Jim Hanlon put together a nice lineup for our local sf group. Some grumpy oldsters were bitching about how no one showed up for a great ros Champagne tasting recently but then all the cool kids come out of the woodwork for the Jura. Evidence if there was any doubt that the Jura has jumped the shark here, is too cool for school. Only appropriate that our tasting was in the Mission.
Naturally, we started with a couple of cremants.
NV Tissot Cremant du Jura Indigene
Great nose has bruised apple, metallic mineral bits, citric, even something like salt caramel. Good acids that grips the mouth. Perhaps bit less generosity and richness than expected, but theres certainly a pleasant, if not strong oxidative richness to this wine, which gets some lift from the acidity. I like this wine, even if the palate never quite seems to live up to the nose.
NV Domaine de Montbourgeau Cremant du Jura
Faintly lemon, green, dandelion aromatics. This is quite green with firm acidity, and its more than a little hard and abrupt. I dont remember which vintage this is based on, but Ive had better from this producer.
Then moved onto a few poulsards.
2006 Jacques Puffeney Poulsard Arbois M
Initially reductive, but this gives way with air to reveal subtle red fruits and medicinal spices. Its still young and tight in the mouth but rewards a bit with some sweetness and richness. Good mouthfeel, turning savory/dusty on the back. Another recent bottle of this really shone after being open a day or two, so while Im a believer Id still give this another 6 months or so.
2008 Emmanuel Houillon (Maison Pierre Overnoy) Poulsard Arbois Pupillin
Immediately attractive nose of juicy fresh strawberry and orange bitters with a killer hops/ganja edge to it. Medium-bodied and delightful palate has high acidity but some really striking depth emerges in the glass, with a salty, iron/mineral element in there that gives great pleasure. The conventional wisdom may insist that this is inferior to the 2007 but it's still a captivating wine, if perhaps not a vintage for the ages.
2009 Domaine de la Tournelle Poulsard Arbois Luva Ambrosiana
Intensely reductive. Really tough to get past that nose, but theres some sweet strawberry fruit with fine juicy acids carrying linearly through to the finish. Very direct and pleasant, if a bit short and light. Jim says other bottles havent had reduction problems...
Had to drink some trousseau.
2007 Jacques Puffeney Trousseau Arbois Les Berangeres
Theres an intriguing earthy, toasted grain/kasha note that seems common to the Puff trousseaus Ive drank. Faintly vegetal. Really striking palate - young but so pretty with strawberry and cherry fruit, brown spice and really perfect, fresh acidity. Good length. The prettiest vintage of this I've tasted - indeed probably the prettiest trousseau that Ive tasted, period, and consistent with another bottle drank recently. Drink lots of this.
2007 Michel Gahier Trousseau Arbois 'Grands Vergers'
Volatile, with magic marker/ethyl acetate aromas. Too much VA for me.
The palate has sweet, almost candy-ripe red fruits but is dry and matched with good acids. Still a pass for me due to the volatility.
2007 Philippe Bornard Trousseau Arbois Pupillin 'Le Ginglet'
Super fucked up nose, full stop. Juicy palate with some interesting, slightly oxidized fruit but this is just too supernatural/fucked for me to dig. Ugh.
..and finished with the oxidized whites.
2004 Emmanuel Houillon (Maison Pierre Overnoy) Savagnin Arbois Pupillin
Bruised apple, nutty, soft yellow fruit. Rich, full-bodied palate. Penetrating, vinous flavors and very tart. This is the least oxidized wine in the flight and certainly has the most fruit. I liked it very much but didnt love.
2001 Jacques Puffeney Arbois Cuvee Sacha
Some reduction here, hard to get much from the nose. Very nice richness to the palate, firm and dry with rich apple flavors and salty, savory nuances. Would be really excellent wine if the reduction clears up.
2004 Domaine de Montbourgeau Savagnin lEtoile
By far the most oxidized nose so far. Super nutty, sherry, toffee-like aromatics with dried apple but little fruit character overall. Similarly oxidized, fruitless palate but goes down surprisingly easily thanks to a gentle sensation of sweetness. Some baby vin jaune action here, though I prefer this producer's Cuvee Speciale. Haven't seen it in awhile, though.
2006 Domaine de Montbourgeau LEtoile
Bruised apple, citrus peel, cidery nose. Nice weight in the mouth with some yeasty, rich apple-y flavors. Nice match with the comte. Rather short; this ones all front end-loaded enjoyment.
2000 Jacques Puffeney Arbois Vin Jaune
More developed and far less austere than the 98 tasted at a similar age. Classic pungent green walnut aromatics but more open and generous than expected, especially with the comte. Delicious.
I was surprised at how off the Bornard was. Do other people like this wine? Is this a typical showing?
