsory agrément (taste test), although certain taste tests will still take place. In the Jura, they are well advanced with plans to comply with the reform, knowing that – for the sake of the growers, who face substantial cost increases to pay for this – they must create an efficient and effective system. This is all well and good, and I applaud it. However, by focusing so much energy on compliance with the new regulations, the region is missing an important opportunity to market its wines better. Compliance with the AOC labelling system means labels that are woefully uninformative. The region’s producers should introduce compulsory back labels that explain to the consumer what is in the bottle. This tiny region offers a bewildering choice of wine styles, and often the same label is used for a fresh, fruity style of Côtes du Jura Chardonnay as for a rich, barrel-fermented one or an oxidative, nutty style that tastes nothing like its grape variety. If Jura wants to combat falling local consumption by seeking sales outside the region and indeed outside the country, it must address this issue at the earliest possible opportunity.
Savoie producers must embrace wine tourism In Savoie, too, there is an opportunity to combat falling sales. Encouraged by the Rhône-Alpes administrative region, a committee has been set up to examine the possibilities of promoting wine tourism in Savoie. This is so obvious that one wonders why it needs a committee, but Savoyards are notoriously slow to embrace change and opportunity. And they are loners too – vignerons want to plough their own metaphorical vineyard furrows. There are some plans being made now, but they are going to concentrate on visitors from the local region; the millions of foreigners they could welcome are not even being considered. The Savoie vineyards are in one of the most beautiful regions in the world, with a benign climate, spectacular mountains, beautiful lakes, and historic cities (Annecy, Chambéry, Aix-Les Bains). The region welcomes millions of tourists every year – the majority come for ski holidays, but a
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significant number visit in summer as well. The wine industry is woefully late in getting on the tourist bandwagon. Even if wine routes are mapped out, there is little information about which vignerons are open for visits, and there has been no encouragement for hotels and restaurants to work with wine producers to encourage visits. Even if few direct purchases would be made, it would open doors for the Savoyard wine producers to sell more wine outside the region. They must consider this issue urgently.
Caution needed with “natural” wines Jura has a higher proportion of organic vineyards than other French wine regions, which is great news. However, owners of organic vineyards in particular, but also of some conventionally farmed vineyards, seem under pressure from a fashion in France and, to an extent, North America for so-called “natural” wines. The main requirement of “natural” wines is that they should have no added SO2. This is a dangerous move. Although I have been surprised by the good quality of a few no-sulphur wines I have tasted, there are many that disappoint. Keep levels as low as possible by all means, but eliminating SO2 presents great risks. It would be a shame to see a region where quality is increasing risk its reputation with substandard wines made to feed a fashion.
Grapevine • Domaine Opus Vinum, a tiny
Arbois producer established in 2005, has been forced to change its name by California winery Opus One (owned by the giant Constellation group and Domaines Rothschild). Owners Alice Bouvot and Charles Dagand, who originally chose Opus Vinum for its musical reference, had not envisaged any possible conflict of interest between a small Jura domaine and a Napa Valley giant. It transpires that the name Opus has been registered by Opus One. In March 2008, the new name of Les Vins d’Alice was chosen after a competition among friends and customers.
• La Savoie Viticole Authentique
was the name of a trade tasting staged by 20 renegade producers in Paris in November 2007. Concerned by the lack of opportunities provided
by the official Savoie body, the producers joined forces to present their wines in the Aux Zingots restaurant. All 11 of the main organic/biodynamic producers of Savoie were present, and they had invited “similar-thinking” colleagues representing all the different geographical sectors to join them. More than half the producers are those listed in Wine Report. The tasting gave a rare opportunity for the trade to taste the wines from top producers side by side.
• The release of the 2001 vintage of vin jaune in 2008 will be somewhat muted. No Château-Chalon 2001 was allowed to be produced due to poor grape quality. Several producers of vin jaune have also decided to skip a year, hoping their stocks of the 2000 vintage will last until the 2002 can be released in 2009.
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Vintage Report Advance report on the latest harvest 2007 Jura – A strange year, when growers suffered hail attacks, excess heat, and heavy rainfall that led to outbreaks of mildew, which were often impossible to treat, since there were no gaps in the rainfall to allow spraying. The very warm April gave an even earlier flowering than 2003, but it was followed by rain for most of the summer. Catastrophe was avoided when the fine weather finally broke through at the end of August. By September, three weeks of north winds and sunshine dried out any grey rot and turned it into noble rot, giving good sugar concentration. The most successful wines are likely to be from those growers who dared to wait the longest to harvest. Late-ripening varieties did best, notably Savagnin and Trousseau. Savoie – Towards the end of August, growers feared the worst vintage for some time. An unusually hot spring gave flowering five to six weeks earlier than an average year, but this was followed by a really wet summer, with severe outbreaks of mildew that were almost impossible to control. The fine weather in September with a dry north wind turned this into what most growers are describing as a “miracle vintage”. It took place on average around a week earlier than normal, but with crops reduced by around 30 per cent due to mildew and hail damage. Many growers are describing quality as exceptional, due to a complete absence of rot, and it looks like being particularly successful for the late-ripening Mondeuse.
