Continuation to our never-ending series of tastings on the wines of Jura.
If you happen to be interested, here are the previous iterations on the same theme:
Part 1 (Jura, Jura and some more Jura)
Part 2 (Another Jurassic adventure)
Part 3 (Ganevat, Cavarodes, Bienaimé, Lannay)
Part 4 (A&JF Ganevat, La Caveau de Bacchus, Vuillet & Jacques, etc.)
Part 5 (Deep into the mouse nest!)
Part 6 (Ganevat, Labet, Rijckaert, Pélican, etc.)
Part 7 (Frédérics Lornet and Puffeney + some random Bdxs)
Part 8 (stuff that the cool kids drink)
Part 9 (Ganevat, Labet, Allante & Boulanger, etc.)
Part 10 (Ganevat, Labet, Montbourgeau, etc.)
The tasting started on a rather sour note when we had a bubbly that was among the mousiest wines I’ve ever tasted - not only was the aftertaste simply revolting with overwhelming mousiness, but you could actually smell the mousiness before you even had had one sip of the wine! The wine also tasted quite mousy already in your mouth before you had swallowed any of it. So this is for you guys who always say that you can taste mousiness only in the aftertaste!
Apart from that one, the wines ranged from pretty nice to really good. Unsurprisingly, Ganevat rocked the house once again - both with his estate and négociant wines. Only the Victor de la Combe was a bit weird this time - it has shown more freshness and acidity in the past, whereas it was rather exotic this time.
Our host also cooked us some tasty hybrid kitchen: classic Nordic meatballs and potato mash with some creamy vin jaune sauce!
- 2020 Domaine Labet Crémant du Jura - France, Jura, Crémant du Jura (7.10.2024)
100% Chardonnay from 5 to 60 yo vineyards. Fermented and aged for 7 months in stainless steel tanks, then bottled and aged for 18 months sur lattes. Zero-dosage. 13,3% alcohol, pH 3,17.
Luminous, pale yellow color. The nose feels crisp with aromas of freshly pressed apple juice, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of leesy yeast, light herby tones and a salty hint of sea air. The wine pretty ripe yet still very crisp and dry on the palate with a medium body and clean flavors of sharp Granny Smith apple, some mineral notes of chalk dust, a little bit of fresh white peach, light tangy notes of salinity, a hint of crunchy quince and a touch of leesy yeast. The high acidity makes the wine feel fresh, balanced and enjoyably structured. The finish is crisp and clean with a rather long aftertaste of tart Granny Smith apple, some key lime, light stony mineral notes, a little bit of crunchy white currant, a hint of tangy salinity and a touch of leesy autolysis.
A nice, crisp and clean Crémant. Good sense of freshness, structure and intensity, but not big on character or complexity. Might develop into something a bit more interesting with additional aging, but I remain a bit skeptical how complex these zero-dosage sparkling wines can get. Tasty stuff, all the same. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 35€.
(90 points) - NV Domaine Morel Chardonnay Les Pieds Sur Terre Brut Nature - France, Jura, Crémant du Jura (7.10.2024)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay - no idea about the base vintage, but we expect the wine to be entirely from the 2018 harvest. Fermented spontaneously, bottled on May 15th, 2019. Disgorged after 30 months of aging sur lattes, on November 19th, 2021. Vinified completely without any SO2. 12,5% alcohol, dosage 0 g/l.
A bit dull and somewhat hazy yellow color. The nose feels rather funky and not that attractive with aromas of bruised apples, some bretty notes of leather, light yeasty notes of fermenting bread dough, a little bit of nuttiness and - after some aeration - a faint grainy suggestion of mousiness. I haven't even tasted the wine at this point and I can tell that it is going to be mousy. The wine feels considerably funky and dry yet very ripe and thus somewhat sweetly-fruited on the palate with a medium body and very sauvage flavors of bruised apple, some chopped nuts, light animale notes reminiscent of a wet dog, a little bit of dirty and grainy mousiness, a hint of sweet-toned yellow fruit and a leathery touch of farmhouse funk. The more air the wine gets, the more mousy it gets. The acidity feels high and the mousse comes across as silky-fine but also intense and quite persistent. The finish is so outrageously mousy it makes me gag instantaneously, but I can detect some faint nuances of bretty leather, some bruised apple tones, a little bit of leesy autolysis and a hint of oxidative nuttiness in the aftertaste as well.
