If you’ve heard of savagnin (nope, not sauvignon), you may well be one of those in-the-know wine drinkers who have been ushered in the direction of the Jura, this grape’s iconic region, after being priced out of your favourite burgundy. And while there are some similarities between the two regions, a focus on chardonnay and pinot noir being the most obvious, there are plenty of other varieties for discerning wine nerds, and savagnin is definitely one of them.
It’s a grape variety that’s been grown in France for 900 years, with high acidity and a late-ripening in the vineyard, and it’s known for the complex, age-worthy styles of wine it can create. It’s also grown just over the border in Switzerland, where it’s known as heida, as well as in Australia, where it was once mistaken for albariño. In the Jura, however, this high-acid grape produces nuanced still wines, and wines made in the vin jaune style, for which the wine is matured under yeast to give it a nutty, complex character akin to that of a biologically aged sherry such as fino.
The curious character of these wines makes them a sommelier’s secret weapon, as Donald Edwards, consultant sommelier, tells me: “Vin jaune scratches an itch that’s hard to sort any other way: oily, sharp, salty, a little bit wrong, but also ridiculously moreish. The Jura’s chardonnays seem to rewrite exactly what that variety can be in terms of expression, but it’s the savagnins that really epitomise the area, snarling at you, while at the same time being defiantly discordant in the most thrilling way. ”
Because of the region’s relatively small output (a quick glance at Decanter reveals 230 wineries and an average production of 11 million bottles, so a fraction of France’s other regions), you’re more likely to find savagnin, and other Jura wines, for that matter, in more boutique-y retailers. They’re also likely to be a lot more expensive than, say, sauvignon, or any other such wine that’s produced everywhere and by everyone.
Imagine my surprise/shock/delight, then, when the Wine Society recently announced that it’s bringing a côtes du Jura to its own-label range for £18.50. Yes, I know as well as you that this isn’t a bargain in the literal sense, but it’s not too bad a shout considering the 100% savagnin currently on the society’s website is £27, while a lot of other Jura frequently topples over the £30 mark. Hopefully, this might also open the doors for supermarkets and other big retailers to do the same, so my wallet can take less of a flogging every time I want to open my mouth to the nutty, savoury flavours of the Jura.
Four Jura wines to pique your interest
The Society’s Exhibition Côtes du Jura £18.50 The Wine Society, 13.5%. Salted almonds abound in this complex and interesting white that’s about 50% savagnin.
Tissot-Maire Blanc de Blancs Crémant du Jura NV £16.25 Corney & Barrow, 12%. Luxurious Jura crémant that’s aged for four years on the lees.
Domaine Jean-Louis Tissot Poulsard £18.25 Yapp Brothers, 13.5%. Poulsard is another of the Jura’s unique, pleasing varieties: red cherry and pinot-like spice.
Fruitière Vinicole d’Arbois Chardonnay £14.50 The Wine Society, 13.5%. From one of the oldest wine cooperatives in France, this fruit-forward chardonnay shows apples and pears.
