The wines to match
Apart from cooking with the wines of the Jura, I often serve them too. The whites are produced predominantly with two grapes – Savagnin and Chardonnay – and are perfectly balanced, floral, crisp and acidic. True, I am biased as they are the wines of my region in eastern France. But try them, please: you will not be disappointed.
You may also wish to serve a light red wine, such as Fleurie, from the hilltop town of the same name in the Beaujolais region. Produced from the Gamay grape, it is a light and relatively delicate wine, though with a bit of resistance. Fleurie will not overpower the flavours on this plate. If you prefer Pinot Noir, open a Santenay or Bourgogne Rouge.
Try: Domaine Chevassu- Fassenet, Côtes du Jura, France 2015 92
£ 21 The Wine Society
You can tell this isn’t a run-of-the-mill commercial white wine by looking at the label, which looks like a throwback to a bygone age. One sniff of the golden liquid and you’ll see it ploughs its own furrow stylistically too. Bone-dry, and made in an oxidative style, it’s 100% Savagnin; nutty, Sherry-like and textural, almost with a bitter edge, and with marked aromas of windfall apples. There’s a vitality to this wine which captivates. Drink 2021-2025 Alc 13.5%
Try: Le Grappin, Fleurie- Poncié, Fleurie, Beaujolais, France 2018 93
£ 26-£ 26.99
Banstead Vintners, St Andrews Wine Co, Wanderlust Wines Sourced from old vines on the top of the Poncié ridge above Fleurie, this has a classy nose of violet and crushed dark berry fruit, allied to an elegant palate with beautifully extracted cherry fruit flavours, just the right amount of subtle oak, and a lingering mineral, graphite note on the aftertaste. A wine that manages to be both serious and highly drinkable – a great effort. Drink 2021-2024 Alc 13%