Jura

The wine-growing region is located in eastern France, between Burgundy and Switzerland. It has a long wine-growing tradition, already doumented by the elder Pliny (23-79 AD), and evidenced by numerous Roman wine amphorae found in the area. Wine from this region was already very popular in medieval times, one of the great fans was kinf Henry IV. (1553-1610). Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) was born in the city of Dôle, and he carried out his revolutionary experiments on oxidation and fermentation in the city of Arbois. Prior to the phylloxera catastrophe, the total vineyard area was 20.000 hectares, ten times the size it is now. At that stage, more than 40 varieties were planted. Today, the vineyard area totals around 1.900 hectares, located at an altitude of between 250 and 400 metres above sea level in the département Jura. The vineyards are concentrated on a strip around ten kilometres wide, running from Arc-et-Senans in the north to Bourg-en-Bresse in the south. To the south lies the wine-growing region of Savoie, often regarded as a single wine-growing region jointly with Jura. The rough continental climate involves very severe winters and changeable summers with many warm days, is characterised by the Jura mountains of limestone, which give the region its name. Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) to the east has a moderating effect on the climate. As the region has a number of grape varieties with different ripening periods, the harvest can often stretch into November. Chaptalising of the wines is widely practised. 80% of the wines produced are white wines, most of them are made in a more or less oxidative style. The very few wines made in small quantities in a non-oxidative style are known as „Ouillé“. The most important white varieties are Chardonay, with almost 50% of the total area, as well as the indigenous variety Savagnin Blanc (Naturé), used fort he famous Vin Jaune. The most important varieties for red resp. rosé wines are Poulsard (Plousard), with 20% of the total area, as well as Trousseau and Pinot Noir. The second major speciality here, apart from Vin Jaune, is Vin de paille (straw wine). Both are produced in various areas. The region is very well suited to the production of sparkling wines (Crémants). Only two percent of the wines produced in the Jura region is exported, most of the wine is drunk within the region. There are around 500 producers. The appellations are:

* Arbois (Arbois Mousseux, Arbois Pupillin, Arbois Vin Jaune, Arbois Vin de Paille)
* Château-Chalon
* Côtes du Jura (C.d.J. Mousseux, C.d.J. Vin Jaune, C.d.J. Vin de Paille)
* Crémant du Jura
* Franche-Comté (vin de pays)
* L´Etoile (L´Etoile Mousseux, L´Etoile Vin Jaune, L´Etoile Vin de Paille)
* Macvin du Jura (Macvin)