tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46420831727087308232024-03-13T03:59:29.211-07:00the terroirist projectThis project is devoted to cataloging the wines that make it all worth while---hand-crafted, small-production wines with a healthy respect for terroir. This is about consolidating information about these wines (some more obscure than others) in an effort to advocate their existence.MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-45582584376152680102010-04-16T12:21:00.000-07:002010-04-16T12:24:11.105-07:00all the cool kids are doing it!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-QwkLPrwe3r0fZeJgDest1Xts7-gsGia_Tk5Hp1S6fihGCV2iAKHmGZfhiPGUgoseR8UqRMziWQxy-b2ws-4uKAZJwHf11znZl1Yg33gKzyNYjsJQXML1cZK_VEPuFy_r1i6Wz9M76Jo/s1600/oxidized+article.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 208px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-QwkLPrwe3r0fZeJgDest1Xts7-gsGia_Tk5Hp1S6fihGCV2iAKHmGZfhiPGUgoseR8UqRMziWQxy-b2ws-4uKAZJwHf11znZl1Yg33gKzyNYjsJQXML1cZK_VEPuFy_r1i6Wz9M76Jo/s320/oxidized+article.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460816871407537298" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imbibemagazine.com/Deep-Breathing-Oxidized-Wines">Oxidized Wines - Imbibe Magazine</a><br /><br />Love that this touches on the Jura and some of the producers listed. Trust that when I get around to Spain, Lopez de Heredia's at the top of the list. I've definitely gotten wind of the Scholium Project and am REALLY looking forward to hunting those wines down.<br />-MTOMTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-28925354523462419152010-04-16T11:59:00.000-07:002011-08-24T07:20:49.509-07:00the last word on Jura<a href="http://winetravelmedia.com/"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fGxkQl9QPkqKd2Zi5PB5oKuqa5prOut70tU2h36_wx2AiXGb5vhUOHP-20aXyLMUxn78hpyuN9LkFy4WV1PPaSO41_svJ_2urG70eKDRCmfly1bV3r7y4dO5d6HrRA_terND68TJJi87/s1600/Jura+-+view+to+Arbois+and+its+vineyards.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fGxkQl9QPkqKd2Zi5PB5oKuqa5prOut70tU2h36_wx2AiXGb5vhUOHP-20aXyLMUxn78hpyuN9LkFy4WV1PPaSO41_svJ_2urG70eKDRCmfly1bV3r7y4dO5d6HrRA_terND68TJJi87/s320/Jura+-+view+to+Arbois+and+its+vineyards.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460814544457651362" /></a></a>@Wink Lorch<br />
Ok, maybe not the LAST word, but it's time to move on. You could spend a lifetime examining and appreciating this tiny region with its idiosyncratic wines, and I'm way too tempted to do just that. Happily, more and more wine bloggers, retailers, sommeliers, educators, etc. are being exposed the awesome quirks and terroir of the Jura. Who knows, maybe Savagnin will be the new Pinot Grigio! <br />
<br />
*shudder*...<br />
<br />
What's that you say? You've got a fever and the prescription is MORE JURA?!?<br />
<br />
Ok, wild (wo)man, I found a fantastic publication about the Jura in the <a href="http://www.sommelierjournal.com/articles/article.aspx?year=2008&month=9&articlenum=54">Sommelier's Journal.</a> It includes maps, AOC profiles, the whole shebang.<br />
<br />
Dig in.MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-2643049708087080572010-04-13T16:51:00.000-07:002010-05-13T15:46:46.193-07:00Montbourgeau: 2006 l'Etoile + 2000 l'Etoile Cuvée Spéciale<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxoHf7fr4uBsQh1zek4qjreTIye6ewD-nTBOmRn3t2UyhNrA4dRbOm4OHc9fqoaNkHSCij4jtmDhE3kSKEjcwk5aG-q-roS6P2H7Gy83NhtaYcLUBI-6eO4hM2VSsBCMfpx0eJMuz_XPs/s1600-h/Montbourgeau+l%27Etoile.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWxoHf7fr4uBsQh1zek4qjreTIye6ewD-nTBOmRn3t2UyhNrA4dRbOm4OHc9fqoaNkHSCij4jtmDhE3kSKEjcwk5aG-q-roS6P2H7Gy83NhtaYcLUBI-6eO4hM2VSsBCMfpx0eJMuz_XPs/s200/Montbourgeau+l%27Etoile.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371132209294398658" /></a> <strong>2006 Montebourgeau l'Etoile Blanc</strong> (had this back in 08.09)<br />The l'Etoile Blanc is mostly oxidized Chardonnay with a twist of Savagnin(?)