Updates on the previous five vintages Ratings for vin jaune and vin de paille are included in the scores for white wines.
2006 Vintage rating: Jura – Red: 79,White: 83; Savoie – Red: 78,White: 81 Jura – A record-breaking, extremely hot July was followed by a very wet, cool August. A warm, sunny September saved what could have been a disastrous vintage. Rot was a problem for some, and the harvest was small overall. Decent reds were made by those producers who acted quickly and were selective, though some are quite light and should be drunk before the 2005s. Whites are generally of better quality, with good fruit though relatively soft acidity, and are also for drinking early.
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Savoie – After a very hot July and a very cold, wet August, it was never going to be easy. September was a big improvement, but rainstorms hit in late September and early October. Rot of various types was the biggest problem, and for black grapes there was a level of underripeness, too. The producers who really took care in the vineyard and made a rigorous selection at harvest were the winners, though it is a relatively lightweight year for both whites and reds.
2005 Vintage rating: Jura – Red: 90,White: 92; Savoie – Red: 88,White: 85 Jura – A classic year throughout the region. There were high sugar levels, but acidity was maintained, and this, combined with good concentration and modest yields, produced successful wines from all varieties. The best wines show excellent balance of flavours and structure. Many wines have been released, but the wines can be kept for future drinking. Savoie – Overall a good growing season, and it was a year when there should be no excuse for bad wines. Most whites made from Bergeron (Roussanne) and Altesse did not need any chaptalization, and the best show attractive flavours, balance, and length. Mondeuse reds are the real stars: lovely fruit flavours and ripe tannins resulting from better vineyard methods in combination with the weather.
2004 Vintage rating: Jura – Red: 80,White: 82; Savoie – Red: 76,White: 78 Jura – After a wet summer, September was dry and warm. Crop levels were high, and selection was essential. Much Crémant du Jura was made from Chardonnay. Savagnins were picked at good sugar and acidity levels, crucial for vin jaune. Trousseau was the most successful black variety. Savoie – Excess quantity was the biggest problem in this year of variable weather, but the grapes were generally healthy. Growers who were selective produced reasonably concentrated Roussette de Savoie whites from Altesse, and the finest producers of Mondeuse did well.
2003 Vintage rating: Jura – Red: 86,White: 76; Savoie – Red: 83,White: 81 Jura – A very early and small harvest. Dealing with low acidity was a big challenge, especially for wines destined for vin jaune. Some interesting
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Savagnin wines have been released, but most Chardonnays are a little too soft for keeping. Reds, for once, are actually red in colour and taste of ripe fruit! Savoie – Low quantities in this unusually hot, dry year mean that few wines are still available. However, the best producers made deliciously fruity whites and some structured reds.
2002 Vintage rating: Jura – Red: 86,White: 90; Savoie – Red: 79,White: 77 Jura – Overall, good quality with fine potential for vin jaune. Chardonnays and some Trousseau reds are excellent still, with good weight and balance. Savoie – Wines are mainly sold and drunk. Mondeuse can still be good.