Many people tell that mousiness is something you can't smell or taste - it is something that appears only in the aftertaste. And that is true with most mousy wines. However, when wines get badly mousy - I mean really, REALLY badly mousy - there is so much THP in the wine that it manages to volatilize in big enough quantities to be detected. For example with this very wine you could actually smell mousiness before you had even tasted it - and it wasn't like a combination of brett and VA that would make you think that this wine seems like a funky no-SO2 wine that might be funky. No, you could smell the grainy, nutty sesame seed notes of THP you normally find in the aftertaste. This wine was that badly mousy. There is no reason that would make me recommend this wine to anyone. Avoid. At 29€ this is daylight robbery.
(50 points) - 2016 Domaine Morel Les Pieds Sur Terre Brut Nature Alternatif - France, Jura, Crémant du Jura (7.10.2024)
100% organically farmed Chardonnay from the older estate vineyards (+35 yo). Fermented spontaneously and aged in 500-liter oak casks for 12 months, bottled on 12th of September 2017. Disgorged after 46 months of aging sur lattes, on July 28th, 2021. Vinified completely without any SO2. 12,5% alcohol, dosage 0 g/l.
A bit dull and somewhat hazy yellow color. The nose feels fragrant and quite complex with aromas of ripe Golden Delicious apple, some funky notes of Breton farm cider, light bretty notes of leather, a little bit of sweet oak spice and a touch of waxy funk. The wine feels crisp, lean and quite high-strung on the palate with a light-to-medium body and bone-dry flavors of tart Granny Smith apple, some citrus notes of key lime and pithy grapefruit, a little bit of steely minerality, light creamy oak tones, a hint of leathery funk and a nutty touch of chopped almonds. The mousse feels quite sparse, light and gentle, but the brisk acidity, on the other hand, makes the wine come across as very incisive. The finish is crisp, lively and somewhat wild with a moderately long aftertaste of tart Granny Smith apple and key lime, some steely mineral notes, a little bit of creamy oak, light leathery nuances of brett, a hint of herby spice and a touch of crunchy green currants.
The nose here was quite funky and wild, but also enjoyably complex and characterful. However, on the palate the wine came across as quite austere and forbidding, lacking some of that depth and complexity shown in the nose. While not bad, the wine doesn't really manage to impress on the palate, either. This is thoroughly drinkable in its own right, but not maybe that enjoyable in the end. I'm not sold. Feels somewhat expensive for the quality at 31€.
(85 points) - 2019 Anne et Jean-François Ganevat Victor de la Combe - France, Vin de France (7.10.2024)
A négociant Chardonnay made with fruit from Saint-Véran and Pouilly-Fuissé. Aged for 2 years in oak foudres. Bottled without any fining, filtration or SO2. The label doesn't say anything about the vintage, the lot number is L1921CH. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale and slightly hazy greenish color. The nose feels slightly wild, a bit sharp and strikingly sweetly-fruited with aromas of peach candies, some mirabelle tones, a little bit of leesy yeast, light creamy oak notes, a sweeter hint of apple jam and a floral touch of apple blossom. The wine feels dry, considerably ripe and even somewhat tropical with a medium body and juicy flavors of nectarine and pineapple, some candied notes of fruit jellies, light floral apple blossom tones, a little bit of soft peach candy, a hint of waxy funk and a touch of tangy salinity. The high acidity lends good sense of balance and structure to the wine. The finish is juicy and quite tropical with a long aftertaste of peachy stone fruits, some pineapple, light creamy oak tones, a little bit of apple jam, a floral hint of apple blossom and a sweet, candied touch of fruit jellies.
After the lean, crisp and hands down electric 2017 vintage we tasted some years ago, this 2019 vintage was stylistically the polar opposite of that wine; rich, sweetly-fruited and tropical with a lot more body and richness. Fortunately the wine still retains great acidity - although not nearly as much as the older vintage - which keeps the wine effortlessly in balance, serving as a crisp counterpoint to the sweet-toned, exotic fruit flavors. Although the wine has picked up some depth and complexity over the years, so it doesn't come across as simple or primary, I still feel the 2017 showed a bit more potential. This is good, but perhaps a bit too rich and all over the place to be great. Maybe a tad pricey for the quality at 39€.
