The Jura line-up of December was a ride: after another memorable Mémée Marie 2020 in Piemonte, my palate was m...

The Jura line-up of December was a ride: after another memorable Mémée Marie 2020 in Piemonte, my palate was more than ready for more FRM and Jura bottles again. 2016 Labet Chardonnay Les Varrons came out swinging with a massive gunpowder nose that never really calmed down. Ripe fruit, honeysuckle, a white-tea bitterness, and tons of tropical fruit were all there, but the acidity sat apart from everything else, starting unbalanced and finishing the same. It paired well with an aromatic quiche, complex for sure, but this kind of reduction felt outdated and way over the top. Domaine de Saint Pierre, Arbois 2022 opened with a slightly barnyardy note that disappeared in five minutes. Underneath: clear fruit, citrus, white pear flesh, apples, and a whole spectrum of ripe and unripe stone fruit. Grippy ,actually the most grippy in this line up, focused, textured, and quietly seductive. FRM Cuvée du Professeur, 2020 the sweet spot of Jura for me. As @winestrolls put it perfectly, these wines sit right between reductive and oxidative styles. This reductive Savagnin can’t help being a bit showy with its salty, salty minerality. Mineral yet creamy, long, complex, beautifully balanced, and a dream with savoury food; big, but with just enough acidity to keep it in that sweet spot. Savagnin 2020 from Grappe was another highlight, from a producer that has given both great and terrible memories for me. If Savagnin feels too big and rustic to you, this bottle flips the script: very pure, zesty, clean and clear, almost textbook in how confidently it shows quince, apple, apricot, gentle yeastiness and spice. It never turns tropical or blowsy, just stays precise and charming. #jurawine #unicornwine #instawine