A&M Tissot, Vin Jaune Les Bruyères, Arbois, Jura

Tissot, Vin Jaune Les Bruyères , Jura . In 2011, Stéphane succeeded for the first time in making clearly different Vin Jaunes from 6 different Jura terroirs - unique! Tissot wanted to show that terroir also matters in oxidative upbringing. And he succeeded!
Normally the idea is that oxidation will destroy every nuance of a terroir or grape variety. Think of many natural wines where you can no longer recognize the grape at all. Vin Jaune may only be made from the grape variety Savagnin (aka Traminer).

This Tissot, Vin Jaune Les Bruyères, from 2016, is full and round, with a salty edge. Great wine! Lush single malt tones. The acidity is more noticeable here with salty tones like in Islay malt whiskies. Furthermore hazelnut, almond, dried fruit, such as apricot and dates.

The vineyard faces north, here are the oldest Savagnin vines of the wine estate. An experience to taste such a wine in itself!

• Serving: 12 °C
• Drink: now up to 2100+ (not a typo!)

Vin Jaune from the Jura, the French sherry?

The vinification of Savagnin grapes to vin jaune (yellow wine) is special. It is similar to that of sherry. The wine matures, after fermentation in the spring, for at least six years and 3 months in barriques . The winemaker deliberately does not fill the barrels when part of the wine has evaporated (especially the alcohol evaporates in contact with the air). The wine also oxidizes in the process.

A floating layer of yeast cells then forms on the wine, called 'voile' (veil) in the Jura and 'flor' in Spain. This prevents oxygen from reaching the wine. The yeast cells convert all remaining sugars in the wine into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Vin Jaune is not a fortified wine.

Voile, the secret of Vin Jaune

The voile or flor consists of yeast, among other things, acetic acid bacteria that combine oxygen and alcohol. (For the chemists: ethanol becomes ethanal and that smells like sherry). Contact with vinegar-forming bacteria normally turns wine into undrinkable sour vinegar. The French word for vinegar is vinaigre - vin aigre = sour wine.
But vin jaune develops in those years in barrels into a beautiful dry wine with a golden yellow color and a particularly rich nose. This can be seen in, among other things, because the Savagnin grape itself has a high acidity (a low pH) and acetic acid bacteria do not like that.

It gets even crazier. The barrels are not only stored in cellars, but also in attics. This also happens with Madeira. By storing the maturing wine alternately in a "cave à jaune" or "cave sous les toits" and in a cold cellar, the wine is deliberately exposed to large temperature differences. Something that you avoid with other wines.

During the prescribed 6 years and 3 months that the vin jaune matures in barrels, the winemaker loses approximately 38% of his wine through evaporation. The lost wine is called " part des anges ". For this reason, the wine is bottled in a 62 centilitre bottle . This bottle – the clavelin – shows how much wine was lost during maturation.

• Savagnin is one of the parents of Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc, Grüner veltliner and Trousseau.
• Savagnin is one of the grandparents of Cabernet Sauvignon, which itself is a descendant of Sauvignon Blanc.