---think baby Vin Jaune. -uber-fermented apples, hazelnuts *otn, really prominent acidity, medium weight. smells like vin jaune, but fresher, not as oxidized otp. this could easily cellar.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYiPGqt5fU7L8bd0xc89XAnJZybrM_nzUteg7-56X6h-4Wq41UbPHAZjNI1XNDQCig0U2W2ch1hRaXJ2nLlfkwb7-bqqHdJYRFGb9_E0WMc6z7i2iQ-sALGcb1XE-KtI8YfFwIZmWZED8/s1600/IMG_2643.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYiPGqt5fU7L8bd0xc89XAnJZybrM_nzUteg7-56X6h-4Wq41UbPHAZjNI1XNDQCig0U2W2ch1hRaXJ2nLlfkwb7-bqqHdJYRFGb9_E0WMc6z7i2iQ-sALGcb1XE-KtI8YfFwIZmWZED8/s320/IMG_2643.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460827215666640866" /></a><strong>2000 Montbourgeau l'Etoile Cuvée Spéciale</strong><br />Unfortunately, I can't find anything info on what makes this cuvée 'spéciale'---perhaps more time in barrel/bottle? The word on the street is that it's 100% Chard, but still looking for some confirmation on that dirty rumor. <br />-slightly cloudy, a mix of nail polish remover/walnuts otn; full mouthfeel with incredibly acidity, some remnant hints of apple. a crazy mouth-perfume of pure-walnut. whoa.<br /><br />*shorthand - on the noseMTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-1626152445788473772010-01-20T13:31:00.000-08:002010-05-13T15:20:05.531-07:00About as sexy as the Jura gets...Voluptuous grapes, scantily clad harvesters, sexy lounge music oh my!<br /><br />In all seriousness, I ran across this <a href="http://www.stephane-tissot.com/video.htm">sleek little video</a> hosted by Stéphane that tours the Tissot domaine and walks you through their practices. André makes several appearances, as does the future of the Tissot domaine. Learn how to identify and hand-pick Poulsard grapes from one of the best! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HrCJu_w3YAYmnXVVoXRaRt9HODdqrF2vCflWjVAs3sTUY7H2sGMbGzX_ENjlhNZ-HGcJVGvSCCvzqKF0wWxaPfbBwncplOrT9z3o2HrmW0by-QOHsdEPhi7ebCukr-DuPTnxA_HaeyZ_/s1600-h/Tissot+and+family.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HrCJu_w3YAYmnXVVoXRaRt9HODdqrF2vCflWjVAs3sTUY7H2sGMbGzX_ENjlhNZ-HGcJVGvSCCvzqKF0wWxaPfbBwncplOrT9z3o2HrmW0by-QOHsdEPhi7ebCukr-DuPTnxA_HaeyZ_/s320/Tissot+and+family.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428944885021403378" /></a><br />You really get a feel for how beautiful the Jura is...you can almost smell the Vin Jaune! Definitely worth checking out, even if (like me) you don't understand very much français!MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-86410704237420656532009-10-04T20:18:00.000-07:002010-05-13T15:18:20.892-07:00Tissot<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqtI_JOY8ev4I-5M3E4gIaI64l4i0iQLeYPjhYr5aMvvcurbGkWKcgG__8rzYlHOOkbNqSeLtyyqOlLpQURSRYwrfUs7VpaBol5tB91XtbUo5XWLlrO2NvKRuYKGWgCyZM3roihhYci4F/s1600-h/tissots.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 135px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqtI_JOY8ev4I-5M3E4gIaI64l4i0iQLeYPjhYr5aMvvcurbGkWKcgG__8rzYlHOOkbNqSeLtyyqOlLpQURSRYwrfUs7VpaBol5tB91XtbUo5XWLlrO2NvKRuYKGWgCyZM3roihhYci4F/s320/tissots.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388957069624068290" /></a><em>"The industrialization of wine is the end of its identities, its nuances, its characteristics which are part of the magic of a bottle."</em><br /><br />Amen. <br /><br />This, seven lines down, on the homepage of one of Jura's best: Bénédicte & Stéphane Tissot (taking the reigns for André & Mireille). According to their <a href="http://www.stephane-tissot.com/en/index.htm">website</a>, they practice biodynamically (Demeter-certified) and have been working to change the face of their vineyards since 1995. Low-yields and natural yeasts complete the picture of authenticity.