📍 Jura

The Jura is a mountain wine area in eastern France, near the Swiss border. It lies between Burgundy and the Alps. Vineyards grow on foothill slopes, on limestone and clay soils. The climate is cool, with cold winters.

The Jura is the home of "yellow wine", vin jaune. It is made from the Savagnin grape and aged in barrels under a film of yeast, without topping up. The wine is nutty and spicy, with unusual power. It is bottled in a special 620 ml bottle, the clavelin. The best yellow wines come from Château-Chalon and Arbois.

The area also makes white and red wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and local varieties such as Poulsard and Trousseau. There are Crémant du Jura sparkling wine and the fortified Macvin. All this belongs to French wine, but the Jura stands apart; its wines do not resemble those of its neighbours. For lovers of rare wine this area is always interesting.