GREATEST WINE PRODUCERS
NEW UP-AND-COMING PRODUCERS
Jura 1 Domaine André & Mireille Tissot 2 Jacques Puffeney 3 Domaine Labet Père & Fils 4 Domaine Ganevat 5 Jean Rijckaert Savoie 1 Domaine Dupasquier 2 André & Michel Quenard 3 Denis & Didier Berthollier 4 Domaine Louis Magnin 5 Pascal & Annick Quenard
Jura 1 Julien Labet 2 Les Vins d’Alice 3 Rémi Treuvey 4 Julien Maréchal 5 Domaine Cybelline Savoie 1 Gilles Berlioz 2 Domaine de l’Ardoisières 3 Frédéric & David Giachino 4 Bruno Lupin 5 EARL La Gerbelle
FASTEST-IMPROVING PRODUCERS
BEST-VALUE PRODUCERS
Jura 1 Domaine Pignier 2 Domaine Ligier Père & Fils 3 Château d’Arlay 4 Domaine Berthet-Bondet 5 Domaine de la Tournelle Savoie 1 La Cave du Prieuré 2 Domaine Belluard 3 Jean-Pierre & Philippe Grisard 4 Jean-Pierre & Jean-François Quenard 5 Domaine Delalex
Jura 1 Daniel Dugois 2 Frédéric Lornet 3 Domaine Baud Père & Fils 4 Domaine Jacques Tissot 5 Domaine Rolet Père & Fils Savoie 1 Domaine de l’Idylle 2 Domaine St-Germain 3 Edmond Jacquin & Fils 4 Le Cellier du Palais 5 Domaine Jean Vullien & Fils
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GREATEST-QUALITY WINES Jura 1 Château-Chalon 1999 Jean Macle (€28) 2 Arbois Vin Jaune 1999 Jacques Puffeney (€29) 3 Côtes du Jura Chardonnay Les Grandes Teppes Vieilles Vignes 2005 Domaine Ganevat (€14.50) 4 Côtes du Jura Chardonnay Fleur de Marne La Bardette 2005 Domaine Labet Père & Fils (€12) 5 Arbois Chardonnay La Mailloche 2005 Domaine André & Mireille Tissot (€15) Savoie 1 Vin de Table Son Altesse le Refus NV Domaine Prieuré St-Christophe (€15) 2 Roussette de Savoie Marestel 2005 Domaine Dupasquier (€7.50) 3 Vin de Savoie Chignin Bergeron Cuvée Noé 2006 Pascal & Annick Quenard (€11) 4 Vin de Savoie Chignin Bergeron Les Terrasses 2005 André & Michel Quenard (€8) 5 Roussette de Savoie Baron Decouz 2006 Denis & Didier Berthollier (€6.25)
BEST BARGAINS Jura Note that wines 3 and 4 are both Savagnin Ouillé – that is, non-oxidative fresh, dry whites. 1 Arbois Poulsard 2005 Jacques Puffeney (€6) 2 Côtes du Jura Chardonnay à la Percenette 2006 Domaine Pignier (€12) 3 Arbois Cuvée des Poètes 2005 Domaine Ligier Père & Fils (€10) 4 Arbois Naturé 2005 Frédéric Lornet (€9.50) 5 Côtes du Jura Trousseau 2006 Domaine Baud Père & Fils (€8.50)
Savoie 1 Vin de Savoie Pinot Noir Cuvée Jeanine 2006 Domaine Jean Vullien & Fils (€5.70) 2 Roussette de Savoie 2006 Domaine St-Germain (€7) 3 Vin de Savoie Mondeuse 2006 Pascal & Annick Quenard (€7) 4 Vin de Savoie Chignin Vieilles Vignes 2006 Denis & Didier Berthollier (€4.90) 5 Vin de Savoie Jongieux Mondeuse 2006 La Cave du Prieuré (€5.80)
MOST EXCITING OR UNUSUAL FINDS Jura 1 Côtes du Jura Grains Nobles de Savagnin 2002 Domaine Labet Père & Fils (€20) This is the first vintage the Labets have made a wine from a selection of nobly rotted grapes – and it’s a great success. It was aged for three years in old demi-muids (600-litre barrels). A touch of residual sugar is balanced by high alcohol and acidity, yet it remains supremely elegant, with honey, lemon, and spicy flavours. 2 Arbois L’Opportun Trousseau Liquoreux 2006 Domaine André & Mireille Tissot (€42 per half-bottle) Stéphane Tissot has turned out yet another experimental sweet marvel. From a berry selection of black Trousseau grapes that were either raisined or affected by noble rot, it was pressed and vinified as a white wine. It has a wonderful honey and black-grape-juice nose, and is sweet but not cloying, with a delicate Mirabelle plum character. With only 10.5 per cent alcohol, it is nevertheless weighty in body and flavour.
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3 Arbois Savagnin Vendange
2 Vin de Savoie Vendanges
de Novembre 2005 Domaine Jacques Tissot (€17.50 per halfbottle) Each year, this large Jura domaine saves a few rows of its 50-year-old Savagnin vines to harvest when overripe in November. The result is this delicately sweet white wine, full of spicy, heady flavours. The naturally high acidity of Savagnin makes a good foil for the sweetness. Delicious! 4 Côtes du Jura Rouge 2003 Château d’Arlay (€12) Made almost entirely from Pinot Noir and aged for more than three years in old oak barrels. The unusually hot 2003 vintage conveyed extra-ripe, sweet berryfruit flavours to this burgundianstyle Pinot. It has the potential to age for several years. 5 Crémant du Jura Brut Sauvage NV Domaine Baud Père & Fils (€9) Alain Baud does not believe his Pinot Noir makes a good red wine on its own, and as well as using it for a blended red, he has put it to excellent use in this sparkling wine, where, blended with Chardonnay, it forms 30 per cent of the base wine. Savoie 1 Vin de Savoie Apremont Vieilles Vignes 2006 Domaine Jean Masson & Fils (white label) (€6.80) This unusual producer makes at least six Apremont cuvées. This is one of two Vieilles Vignes versions – a traditionnelle and this one, which is in a burgundy-shaped bottle. It’s made from 100-year-old vines – officially Jacquère, but one wonders… This is the most unusual Apremont I’ve ever tasted, with a richness and structure to age for a decade or more.