<br /><br />Unfortunately, their 'Terroir/Vineyards' section (as well as many other parts) of their website is <span style="font-style:italic;">en constrution</span> but if you've had the opportunity to taste through some of the Tissot portfolio, you know these wines speak not only for themselves, but also for their maker and his methods!<br /><br />Despite a pervasion of organic/biodynamic wines in the market, there still exists a sneaky misconception that these wines are somehow lacking in quality or taste; that somehow practices that respect (and sometimes worship) dirt will taste like it. Producers like Stéphane Tissot are changing that perception by continually producing incredibly complex and tasty wines year after year.<br /><br />I've really become a great fan of the Tissot domaine, and for me, they have opened a door to other unique, fantastic Jura wines that have inspired the posts below, as well as the whole of this project!<br /><br />In the mid-Atlantic, Tissot is imported by Thomas Calder Selections. Must...find...local...importer...MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-80825733604918756392009-08-24T21:19:00.001-07:002010-05-13T15:48:25.323-07:002005 Jean Bourdy Cotes du Jura<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAqPJD3ZYjsaa6i85jfZaxvBj6_HVT-meBHopwOX-d4X-CYsxae_V857lDDX66Qel5GKyALaBxYDu6AyZ3OYE8vJ0czUESqZqGwN-TCjmYlpioLaK3KIXu9TDFhCTKeXv7IHxgIFGeFLZu/s1600-h/Bourdy+Cotes+du+Jura.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAqPJD3ZYjsaa6i85jfZaxvBj6_HVT-meBHopwOX-d4X-CYsxae_V857lDDX66Qel5GKyALaBxYDu6AyZ3OYE8vJ0czUESqZqGwN-TCjmYlpioLaK3KIXu9TDFhCTKeXv7IHxgIFGeFLZu/s320/Bourdy+Cotes+du+Jura.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373751324022432514" /></a>Cotes du Jura Rouge is a blend of Poulsard, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir that's aged for 3-4 years in oak casks. The website says 'old casks' but it could imply neutral barrels. It's recommended that this wine be decanted for 2-3 hours before enjoying. Agreed. As far as I'm aware, Bourdy's wines are imported by Thomas Calder Selections.<br /><br />-salty, very nutty, some cumin, serious grip otf*, a touch of barnyard otp. this holds up incredibly well overnight---definitely softens the next day.<br /><br />*shorthand - on the finishMTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-47663910596587805212009-08-17T20:23:00.001-07:002010-05-13T14:59:54.684-07:00Jean Bourdy: an ancient (delicious) domaine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemitRr5wPBKe_A6TlScyy-CYHHQV1uwKdkfV2xF3uLPdX8MK1YQPKVTjdj2UywY33PYexDLSv5lMWUDFkYWJ1q_EO2_6AHc1IJu0r6-hvpE6sF4BjB3hjy76PURIpyOqwM0tA91HhNOg0/s1600-h/ancient+Bourdy+bottles.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemitRr5wPBKe_A6TlScyy-CYHHQV1uwKdkfV2xF3uLPdX8MK1YQPKVTjdj2UywY33PYexDLSv5lMWUDFkYWJ1q_EO2_6AHc1IJu0r6-hvpE6sF4BjB3hjy76PURIpyOqwM0tA91HhNOg0/s320/ancient+Bourdy+bottles.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373751650074162850" /></a>Unfortunately, <a href="http://www.cavesjeanbourdy.com/">Bourdy's website</a> is <em>seulement en français</em>, so I'm relying on scrappy Google translation. They practice biodynamically and have vineyards in Chateau-Chalon and Cotes du Jura. The Cusin family house was built around 1500.<br /><br />The domaine has survived the phylloxera outbreak and both World Wars, and in 1939 a partnership between the Cusins and Jean Bourdy was formed. The winemaker is Jean Phillipe Bourdy as of 1996. Because of the age of the domaine, it has accumulated quite a collection of ancient bottles (see pic above). <br /><br />A totally hearsay quote: "In a recent Jean Bourdy tasting of wines from Jura, a 1865 Jean Bourdy Chateau-Chalon (pre-Phylloxera Savignin[sic]) was opened - to which the current owner proclaimed, 'Who would have known?...we opened it too early...'" <br /><br />Also, <a href="http://pressmanwine.blogspot.com/2009/06/france-trip-day-seven-jura-from-arlay.html">Mitchell Pressman's blog</a> has a great post about Bourdy & Tissot.MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-45129707348831014682009-08-17T19:00:00.000-07:002011-02-24T15:51:19.409-08:00Domaine de Montbourgeau<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP40gHBvjI2YjxuzH0jp683gK-g0th9Xt4E1caqf_m9P8DteHLxz4HeUFdiI_Nn24mZlQeir2wIYiqllJnPTOMJP39qdIdUrAEpO1S8zNVhtHW1W_kMjKih-DHzqhF2PtXF51tySub3AM5/s1600/nicole-thumb.