(89 points) - 2021 Croix & Courbet Arbois Savagnin Ouillé En Chemenot - France, Jura, Arbois (7.10.2024)
100% organically farmed Savagnin made with purchased fruit sourced from the En Chemenot cru, planted in 2004. Vinified completely without SO2, fermented spontaneously and aged in a combination of concrete egg-shaped tanks and old 500-liter oak barrels. Bottled with a minimal dose of SO2. 13% alcohol.
Pale, clean and luminous lime-green color. The nose feels ripe, sweetly-fruited and clean with aromas of nectarine, some honeydew melon, light fragrant notes of apple blossom, a little bit of lemon marmalade, light pineapple tones and a hint of leesy creaminess. The wine feels firm, steely and bone-dry on the palate with a rather full body and quite direct flavors of tart Granny Smith apple and key lime, some saline mineral tones, a little bit of fresh apricot, light honeydew melon notes, a floral hint of apple blossom and a crunchy touch of slightly bitter quince. The high acidity makes the wine come across as sharp, fresh and focused. The finish is long, bright and mineral with a dry aftertaste of tart Granny Smith apple, some lemony citrus fruits, a little bit of steely minerality, light floral notes of apple blossom, a hint of key lime and a touch of fresh nectarine.
A clean, youthful and pretty direct but also wonderfully fresh and structured Savagnin. Not perhaps the most complex or characterful effort, but nevertheless showing great sense of intensity and freshness along with delightful mineral purity. Stylistically somewhat Burgundian without any obvious oak use - which is not surprising, given the wine is a joint project between a Jura guy and a Burgundy guy! Very enjoyable now, but I can imagine the wine can pick up some richness and complexity with additional aging - at least the wine shows great potential for future development. Perhaps slightly on the expensive side at 55€, but not prohibitively so.
(92 points) - 2020 Domaine Fumey-Chatelain Savagnin Ouillé - France, Jura, Arbois (7.10.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Savagnin. Fermented spontaneously, aged for 18 months in 228-liter pièces and 500-liter demi-muids. Bottled unfined and unfiltered on February 16th, 2022. 13,5% alcohol.
Pale and slightly hazy greenish color. The nose feels crisp and tangy with slightly wild aromas of sharp Granny Smith apple, some fragrant notes of apple blossom, light sweeter notes of tangerine-driven citrus fruits, a little bit of fresh pineapple, a sweet, lifted hint of white balsamico and a faint phenolic touch of bretty funk. The wine feels broad and somewhat wild but also enjoyably airy on the palate with a full body and nuanced flavors of ripe lemony citrus fruits and sharp Granny Smith apple, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of bretty leather and phenolic funk, light crunchy notes of fresh pineapple and honeydew melon, a hint of wet rocks and a touch of creamy oak. Although the wine is not is crisp and incisive as most Jura Savagnins tend to be, the high acidity keeps the wine from coming across as soft, listless or lacking in energy or freshness. The finish is ripe, juicy and a bit wild with a quite lengthy aftertaste of fresh peachy stone fruits and ripe Golden Delicious apple, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of tart key lime, light bretty notes of leathery funk and phenolic spice, a hint of sharp Granny Smith apple and a touch of creamy oak.
A balanced, harmonious and enjoyably - ie. not overtly - funky Savagnin with a good amount of breadth and ripeness, counterpointed by bright acidity and pleasantly airy overall mouthfeel. Lots of nuance and layers of flavors here. The wine is drinking really well right now, offering lots of pleasure for people who don't mind a bit of funk in their white wines, but I can see it evolving and improving for a good number of years more. Terrific stuff, a good purchase at 28€.
(93 points) - 2015 Anne et Jean-François Ganevat Chardonnay La Gravière - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (7.10.2024)
A négociant-wine, made with purchased Chardonnay fruit sourced from a vineyard planted in 1949. Aged for approximately 30 months on the lees in old, neutral oak barrels. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and unsulfited. 13% alcohol.