d’Exception 2005 Domaine de l’Idylle (€12 per 50-cl bottle) Just 700 half-litre bottles were made of this exceptional Jacquère. It was made as a vin de paille, and the grapes were dried for two months, pressed in December, and the wine then matured in an old 600-litre barrel. Medium-sweet, with a delicate honeyed lemon character and good freshness, with some spiced peach character. 3 Vin de Savoie Primitif NV Frédéric & David Giachino (€5.50) With organic vineyards covering both Apremont and Abymes crus known for their light, fresh whites, the Giachino brothers decided to make this cuvée without any chaptalization and minimal handling. The delightful result has just 9.2 per cent alcohol and packs in more flavour than many Apremonts with 2 degrees more. 4 Vin de Savoie Mondeuse Blanche 2006 Jean-Pierre & Philippe Grisard (€9.50) The 2006 vintage really showed what this unusual variety can do when handled correctly. It is supremely herbal in flavour, both on nose and palate, reminiscent of a Rhône or Provence dry white, but with much higher acidity. 5 Vin de Savoie Marin Clos du Pont 2006 Domaine Delalex (€6) From a spectacular vineyard bowl with a view of Lac Léman, this Chasselas is made without malolactic fermentation (unlike other Chasselas from Haute Savoie or Switzerland). The result is a food-friendly, dry, and ageworthy wine that is excellent value.
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Jura & Savoie Wink Lorch DNA testing on Savoie grape varieties has revealed some surprises and finally laid to rest the myths surrounding the origins of certain varieties deemed unique to Savoie. Ampelographer Dr José Vouillamoz of the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, gave a sneak preview of the results from recent DNA research when he spoke at the first general meeting of the new Centre d’Ampélographie Alpine Pierre Galet (the Pierre Galet Centre for Alpine Ampelography) in Cevins on 8 December 2007. It has been known for a few years that WINK LORCH Mondeuse Blanche, a rare white Savoie variety, was one of the parents of the Rhône Valley’s Syrah grape. Now Vouillamoz, an expert on alpine varieties, has proved a genetic link with the black Savoie variety Mondeuse Noire and the northern Rhône’s white variety Viognier. It transpires that both Mondeuse Noire and Viognier are closely related to Mondeuse Blanche, as either a parent or an offspring. Exactly which is impossible to prove, since there is a missing link, likely to be a grape variety that no longer exists. However, this revelation means that both Viognier and Mondeuse are relatives of Syrah, one as a half-sibling and the other as a grandparent.
WINK LORCH is a wine writer and educator with a passion for the mountains. In 2007, she launched www.winetravelguides.com – a website with online guides for independent wine travellers, initially covering France. She is a past chairman of the Association of Wine Educators and has contributed to several books, including Jancis Robinson’s Oxford Companion to Wine, Time-Life’s The Wine Guide, and Le Cordon Bleu’s Wine Essentials. Wink particularly enjoys enthusing about wines from vineyards in sight of snowcapped mountains, whether the Andes, the Alps, or the Jura. She divides her time between London and the French Alps.
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DNA testing was also carried out on various white grape varieties, including Jacquère and Altesse (used to make Roussette de Savoie), both planted throughout Savoie. Jacquère has been confirmed as an offspring of a formerly very common grape variety, Gouais Blanc (known to ampelographers as the “Casanova of grape varieties”). Altesse is described in Savoie history books as having come from Cyprus and, more recently, was thought by Galet and others to be related to Hungary’s Furmint. Vouillamoz rejects this hypothesis and suggests a relationship with Chasselas, both grapes being of western European origin. Testing was also carried out on Gringet, which grows only in the tiny cru of Ayze, near Bonneville in Haute Savoie. Until now, Gringet was believed to be a member of the Traminer family and related to Jura’s Savagnin variety. DNA testing has proved that this is not the case; in fact, the variety is unique to Savoie and is probably related to Molette, which is grown mainly in Seyssel. The famous ampelographer Professor Pierre Galet (now 86) also attended the meeting in Savoie and was unperturbed that modern DNA techniques refute some of the older thinking on these varieties. He has donated his vast collection of research documents to the new centre, which bears his name and has the aim of preserving ancient alpine varieties. Both Galet and Vouillamoz confirmed the genetic importance of Savoie grape varieties. Wine producer Michel Grisard, one of the figures behind the creation of the centre and co-owner of Domaine de l’Ardoisières in Cevins, hopes that funding will be forthcoming to create an experimental conservatory of alpine grape varieties.