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP40gHBvjI2YjxuzH0jp683gK-g0th9Xt4E1caqf_m9P8DteHLxz4HeUFdiI_Nn24mZlQeir2wIYiqllJnPTOMJP39qdIdUrAEpO1S8zNVhtHW1W_kMjKih-DHzqhF2PtXF51tySub3AM5/s320/nicole-thumb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459772199764573250" /></a><-----Montbourgeau's Nicole Deviaux
Domaine de Montbourgeau (mon-bore-joh), imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchant, was established in 1920 by Victor Gros, then developed by son Jean, a "gentleman farmer", until 1986 when his daughter Nicole Deviaux took command. Topping out at 8 ha, the domaine practices organically and harvests manually. The majority of their bottlings are chardonnay and savagnin based, but they also have some plantings of trousseau and poulsard. Nicole also produces a Crémant du Jura which probably receives the most press (100% chardonnay and a steal at under $30). There doesn't seem to be a lot about this tiny domaine out there, but I did find <a href="http://www.vin-du-jura.com/images/Montbourgeau_2007.pdf">this link</a> which gives a little more info on her wines and practices!MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-20979363970632125002009-08-12T20:26:00.000-07:002009-08-12T20:36:53.957-07:00'The Pope of Arbois': Jacques Puffeney<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfw6Y506A6jcYV-PTWhFbWFFwDA-bPwem04IUzOuW4DxegjH-Lgohj_mZCPtvKtYvzG42tBnuIbRQMooBGhApSV_nqHOMgBmek1RFDzCIhkHkHqZQyxUNtpEDrJtZ8oiWWNyUEiwtm-it/s1600-h/puffeneyhimself.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKfw6Y506A6jcYV-PTWhFbWFFwDA-bPwem04IUzOuW4DxegjH-Lgohj_mZCPtvKtYvzG42tBnuIbRQMooBGhApSV_nqHOMgBmek1RFDzCIhkHkHqZQyxUNtpEDrJtZ8oiWWNyUEiwtm-it/s400/puffeneyhimself.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369283893045298402" /></a> Puffeney dallied in winemaking and the Comté industry as a teenager before eventually becoming <em>'the Pope of Arbois'</em>, one of the top producers in Jura. And you can't get better accolades from Mr. Rosenthal than this: "Most Americans have never been exposed to the joys of wines from the Jura and the quite idiosyncratic characteristics of the Savagnin, Poulsard, and Trousseau grapes. Visiting this terrain through <em>the wines of the great master, Jacques Puffeney,</em> is the preferred way to enter this fascinating part of the world of wine."MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-86894560850572019452009-08-12T17:55:00.000-07:002011-02-24T15:35:40.089-08:002005 Puffeney Arbois Rouge Vieilles Vignes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxh7fUOjv3WmPFx3NoL7iF3231htz3XJCi3kI9bbrFp5oaGmnaEzVR4vf-4gasfTVpt-j8H5A1vuWaZV9JXKZ0GKHZJ-WD4UzUhV3S1WCLuvG9gfqOzmttXCGNSxr5UKkuvtwfgUQ0yqv/s1600-h/Puffeneyrouge.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxh7fUOjv3WmPFx3NoL7iF3231htz3XJCi3kI9bbrFp5oaGmnaEzVR4vf-4gasfTVpt-j8H5A1vuWaZV9JXKZ0GKHZJ-WD4UzUhV3S1WCLuvG9gfqOzmttXCGNSxr5UKkuvtwfgUQ0yqv/s320/Puffeneyrouge.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369287564392847970" /></a><strong>2005 Puffeney Arbois Rouge Vieilles Vignes*</strong><br />
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A blend of pinot noir, poulsard, and trousseau from his oldest vines on the lot. The important note here? This is one of the <em>last vintages</em> of his VV cuvee---Puffeney is actually uprooting some of these vines. 'Too old'.<br />