Slightly hazy and quite pale yellow-green color. Typical of Ganevat's whites, the nose is salty and somewhat pungent with quite intense aromas of sharp Granny Smith apple and lemony citrus fruits, some leesy notes of yeast, a little bit of stony minerality, light herby tones, a hint of fresh nectarine, a funky touch of phenolic spice and a whiff of old wood. The wine feels broad yet firm, tangy and borderline electric on the palate with a medium body and focused flavors of lemony citrus fruits and tangy salinity, some bretty notes of phenolic spice and leathery funk, a little bit of stony minerality, light crunchy nuances of fresh nectarine and Granny Smith apple, a hint of old wood and a touch of apple peel bitterness. The brisk, almost bracing acidity lends a great amount of structure and intensity to the wine. The finish is crisp, long and racy with a zippy aftertaste of Granny Smith apple, some funky notes of phenolic spice, a little bit of wet stone minerality, light lemony citrus fruit nuances, a hint of tangy salinity and a crunchy touch of quince.
A brisk, racy and still remarkably youthful Chardonnay that shows very little age despite being almost 10 years old. Wonderful sense of energy, focus and intensity here. A delightful effort right now, but will continue to age for many more years. This has been an excellent purchase at 30€.
(93 points) - 2019 Jean-François Ganevat Côtes du Jura Les Varrons Vieilles Vignes - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura (7.10.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Chardonnay from very old vines. Fermented spontaneously, aged for three years in old oak casks. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and without any SO2. 13% alcohol.
Slightly hazy yellow-green color. The nose feels youthful and rather sweetly-fruited with aromas of peach candies, some leesy creaminess, light perfumed notes of apple blossom, a little bit of honeydew melon, subtle hints of wood and vanilla, a lifted touch of sweet VA and a perhaps a subtle whiff of buttery diacetyl. The wine feels youthful, firm and quite concentrated on the palate with a medium body and intense but also surprisingly sweetly-fruited flavors of ripe nectarine and tangy salinity, some apple jam, light mineral notes of wet rocks, a little bit of vanilla, a hint of honeydew melon and a candied primary touch of fruit jellies. The rather racy acidity keeps the wine impressively structured and focused, although the wine doesn't really come across as crisp or bracingly acid-driven due to the sense of concentration and sweetness of the fruit. The finish is brisk, ling and mineral with a long, mouthwatering aftertaste of lemony citrus fruits and tangy salinity, some sharp Granny Smith apple notes, a little bit of honeydew melon, light mineral notes of incisive steeliness and wet rocks, hints of vanilla and sweet wood spice and a lifted touch of VA.
A very characterful, focused and relatively ripe Ganevat Chardonnay that comes across as a bit more sweetly-fruited than most Ganevat whites - which typically tend to be quite lean, lemony and bracing in acidity. There's definitely more ripeness and sense of old-vine concentration here, along with some subtle and quite understated - yet still perceptible - oak nuances of sweet wood and vanilla. I was a bit surprised by these oak undertones, as normally I never pick up any oaky nuances in Ganevat whites. All in all, the wine is still painfully young - this is obvious not in just these slightly unintegrated oak nuances, but also in the sweet and somewhat candied primary quality of the fruit flavors. Even then, this is a very impressive wine by any standards. It is just obvious that the wine isn't really showing its best at the moment, which is why I would let the wine age and continue to evolve and improve for another 5-10 years more - or even for longer. After all, these Ganevat whites seem to age at a quite glacial pace (which might not be what someone expects from a wine that doesn't see any sulfites!). Despite being a very impressive effort, I feel the wine is a tad pricey at approximately 95€.
(94 points) - 2022 Domaine de la Borde Poulsard Arbois Pupillin Côte de Feule - France, Jura, Arbois Pupillin (7.10.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Poulsard. Destemmed by hand, fermented spontaneously. Vinified and bottled without any SO2. 12,5% alcohol.
Translucent, somewhat maroon and relatively evolved pomegranate color. The nose feels fragrant, sweet-toned and rather wild with aromas of stewed strawberries, some cocktail cherries, a little bit of something meaty, light zesty Campari tones, a sunny hint of wizened red fruits and a faint, slightly sharp touch of acetic VA. The wine is juicy, fruit-driven and quite ripe on the palate with a medium body and relatively rich flavors of wizened red cherries, some wild strawberries, a little bit of raspberry jam, light earthy tones, a hint of stony minerality and a tart hint of lingonberries. The structure relies entirely on the rather high acidity, as the tannins come across as more or less nonexistent. The finish is dry, juicy and very slightly grippy with a ripe and moderately long aftertaste of raspberry juice, some strawberry tones, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light earthy notes, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of fresh red plum.