Vin jaune to have taste profile As part of AOC reforms, the Société du Viticulture du Jura, which is charged with liaising with the INAO (Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité), has initiated a study in conjunction with the Institut des Vin du Jura to establish an official taste profile for vin jaune. This is mainly in preparation for stricter controls being introduced on a national basis from July 2008 for the agrément (testing) carried out as part of Appellation Contrôlée rules. One of the study’s key challenges is to differentiate between the taste profile of a white Jura Savagnin wine that has been aged oxidatively and that of a “real” vin jaune. Once the profiling has been completed during 2008, the institute plans to train professional tasters to use the profile to judge whether a vin jaune may be allowed to carry the label.
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The crise begins to bite As indicated in Wine Report 2008, all is not well in some sectors of Jura and Savoie due to the national downturn in wine buying, especially in the restaurant sector, so important to these two tourist-driven regions. The victims are relatively small vignerons, who fall primarily into two categories: first, those who make and market their own wine but whose quality falls well short of the mark, mainly due to lack of technological equipment and know-how (a particular problem in Savoie); second, those who sell their grapes primarily to négociants. This concerns the Jura in particular, where the dominant Henri Maire company announced dramatic cuts in wine purchases two months before the start of the 2007 harvest. The company used to purchase from 130 growers, but in 2007 they bought from only 30. Some of the remaining growers managed to find buyers, but many left their grapes unpicked.
Bugey has no choice For several years, Vins de Bugey has tried without success to gain AOC status. With the VDQS category being abolished by 2010, promotion should finally become a reality. VDQS wine areas may choose to apply for AOC status or for the more flexible vin de pays category. The Syndicat des Vins de Bugey has been working on the required changes needed for elevation to AOC for some years; since over 60 per cent of its production is sparkling wine, AOC is the only sensible choice. Volumes of the sparkling pink Cerdon VDQS, made by the méthode ancestrale, and white and rosé Vin de Bugey Mousseux VDQS, made by the méthode traditionnelle, have increased by more than 50 per cent in the past decade, and demoting them to vin de table would be a severe blow to the region. Bugey is more than ready to adopt the AOC regime and hopes that it will receive approval in time for the 2009 vintage.
Grapevine • The Maison du Vin de Savoie in
Apremont finally opened in February 2008 after several years of planning. The official wine organizations have moved their offices and laboratories into the new building, which is in the heart of the wine area; however, there are administrative delays concerning the creation of a consumer visitor information centre and shop: this will not open before summer 2009.
• A heritage centre (Centre
d’Interpretation du Patrimoine) opened in Château-Chalon in April 2008. Combining displays about the geology and history of this classic hilltop village with comprehensive background information on the wines, this will make a highly educational visit for tourists. The cellar area will also be used for wine tastings presented by the growers.
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Opinion: Jura: seize this opportunity! In every appellation of France, committees have been meeting, commitments made, and papers written in time for the July 2008 deadline for AOC reform. The priority is to put in place all manner of checks – from the pruning of the vines, to the bottling of the wine – to be conducted by exterior independent inspection committees. This system will replace the existing compulsory agrément (taste test), although certain taste tests will still take place. In the Jura, they are well advanced with plans to comply with the reform, knowing that – for the sake of the growers, who face substantial cost increases to pay for this – they must create an efficient and effective system. This is all well and good, and I applaud it. However, by focusing so much energy on compliance with the new regulations, the region is missing an important opportunity to market its wines better. Compliance with the AOC labelling system means labels that are woefully uninformative. The region’s producers should introduce compulsory back labels that explain to the consumer what is in the bottle. This tiny region offers a bewildering choice of wine styles, and often the same label is used for a fresh, fruity style of Côtes du Jura Chardonnay as for a rich, barrel-fermented one or an oxidative, nutty style that tastes nothing like its grape variety. If Jura wants to combat falling local consumption by seeking sales outside the region and indeed outside the country, it must address this issue at the earliest possible opportunity.
Savoie producers must embrace wine tourism In Savoie, too, there is an opportunity to combat falling sales. Encouraged by the Rhône-Alpes administrative region, a committee has been set up to examine the possibilities of promoting wine tourism in Savoie. This is so obvious that one wonders why it needs a committee, but Savoyards are notoriously slow to embrace change and opportunity. And they are loners too – vignerons want to plough their own metaphorical vineyard furrows. There are some plans being made now, but they are going to concentrate on visitors from the local region; the millions of foreigners they could welcome are not even being considered. The Savoie vineyards are in one of the most beautiful regions in the world, with a benign climate, spectacular mountains, beautiful lakes, and historic cities (Annecy, Chambéry, Aix-Les Bains). The region welcomes millions of tourists every year – the majority come for ski holidays, but a
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significant number visit in summer as well. The wine industry is woefully late in getting on the tourist bandwagon. Even if wine routes are mapped out, there is little information about which vignerons are open for visits, and there has been no encouragement for hotels and restaurants to work with wine producers to encourage visits. Even if few direct purchases would be made, it would open doors for the Savoyard wine producers to sell more wine outside the region. They must consider this issue urgently.