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-a touch nutty, sweet fruit, cherries, almost a little juicy with tight texture---definitely needs some time. big tannic finish. my personal favorite of the Jura-exclusive line-up. Somehow knowing this is one of the last of something wonderful makes it that much more valuable to me...<br />
*vee-yay veen <br />
(prononciation très simple)MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-91164916346420387792009-08-11T19:43:00.001-07:002011-02-24T13:25:43.483-08:002000 Jacques Puffeney Vin JauneSure, you might stumble upon a forgetton Jura wine at the bottom of an expansive wine list while out to dinner, but a whole selection of Jura wines by-the-glass?<br />
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<a href="http://www.barrelthiefwine.com/">Barrel Thief</a>, a Richmond, Virginia wine shop/bar/cafe,* decided to feature a practically never before seen by-the-glass program featuring solely Jura wines. They weren't popular with customers, nor easy to get a hold of. Hence, their existence being challenging and worthwhile. The newest 5+ entries are devoted to featuring those wines. Read on.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5WeGWs7llo-QK0hIrLL_QWwOVhH5uoE4S-hac0NT6djWODhoLV6JVogPod9QTzQM5DmpI4evrHiRxx0xc8eQB4dOQnfUi88JH4Im43_vDZh7de5MFOWsznN7fVly5KdJDQzHUAOFV_rV/s1600-h/PuffeneyVJ.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5WeGWs7llo-QK0hIrLL_QWwOVhH5uoE4S-hac0NT6djWODhoLV6JVogPod9QTzQM5DmpI4evrHiRxx0xc8eQB4dOQnfUi88JH4Im43_vDZh7de5MFOWsznN7fVly5KdJDQzHUAOFV_rV/s200/PuffeneyVJ.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368903266934998578" /></a>Puffeney (pew-feh-nay) is imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchants. According to the MadRose website, "Puffeney usually waits 8 1/2 years to make a final determination as to whether the appropriate quality level has been reached" as opposed to the usual 6 1/2.<br />
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<strong>2000 Jacques Puffeney Vin Jaune </strong><br />
-toasted, honeyed walnuts, lanolin, unexpectedly tannic (heck, this is practically a baby vin jaune), the walnuts really take over otp**<br />
*disclaimer - the author is a former manager of aforementioned BT<br />
**shorthand - on the palateMTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-41598058579884688022009-08-11T17:36:00.000-07:002011-02-24T13:57:38.698-08:00vin jaune<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQWZvSFyx6dlMgzNGkKWsCavqNv8Vs-hc_zoD59K8yu6-w6p7osctEj9eyh6JTNI0bFU2SpSlkn4PX_4bHnzPcB6dyk0VSb-xNQsdKxGZXPfOWhuHqOo-eRT1-8g1yWUXhxmxTjCIHvQj/s1600-h/200px-vin+jaune+barrel.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 172px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQWZvSFyx6dlMgzNGkKWsCavqNv8Vs-hc_zoD59K8yu6-w6p7osctEj9eyh6JTNI0bFU2SpSlkn4PX_4bHnzPcB6dyk0VSb-xNQsdKxGZXPfOWhuHqOo-eRT1-8g1yWUXhxmxTjCIHvQj/s320/200px-vin+jaune+barrel.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368873390117740962" /></a>Vin jaune is the pride and joy of Jura. Crafted from the grape savagnin and using a purposefully oxidizing fermentation process, the closest thing to compare to the final product is a dry sherry.<br />
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<strong>Savagnin's </strong>lineage is difficult to trace, although it's thought to be related to the traminer family. To the dismay of many an Aussie producer, genetic tests <a href="http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/article/2009/04/15/70855_horticulture.html">recently proved</a> that the albariño they thought they had planted over a decade ago as an investment was, in fact, savagnin.<br />
