Vin Jaune

As someone who loves sherry, I have always wanted to taste Vin Jaune, an historic drink from the French region of Jura which has many similarities with fino. Like fino, it's aged under a layer of yeast for many years in old oak barrels, giving it complex, oxidative qualities.

the region

Jura lies on mountains next to Switzerland and is France's smallest wine region by far, covering just 2,100ha (0.3% of all French vineyards). The largest production is of its sparkling wine, Crémant de Jura. White wine is made from either Chardonnay or a local grape, Savagnin, while red wine is made from Pinot Noir or two other local, historic grapes, Trousseau and Poulsard. The area is cool and wet, so it takes care and skill on the winemaker's part to make quality red wine that isn't too dilute. The whites are rich, nutty, and intense, and often best served at warmer temperatures than the lighter reds. A series of extraordinary wines are made, including Vin de Paille ("straw wine" - sweet wine made from grapes dried on straw mats), Macvin du Jura (a blend of grape juice and grape spirit), and Vin Jaune. 

the drink

Vin Jaune (literally, "yellow wine") accounts for just 6% of Jura's small production and is not easy to find. It's perhaps most known for its similarities to sherry, but its history has developed separately and there are notable differences between the two drinks.

Vin Jaune, which is always a vintage wine, can only be made from one grape, Savagnin, which imparts noticeable tangy, spicy characteristics on the wine; the grape also has high acidity, important for the ageing process Vin Jaune undergoes. The wine is fermented as normal, undergoing malolactic fermentation, before being transferred into large old oak barrels the following spring or summer or even later. The wine cannot be released until the January six years after the harvest (so a wine from 2006 could not be sold until January 2013).

Vin Jaune ageing under la voile

It is these years in barrel which give Vin Jaune its unique qualities. Where the wine is stored - underground, in a loft - and at what temperature affects the eventual nature of the wine. For fino, the barrels are not filled to the top, leaving space for the oxygen in the air to interact with the wine to create the layer of yeast that sits on top (flor in Spain; la voile in France). With many Vins Jaunes, the barrels are filled almost to the top which means that the layer of yeast takes time to form as the wine naturally evaporates into the air.

The wine is bottled in the unusually shaped clavelin, a 650ml bottle which holds 620ml of wine - the volume of wine said to be left from a litre of wine after evaporation. This is the only bottle of this size allowed under EU regulations; apparently US regulations forbid its importation, but the Vin Jaune I drank was in one of these bottles.

Château Chalon is one of Jura's AOCs; the wines of Jura have tremendous ageing potential

the wine

The wine came from the wonderfully-bearded Jacques Puffeney, known as "Le Pape d'Arbois" ("The Pope of Arbois," an AOC in Jura), and was from the 2006 vintage, the youngest available. It had a hazy golden colour and a naturally high alcohol of 14% (Vin Jaune is not fortified). Like fino, the nose was noticeably oxidative but the aromas were quite intense, with tangy citrus fruits, baked apples, and almonds, and a rich woody texture. The palate was heavy and rich, with really intense spices and dried fruit flavours.

Given the oxidative nature of the wine, it's difficult not to compare it to sherry. It looked and smelt a lot like a fino, but the palate was much more like a palo cortado with the rich, intense dried fruits and spices. The dense, oxidative woodiness would be off-putting to many, but is its very appeal.

I was certainly not disappointed with the Vin Jaune. Intense and heavy, yet fresh and lively, the wine was complex and unique. This may not be a wine that sits comfortably with modern sensibilties, with its funky woody nose and ageing requirements, but that makes it stand out all the more. It's a wine that speaks of its history, its origin, and the dedication of the winemaker. The spicy, nutty, creamy flavours also make it a perfect food pairing, particularly with the dishes of the Jura such as sausages, chicken, mushrooms, and cheese.

the cheese

Jura also makes Comté cheese, a natural food pairing with Vin Jaune. While production of Vin Jaune is small, that of Comté is much larger - 130,000 cows are used to make 1.45m wheels of Comté cheese each year. Like wine, types of cheese are protected by an appellation system, and the Comté AOP accounts for 26% of all of France's appellation cheese production.

Comté must be aged for at least four months before sale, and is often aged for longer. Although hard, the cheese has a lactic creaminess with nutty, vegetal flavours. The cheese I chose to have with the Vin Jaune was Marcel Petite Fort St. Antoine, a producer who ages 100,000 wheels of cheese in a large converted underground fort. On its own, the cheese's mature character can be hard to take, but the rich, creamy intensity of the Vin Jaune softened those flavours. Likewise, the nutty aromas of the wine interacted nicely with those of the Comté and the creamy nature of the wine brought out the cheese's lactic qualities.

Both the Vin Jaune and the Comté were expressions of local history, tradition, and culture, working perfectly with one another to make the experience even greater. It may be a while until I can afford to drink Vin Jaune again, but I cannot wait until the next time - maybe alongside some sausages and mushrooms.

Essential further reading: "Jura Wine" by Wink Lorch (£25/€30/$40)