Caution needed with “natural” wines Jura has a higher proportion of organic vineyards than other French wine regions, which is great news. However, owners of organic vineyards in particular, but also of some conventionally farmed vineyards, seem under pressure from a fashion in France and, to an extent, North America for so-called “natural” wines. The main requirement of “natural” wines is that they should have no added SO2. This is a dangerous move. Although I have been surprised by the good quality of a few no-sulphur wines I have tasted, there are many that disappoint. Keep levels as low as possible by all means, but eliminating SO2 presents great risks. It would be a shame to see a region where quality is increasing risk its reputation with substandard wines made to feed a fashion.
Grapevine • Domaine Opus Vinum, a tiny
Arbois producer established in 2005, has been forced to change its name by California winery Opus One (owned by the giant Constellation group and Domaines Rothschild). Owners Alice Bouvot and Charles Dagand, who originally chose Opus Vinum for its musical reference, had not envisaged any possible conflict of interest between a small Jura domaine and a Napa Valley giant. It transpires that the name Opus has been registered by Opus One. In March 2008, the new name of Les Vins d’Alice was chosen after a competition among friends and customers.
• La Savoie Viticole Authentique
was the name of a trade tasting staged by 20 renegade producers in Paris in November 2007. Concerned by the lack of opportunities provided
by the official Savoie body, the producers joined forces to present their wines in the Aux Zingots restaurant. All 11 of the main organic/biodynamic producers of Savoie were present, and they had invited “similar-thinking” colleagues representing all the different geographical sectors to join them. More than half the producers are those listed in Wine Report. The tasting gave a rare opportunity for the trade to taste the wines from top producers side by side.
• The release of the 2001 vintage of vin jaune in 2008 will be somewhat muted. No Château-Chalon 2001 was allowed to be produced due to poor grape quality. Several producers of vin jaune have also decided to skip a year, hoping their stocks of the 2000 vintage will last until the 2002 can be released in 2009.
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Vintage Report Advance report on the latest harvest 2007 Jura – A strange year, when growers suffered hail attacks, excess heat, and heavy rainfall that led to outbreaks of mildew, which were often impossible to treat, since there were no gaps in the rainfall to allow spraying. The very warm April gave an even earlier flowering than 2003, but it was followed by rain for most of the summer. Catastrophe was avoided when the fine weather finally broke through at the end of August. By September, three weeks of north winds and sunshine dried out any grey rot and turned it into noble rot, giving good sugar concentration. The most successful wines are likely to be from those growers who dared to wait the longest to harvest. Late-ripening varieties did best, notably Savagnin and Trousseau. Savoie – Towards the end of August, growers feared the worst vintage for some time. An unusually hot spring gave flowering five to six weeks earlier than an average year, but this was followed by a really wet summer, with severe outbreaks of mildew that were almost impossible to control. The fine weather in September with a dry north wind turned this into what most growers are describing as a “miracle vintage”. It took place on average around a week earlier than normal, but with crops reduced by around 30 per cent due to mildew and hail damage. Many growers are describing quality as exceptional, due to a complete absence of rot, and it looks like being particularly successful for the late-ripening Mondeuse.
Updates on the previous five vintages Ratings for vin jaune and vin de paille are included in the scores for white wines.
2006 Vintage rating: Jura – Red: 79,White: 83; Savoie – Red: 78,White: 81 Jura – A record-breaking, extremely hot July was followed by a very wet, cool August. A warm, sunny September saved what could have been a disastrous vintage. Rot was a problem for some, and the harvest was small overall. Decent reds were made by those producers who acted quickly and were selective, though some are quite light and should be drunk before the 2005s. Whites are generally of better quality, with good fruit though relatively soft acidity, and are also for drinking early.
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Savoie – After a very hot July and a very cold, wet August, it was never going to be easy. September was a big improvement, but rainstorms hit in late September and early October. Rot of various types was the biggest problem, and for black grapes there was a level of underripeness, too. The producers who really took care in the vineyard and made a rigorous selection at harvest were the winners, though it is a relatively lightweight year for both whites and reds.