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The <strong>process </strong>used for fermentation is called <em>sous-voile</em> or 'under the veil', which is very similar to the <em>flor</em> that is essential to sherry production. The yeast forms a tight seal over the wine and allows a certain amount of oxidation under the watchful eye of the winemaker. The voile develops over a period of 2-3 years, and by law is aged 6 years, 3 months.<br />
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The result, which is packaged in 500mL <em>clavelins</em>, is complex (and usually pricey) to say the least. Serve at cellar temperature, and if you're lucky enough to come across a bottle of your own, make the effort to explore the classic food pairing with <strong>Comté </strong>cheese or a <em>poulet de Bresse</em>, if you can get your hands on one.<br />
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Totally worth it.<br />
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<strong>La Percée du Vin Jaune </strong> <br />
A festival held in a different town in Jura every year during the first week of February. Despite the cold, (Jura's climate is Burgundian with tougher cold spells), <a href="http://www.wineterroirs.com/2004/02/percee_du_vin_j.html">thousands of people</a> come out to celebrate the 'Opening of the Yellow Wine'!MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-46335286432728715942009-08-11T16:07:00.000-07:002011-02-24T13:02:00.906-08:00case in point: Jura wines<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH25YYlMVUn_UbKGk19jqisK5DKbGdKihj0PJIMf9TDuEE24DjRs2THXR-JOUlMJ5zDMymab3itxrD8D4dL1B3dnCQ7yfNYiW8ja5kksoaN4tsFUYym3G5o2GKG0JFjRfNSjEqFqNPNdAf/s1600-h/458px-Vignobles_jura%5B1%5D.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 245px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH25YYlMVUn_UbKGk19jqisK5DKbGdKihj0PJIMf9TDuEE24DjRs2THXR-JOUlMJ5zDMymab3itxrD8D4dL1B3dnCQ7yfNYiW8ja5kksoaN4tsFUYym3G5o2GKG0JFjRfNSjEqFqNPNdAf/s320/458px-Vignobles_jura%5B1%5D.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368869485952823682" /></a>Wedged between Burgundy (Cotes de Beaune) and the Swiss border, the tiny and obscure region of <strong>Jura </strong>is a treasure hold of funky and nutty wines (seriously, some taste of walnuts). <br />
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Six <strong>AOC's</strong>: Arbois, Chateau-Chalon, l'Etoile, Cotes du Jura, Cremant du Jura, Macvin du Jura.<br />
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Arbois is arguably the most famous region, followed by Cotes du Jura. Chateau-Chalon only produces vin jaune (more on that in the next post). l'Etoile is named for tiny star-shaped fossils in the soil (noted by the red star on the label), and very good <em>méthode traditionelle</em> wines comes from the Cremant AOC. Macvin is the newest AOC (circa 1991). <br />
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<strong>Varietals </strong>range from revered native grapes to classic Burgundy numbers.<br />
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Red: Poulsard (Ploussard), Trousseau (Trousseau Gris), Pinot Noir<br />
White: Savagnin, Chardonnay<br />
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<strong>Major Players</strong>: Stéphane (Andre et Mireille) Tissot, Jacques Puffeney, Berthet-Bondet, Julien Labet, Henri Maire (ph)*, Pierre Overnoy (ph)<br />
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*shorthand - post-humously<br />
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<strong>Henri Maire & Louis Pasteur?</strong><br />
Pasteur was actually born in Arbois, and the family vineyard on which he experimented is now owned by the Henri Maire domaine. Maire is widely credited for keeping the Jura wine industry afloat with his cheap, prolific line of 'Vin Fou' or 'crazy wine'. Think Georges Duboeuf, for better or for worse.<br />