A pleasant, fruit-driven and pretty characterful Poulsard that is surprisingly ripe and rich for the variety. However, the wine seems varietally correct in that it doesn't really show any tannins and even the acidity is a bit on the modest side, making the overall feel quite soft and mellow - but fortunately quite balanced, too. It is obvious that the wine hasn't seen any sulfites at any point, as it shows some bretty and volatile overtones - however, the wine doesn't come across as excessively natty at any point, nor does it suffer from mousiness or any other flaws. The is actually pretty tasty and enjoyable stuff, if not particularly complex or impressive. Perhaps slightly pricey for the quality at 34€.
(88 points) - 2022 Domaine de la Borde Arbois Pupillin Plous'saperlipopette - France, Jura, Arbois Pupillin (7.10.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Poulsard. 80% of the fruit is destemmed by hand, 20% vinified in whole bunches. Fermented spontaneously. Vinified and bottled without any SO2. 12% alcohol.
Luminous, fully translucent ruby color with a slightly darker pomegranate-red hue. The nose feels quite clean and pretty fruit-driven with aromas of strawberries, some ripe black cherries, a little bit of sweet red plum, light meaty tones, a hint of stony minerality and a lifted touch of VA. The wine feels clean, lively and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and bright, fruit-driven flavors of brambly raspberries and ripe cranberries, some sweet strawberry tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light spicy notes of pepper and herbs, juicy hints of red plums and cherries and a touch of loose tobacco. The structure relies more on the quite high acidity than on the gently grippy tannins. The finish is clean, fresh and slightly grippy with a rather long aftertaste of crunchy cranberries and raspberries, some cherry tones, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light sweeter nuances of ripe strawberries, a hint of gravelly minerality and a lifted touch of VA.
A clean, vibrant and enjoyably fruit-driven Poulsard with good sense of flavor intensity and freshness. Unlike some Poulsards that can come across as somewhat soft and thus a bit bland, this wine comes across as enjoyably fresh and crunchy in overall feel. There's definitely some sense of ripeness as the fruit flavors feel pretty juicy and sweet-toned, but still the wine manages to stay quite dry and lively from the beginning to the end. The subtly lifted nuances of VA remind that the wine is made in a quite non-interventionist style, but apart from that, the wine is wonderfully pure-fruited, not showing any obvious funky or natty nuances. A very delightful and even pretty serious effort for a Poulsard. Solid value at 33€.
(91 points) - 2018 Domaine de la Borde Arbois Pupillin Pinostradamus - France, Jura, Arbois Pupillin (7.10.2024)
100% biodynamically farmed Pinot Noir. Vinified in whole bunches, fermented spontaneously. Vinified and bottled without any SO2. 12,5% alcohol.
Slightly hazy and somewhat translucent black cherry color. The nose feels quite meaty with aromas of tobacco and wizened black cherries, some gamey tones, a little bit of ripe cranberry, light earthy notes, a hint of leafy forest floor, a touch of phenolic smoke and a touch of wild strawberries. The wine feels rich, juicy and quite meaty on the palate with a medium body and a bit wild flavors of juicy black cherries, some brambly black raspberries, a little bit of sweet strawberry, light gravelly mineral notes, a hint of leafy forest floor and a savory touch of meaty umami. The wine is high in acidity with moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is lively, crunchy and somewhat grippy with a long aftertaste of black raspberries, some tart cranberry and lingonberry tones, a little bit of wild strawberry, light gravelly mineral notes, a hint of forest floor and a savory touch of meaty umami.
A juicy and a bit wild Pinot Noir that doesn't come across as a fruity crowdpleaser with its very savory and quite meaty overall feel - yet the wine doesn't come across as particularly tough or austere, either. Perhaps not the most obvious Pinot Noir, as there is relatively little of that elusive "Pinosity" here, but this is a balanced and enjoyable effort all the same. Nice sense of structure here for a Jura red. Priced according to its quality at 32,50€.
(90 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