2005 Vintage rating: Jura – Red: 90,White: 92; Savoie – Red: 88,White: 85 Jura – A classic year throughout the region. There were high sugar levels, but acidity was maintained, and this, combined with good concentration and modest yields, produced successful wines from all varieties. The best wines show excellent balance of flavours and structure. Many wines have been released, but the wines can be kept for future drinking. Savoie – Overall a good growing season, and it was a year when there should be no excuse for bad wines. Most whites made from Bergeron (Roussanne) and Altesse did not need any chaptalization, and the best show attractive flavours, balance, and length. Mondeuse reds are the real stars: lovely fruit flavours and ripe tannins resulting from better vineyard methods in combination with the weather.
2004 Vintage rating: Jura – Red: 80,White: 82; Savoie – Red: 76,White: 78 Jura – After a wet summer, September was dry and warm. Crop levels were high, and selection was essential. Much Crémant du Jura was made from Chardonnay. Savagnins were picked at good sugar and acidity levels, crucial for vin jaune. Trousseau was the most successful black variety. Savoie – Excess quantity was the biggest problem in this year of variable weather, but the grapes were generally healthy. Growers who were selective produced reasonably concentrated Roussette de Savoie whites from Altesse, and the finest producers of Mondeuse did well.
2003 Vintage rating: Jura – Red: 86,White: 76; Savoie – Red: 83,White: 81 Jura – A very early and small harvest. Dealing with low acidity was a big challenge, especially for wines destined for vin jaune. Some interesting
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Savagnin wines have been released, but most Chardonnays are a little too soft for keeping. Reds, for once, are actually red in colour and taste of ripe fruit! Savoie – Low quantities in this unusually hot, dry year mean that few wines are still available. However, the best producers made deliciously fruity whites and some structured reds.
2002 Vintage rating: Jura – Red: 86,White: 90; Savoie – Red: 79,White: 77 Jura – Overall, good quality with fine potential for vin jaune. Chardonnays and some Trousseau reds are excellent still, with good weight and balance. Savoie – Wines are mainly sold and drunk. Mondeuse can still be good.
GREATEST WINE PRODUCERS
NEW UP-AND-COMING PRODUCERS
Jura 1 Domaine André & Mireille Tissot 2 Jacques Puffeney 3 Domaine Labet Père & Fils 4 Domaine Ganevat 5 Jean Rijckaert Savoie 1 Domaine Dupasquier 2 André & Michel Quenard 3 Denis & Didier Berthollier 4 Domaine Louis Magnin 5 Pascal & Annick Quenard
Jura 1 Julien Labet 2 Les Vins d’Alice 3 Rémi Treuvey 4 Julien Maréchal 5 Domaine Cybelline Savoie 1 Gilles Berlioz 2 Domaine de l’Ardoisières 3 Frédéric & David Giachino 4 Bruno Lupin 5 EARL La Gerbelle
FASTEST-IMPROVING PRODUCERS
BEST-VALUE PRODUCERS
Jura 1 Domaine Pignier 2 Domaine Ligier Père & Fils 3 Château d’Arlay 4 Domaine Berthet-Bondet 5 Domaine de la Tournelle Savoie 1 La Cave du Prieuré 2 Domaine Belluard 3 Jean-Pierre & Philippe Grisard 4 Jean-Pierre & Jean-François Quenard 5 Domaine Delalex
Jura 1 Daniel Dugois 2 Frédéric Lornet 3 Domaine Baud Père & Fils 4 Domaine Jacques Tissot 5 Domaine Rolet Père & Fils Savoie 1 Domaine de l’Idylle 2 Domaine St-Germain 3 Edmond Jacquin & Fils 4 Le Cellier du Palais 5 Domaine Jean Vullien & Fils
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GREATEST-QUALITY WINES Jura 1 Château-Chalon 1999 Jean Macle (€28) 2 Arbois Vin Jaune 1999 Jacques Puffeney (€29) 3 Côtes du Jura Chardonnay Les Grandes Teppes Vieilles Vignes 2005 Domaine Ganevat (€14.50) 4 Côtes du Jura Chardonnay Fleur de Marne La Bardette 2005 Domaine Labet Père & Fils (€12) 5 Arbois Chardonnay La Mailloche 2005 Domaine André & Mireille Tissot (€15) Savoie 1 Vin de Table Son Altesse le Refus NV Domaine Prieuré St-Christophe (€15) 2 Roussette de Savoie Marestel 2005 Domaine Dupasquier (€7.50) 3 Vin de Savoie Chignin Bergeron Cuvée Noé 2006 Pascal & Annick Quenard (€11) 4 Vin de Savoie Chignin Bergeron Les Terrasses 2005 André & Michel Quenard (€8) 5 Roussette de Savoie Baron Decouz 2006 Denis & Didier Berthollier (€6.25)