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Check out <a href="http://www.peterliem.com/2009/01/jura-night-again.html">Peter Liem</a> and <a href="http://brooklynguyloveswine.blogspot.com/2009/05/technique-and-terroir-in-jura.html">Brooklynguy</a> for more Jura-love.<br />
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Also, Ms. Mumu puts on quite a show: she has several in-depth posts <a href="http://mumulesvignes.com/2010/01/05/land-o%e2%80%99-lakes-%e2%80%93the-jura/">starting with this one</a> about the Jura, its producers, AOC restrictions, etc. etc. Très organized and a ton of detail for the über-geek.MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-65962706923917650682009-07-10T17:48:00.000-07:002011-02-24T12:58:04.421-08:00incantation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1vEeFMyiyGG6t8bzLCcfYJLK0zH2TSsWZ9hFive6dKrIHz2S8nV6lXwrJoGvPvSt_GhgTcGVSaRxzwF3WyqqytOB0uP5BB8GjaZzMdZztjft1t_W_U-HpOafSffCTp0Kj72rDIO4jnbE/s1600-h/emptywineglass.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 155px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1vEeFMyiyGG6t8bzLCcfYJLK0zH2TSsWZ9hFive6dKrIHz2S8nV6lXwrJoGvPvSt_GhgTcGVSaRxzwF3WyqqytOB0uP5BB8GjaZzMdZztjft1t_W_U-HpOafSffCTp0Kj72rDIO4jnbE/s200/emptywineglass.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368901507676442418" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">This is not about me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family:arial;"><br />
<em>This is about fear.</em><br />
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This is about the fear of forgetting all of the spectacular wines I've had the privilege to meet and love. Blurs of red, white, and rosé. <br />
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Moments of personal clarity hidden in a 750.<br />
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This is also about the fear that amid a point-driven, mediocre-saturated market, wines of character and finesse aren't getting into the right hands.<br />
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<em>This is about wine.</em><br />
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This is about wine with terroir, purity, and some soul.<br />
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Great wines. Small-production wines. Sustainably-produced wines. Weird wines. Wines that keep you up at night.<br />
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Wines of this caliber need to be advocated and celebrated, and easily accessible information about them can only aid this quest.</span>MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4642083172708730823.post-26040263003193270042009-07-10T17:40:00.000-07:002009-08-11T20:16:19.836-07:00the terroirist project<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1r5Y8W6_YxruOHTHRtMs48WmsnoFCmWgrkwE9r0zYA4Gtwt_OrsXBMn2U4PCoGqOoWuT9IqmoU0Xt8moFVQ-NBUY2zgZQRXcyV18piHKoR0xd3phnUzvrL5Zo0wDonI3R-i_A6WrITRCb/s1600-h/les+galets.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1r5Y8W6_YxruOHTHRtMs48WmsnoFCmWgrkwE9r0zYA4Gtwt_OrsXBMn2U4PCoGqOoWuT9IqmoU0Xt8moFVQ-NBUY2zgZQRXcyV18piHKoR0xd3phnUzvrL5Zo0wDonI3R-i_A6WrITRCb/s320/les+galets.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368893809311316530" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">The hope of <em>the terroirist project</em> is to keep a catalog of the worthy wines (admittedly, mostly French & Italian) and to give some background on the more obscure producers, regions and varietals. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Input is GREATLY appreciated in the form of increasing the accuracies of my findings. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Tasting notes are only included to give a general idea of the style of wine---they are not meant as definitive descriptions, just personal reflections.</span>MTOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17860412268042523339noreply@blogger.com0