Jura

Jura, Jura (Jura) is a small wine region in Eastern France, between Burgundy and the Swiss border. Known as the traditional and original terroir wines. Very close to the Swiss Jura, but they have little in common.

The vineyards of the French regionchik is 1900 hectares, forming a narrow strip of planting length of approximately 80 km from North to South. Their area is slowly growing, but is still less than 10% of the number of vines that were here a few centuries earlier – to the devastation of the phylloxera epidemic.

Wine Jury sold under the 4 key appellations, the largest volume of which are of ARBOIS (Arbois) and Cotes du Jura (Côtes du Jura).

Varieties

Of the five major varieties in the local winemaking, three traditional and two – a sign of modernity.

First grade – pulsar (Poulsard), he plusser (Ploussard) in the communes of ARBOIS and Pupian (Pupillin). Red variety, which accounts for about a fifth of all vines in the region. Mainly used in dry red wines, but also sparkling rosé.

Trousseau (Trusseau) – the second red local variety – requires a lot of sun for the full maturation therefore takes only the warmest 5% of the territory Jury, mainly in the vicinity of ARBOIS, where it is made a small amount of wine monosortovogo.

White savagnin variety (Savagnin), referred to here as the nature (Nature), used in all appellations of the region, but it is best proved himself as a local specialty – Jons van (Vin Jaune), the so-called “yellow wine”.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, ruling the roost in Burgundy, answer here for the “international” varietal program. Despite the relative isolation of the Jura region, the demand for universal and the world’s favorite Chardonnay and reflected on it. Known under the local names of melon d’arbois and Gamay Blanc, Chardonnay is almost half the total vineyard area Jury and is used to produce wines in a modern style, fresh, fruity and light.

Wine Jury

In addition to the unique “yellow wine” of Jura is famous for its sweet van de Pai (vin de paille) – “straw” wines. But they have their own appellation. They can be issued with the indication of ARBOIS (Arbois and Arbois-Pupillin), L’etoile (L’étoile) and Cotes du Jura.

“Yellow wine” also can use these appellations, but its best incarnation – designated exclusively for him AOC Château Chalon (Chateau Chalon).

Dry white wine Jura also produces. More and more of the Chardonnay, as mentioned above. As a dry red from Pinot Noir (though pulsar is still the dominant red).

Sparkling wine is made already in the 18th century. Today has allotted 210 hectares of vineyards of the appellation Crémant du Jura (Jura, Cremant du), established in 1995.

Terroir

You can hardly be surprised that the predominant soil type in the region of Jura (or Jura) is a Jurassic limestone and marl.

That is as a result of local geological studies and appeared the concept of “the Jurassic period”.

The name of the village L’etoile (literally “star”), which gave its name to one of the brightest Jura appellations, as they say, is also connected with Geology – with a star-shaped marine fossils. Similar geological formations can be found in Chablis and the upper part of the Loire.

The climate of the Jura is similar to côte d’or (Cote-d’or), or even southern Alsace: warm, dry summers and cold winters. Conditions in plain and nestled on the slopes of parts of the region differ significantly. The Eastern, mountainous territory of the region rises as low as the height of 1370 m above sea level. The main wine area is bordered by the Western belt, not rising above 300 metres.
The majority of local vineyards are divided into the southern slopes to catch as much sun in this cool climate.

Source: portal WineSearcher