BEST BARGAINS Jura Note that wines 3 and 4 are both Savagnin Ouillé – that is, non-oxidative fresh, dry whites. 1 Arbois Poulsard 2005 Jacques Puffeney (€6) 2 Côtes du Jura Chardonnay à la Percenette 2006 Domaine Pignier (€12) 3 Arbois Cuvée des Poètes 2005 Domaine Ligier Père & Fils (€10) 4 Arbois Naturé 2005 Frédéric Lornet (€9.50) 5 Côtes du Jura Trousseau 2006 Domaine Baud Père & Fils (€8.50)
Savoie 1 Vin de Savoie Pinot Noir Cuvée Jeanine 2006 Domaine Jean Vullien & Fils (€5.70) 2 Roussette de Savoie 2006 Domaine St-Germain (€7) 3 Vin de Savoie Mondeuse 2006 Pascal & Annick Quenard (€7) 4 Vin de Savoie Chignin Vieilles Vignes 2006 Denis & Didier Berthollier (€4.90) 5 Vin de Savoie Jongieux Mondeuse 2006 La Cave du Prieuré (€5.80)
MOST EXCITING OR UNUSUAL FINDS Jura 1 Côtes du Jura Grains Nobles de Savagnin 2002 Domaine Labet Père & Fils (€20) This is the first vintage the Labets have made a wine from a selection of nobly rotted grapes – and it’s a great success. It was aged for three years in old demi-muids (600-litre barrels). A touch of residual sugar is balanced by high alcohol and acidity, yet it remains supremely elegant, with honey, lemon, and spicy flavours. 2 Arbois L’Opportun Trousseau Liquoreux 2006 Domaine André & Mireille Tissot (€42 per half-bottle) Stéphane Tissot has turned out yet another experimental sweet marvel. From a berry selection of black Trousseau grapes that were either raisined or affected by noble rot, it was pressed and vinified as a white wine. It has a wonderful honey and black-grape-juice nose, and is sweet but not cloying, with a delicate Mirabelle plum character. With only 10.5 per cent alcohol, it is nevertheless weighty in body and flavour.
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3 Arbois Savagnin Vendange
2 Vin de Savoie Vendanges
de Novembre 2005 Domaine Jacques Tissot (€17.50 per halfbottle) Each year, this large Jura domaine saves a few rows of its 50-year-old Savagnin vines to harvest when overripe in November. The result is this delicately sweet white wine, full of spicy, heady flavours. The naturally high acidity of Savagnin makes a good foil for the sweetness. Delicious! 4 Côtes du Jura Rouge 2003 Château d’Arlay (€12) Made almost entirely from Pinot Noir and aged for more than three years in old oak barrels. The unusually hot 2003 vintage conveyed extra-ripe, sweet berryfruit flavours to this burgundianstyle Pinot. It has the potential to age for several years. 5 Crémant du Jura Brut Sauvage NV Domaine Baud Père & Fils (€9) Alain Baud does not believe his Pinot Noir makes a good red wine on its own, and as well as using it for a blended red, he has put it to excellent use in this sparkling wine, where, blended with Chardonnay, it forms 30 per cent of the base wine. Savoie 1 Vin de Savoie Apremont Vieilles Vignes 2006 Domaine Jean Masson & Fils (white label) (€6.80) This unusual producer makes at least six Apremont cuvées. This is one of two Vieilles Vignes versions – a traditionnelle and this one, which is in a burgundy-shaped bottle. It’s made from 100-year-old vines – officially Jacquère, but one wonders… This is the most unusual Apremont I’ve ever tasted, with a richness and structure to age for a decade or more.
d’Exception 2005 Domaine de l’Idylle (€12 per 50-cl bottle) Just 700 half-litre bottles were made of this exceptional Jacquère. It was made as a vin de paille, and the grapes were dried for two months, pressed in December, and the wine then matured in an old 600-litre barrel. Medium-sweet, with a delicate honeyed lemon character and good freshness, with some spiced peach character. 3 Vin de Savoie Primitif NV Frédéric & David Giachino (€5.50) With organic vineyards covering both Apremont and Abymes crus known for their light, fresh whites, the Giachino brothers decided to make this cuvée without any chaptalization and minimal handling. The delightful result has just 9.2 per cent alcohol and packs in more flavour than many Apremonts with 2 degrees more. 4 Vin de Savoie Mondeuse Blanche 2006 Jean-Pierre & Philippe Grisard (€9.50) The 2006 vintage really showed what this unusual variety can do when handled correctly. It is supremely herbal in flavour, both on nose and palate, reminiscent of a Rhône or Provence dry white, but with much higher acidity. 5 Vin de Savoie Marin Clos du Pont 2006 Domaine Delalex (€6) From a spectacular vineyard bowl with a view of Lac Léman, this Chasselas is made without malolactic fermentation (unlike other Chasselas from Haute Savoie or Switzerland). The result is a food-friendly, dry, and ageworthy wine that is excellent value.