Call me boring and predictable but my money's on the 07 Puff trousseau, 08 Overnoy poulsard (if anyone will sell you some) and 01 Puff Sacha. Well, if reduction-free bottles are in the offing anyway.
Naturally, we started with a couple of cremants.
NV Tissot Cremant du Jura Indigene
Great nose has bruised apple, metallic mineral bits, citric, even something like salt caramel. Good acids that grips the mouth. Perhaps bit less generosity and richness than expected, but theres certainly a pleasant, if not strong oxidative richness to this wine, which gets some lift from the acidity. I like this wine, even if the palate never quite seems to live up to the nose.
NV Domaine de Montbourgeau Cremant du Jura
Faintly lemon, green, dandelion aromatics. This is quite green with firm acidity, and its more than a little hard and abrupt. I dont remember which vintage this is based on, but Ive had better from this producer.
Then moved onto a few poulsards.
2006 Jacques Puffeney Poulsard Arbois M
Initially reductive, but this gives way with air to reveal subtle red fruits and medicinal spices. Its still young and tight in the mouth but rewards a bit with some sweetness and richness. Good mouthfeel, turning savory/dusty on the back. Another recent bottle of this really shone after being open a day or two, so while Im a believer Id still give this another 6 months or so.
2008 Emmanuel Houillon (Maison Pierre Overnoy) Poulsard Arbois Pupillin
Immediately attractive nose of juicy fresh strawberry and orange bitters with a killer hops/ganja edge to it. Medium-bodied and delightful palate has high acidity but some really striking depth emerges in the glass, with a salty, iron/mineral element in there that gives great pleasure. The conventional wisdom may insist that this is inferior to the 2007 but it's still a captivating wine, if perhaps not a vintage for the ages.
2009 Domaine de la Tournelle Poulsard Arbois Luva Ambrosiana
Intensely reductive. Really tough to get past that nose, but theres some sweet strawberry fruit with fine juicy acids carrying linearly through to the finish. Very direct and pleasant, if a bit short and light. Jim says other bottles havent had reduction problems...
Had to drink some trousseau.
2007 Jacques Puffeney Trousseau Arbois Les Berangeres
Theres an intriguing earthy, toasted grain/kasha note that seems common to the Puff trousseaus Ive drank. Faintly vegetal. Really striking palate - young but so pretty with strawberry and cherry fruit, brown spice and really perfect, fresh acidity. Good length. The prettiest vintage of this I've tasted - indeed probably the prettiest trousseau that Ive tasted, period, and consistent with another bottle drank recently. Drink lots of this.
2007 Michel Gahier Trousseau Arbois 'Grands Vergers'
Volatile, with magic marker/ethyl acetate aromas. Too much VA for me.
The palate has sweet, almost candy-ripe red fruits but is dry and matched with good acids. Still a pass for me due to the volatility.
2007 Philippe Bornard Trousseau Arbois Pupillin 'Le Ginglet'
Super fucked up nose, full stop. Juicy palate with some interesting, slightly oxidized fruit but this is just too supernatural/fucked for me to dig. Ugh.
..and finished with the oxidized whites.
2004 Emmanuel Houillon (Maison Pierre Overnoy) Savagnin Arbois Pupillin
Bruised apple, nutty, soft yellow fruit. Rich, full-bodied palate. Penetrating, vinous flavors and very tart. This is the least oxidized wine in the flight and certainly has the most fruit. I liked it very much but didnt love.
2001 Jacques Puffeney Arbois Cuvee Sacha
Some reduction here, hard to get much from the nose. Very nice richness to the palate, firm and dry with rich apple flavors and salty, savory nuances. Would be really excellent wine if the reduction clears up.
2004 Domaine de Montbourgeau Savagnin lEtoile
By far the most oxidized nose so far. Super nutty, sherry, toffee-like aromatics with dried apple but little fruit character overall. Similarly oxidized, fruitless palate but goes down surprisingly easily thanks to a gentle sensation of sweetness. Some baby vin jaune action here, though I prefer this producer's Cuvee Speciale. Haven't seen it in awhile, though.
2006 Domaine de Montbourgeau LEtoile
Bruised apple, citrus peel, cidery nose. Nice weight in the mouth with some yeasty, rich apple-y flavors. Nice match with the comte. Rather short; this ones all front end-loaded enjoyment.
2000 Jacques Puffeney Arbois Vin Jaune
More developed and far less austere than the 98 tasted at a similar age. Classic pungent green walnut aromatics but more open and generous than expected, especially with the comte. Delicious.
I was surprised at how off the Bornard was. Do other people like this wine? Is this a typical showing?
Call me boring and predictable but my money's on the 07 Puff trousseau, 08 Overnoy poulsard (if anyone will sell you some) and 01 Puff Sacha. Well, if reduction-free bottles are in the offing anyway.
