THE ORIGINAL JURASSIC PARK
Long gone are the mammoth Dinosaurs that stampeded mysteriously throughout Jura, the smallest wine region in France. Named after the Jurassic period, you won’t find any fossilized wines aged 56 million years ago. Instead, Jura is captivating for its production of unique fine wines from indigenous grapes that were first planted here in the Middle Ages.
Jura is a tiny, secluded region at the far eastern edge of France, wedged between Burgundy and the Swiss Alps. The Limestone strata leftover from the Jurassic period makes Jura one of the most mystifying wine regions in the world. The array of wine styles produced here are as lavish as it’s legacy.
WINE ARTISTRY
It’s limited to only three official wine-producing regions, with the most acclaimed being Château-Chalon, where this wine is made. The unique class of wines is Vin Typés (white, rose, and red still wines), Macvin (fortified spirit from grape skins), Crémant du Jura (sparkling wine), Vin de Paille (dessert wine from dried grapes), and what Jura is most famous for, Vin Jaune ( an unfortified sherry-like wine.
Just as there are a restricted number of wine-growing marked areas, so are the number of grape varieties approved for production. The popular suspects, Pinot Noir, and ever so worldly socialite Chardonnay They take up a fair amount of vineyard space given its proximity to the exalted Burgundy border. However, winemakers in Jura also grow grapes native to the area; red grapes Trousseau and Poulsard. Yet, the most important signature white grape is Sauvignon, used solely for the production of its storied “yellow wine” Vin Jaune.
REBEL CAUSE
France has always had a reputation for wine snobbery and for this reason, makes it ground zero for strict wine-producing regulations. By global standards, Jura is relatively foreign, and that’s just the way the iconic Burgundy neighbor to the west, likes it. Given Jura’s small size, it’s no surprise it’s home to farmstead producers, with a knack for experimentation. Domaine Berthet-Bondet is one of those producers that has opted to turn up their nose to jurisdictions.
Trio Cotes du Jura Is crafted in the Château-Chalon wine region, that’s only approved to make Vin Jaune wine. If a producer wants to proudly display the name of the region on their wine label, then the wine can ONLY be a Vin Jaune wine. The renegade couple behind this label said “screw it!” and made an executive decision to make red wine from the three approved red grapes, thus the name TRIO. Sadly, they can only label their wine coming from the general area of Jura.
T-REX COUPLE
In the ’80s Jean and Chantal fell in love during school in Provence. The allure of the Château Chalon wine region allured Jean to apprentice winemaking there. In 84, hungrily searching for a place to make wine. The couple bought Domaine Berthet-Bonet at the foot of the Jura Mountains. In one year they pumped out their first harvest in 85. That’s remarkable since most vineyards need three years before a successful harvest.
Impressively, the Berthet-Bondets don’t come from families of historical winemaking, but rather have engineering degrees. When I first researched the background on the power duo, try not to be shocked, but technical people make good winemakers. In fact, in all the years I have been interviewing winemakers, a majority of them come from some engineering scientific background. Then, the others are either a celebrity bored with their money or a trust fund baby, both buying prefabricated juice to contribute to the “Dead Sea” of wines.
TRIO CÔTES DU JURA 2016 DOMAINE BERTHET-BONDET
The 16th-century property sports an existing vaulted cellar for their wine storage. In addition, was an abandoned barn on their land they converted into the winery. This illustrious Domaine sits on 37 acres of Jurassic era limestone along with gravel. The climate here is Alpine, with cool high altitudes along with solar radiation from The Jura Mountains. This results in wines of bright refreshing character and grapes with thicker skins for the depth of flavors and backbone.
This wine is made of 50% Trousseau, 30% Poulsard, and sorry Pinot, only 20%. To understand and appreciate red wines produced in Jura is to know traditionally they treat red and white wines unlike the rest of the world. Whites are made oxidatively (exposure to oxygen) and reds are meant to be made reductively (no exposure to oxygen). This means for TRIO, you get Paleo earth, juicy zippy red fruit, and lively acid.
REVIEW
APPEARANCE
Translucent medium ruby with a silver rim
NOSE
Medium intense succulent red fruit. Fresh picked red cherries, red plum, wild raspberries, juicy white peach, baked cranberries, fresh potted soil, dried nettles, dried herbs, and brown spices.
PALATE
Dry high acid medium lush tannins, medium alcohol, delicate medium body, tame texture pretty flavors of invigorating of red fresh fruit, red tree fruit, mineral sediment, zesty raw rhubarb, tree bark, and forest floor with long persistent finish.
CONCLUSION
This is a wine that can heighten the senses, keep you engaged on the palate, and entertain you long after the guests have gone home. I found myself, that I stole from a village level Fixan of Burgundy at $30. SHHHhhhhh doesn’t awaken the ancient Beasts, I want more of these wines for myself. Have you had Jurassic wine?
Ciao! Hope you enjoyed my review please comment below Love your feedback.
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