There are a lot of people on this forum who are hooked on Muscadet. Let me be provocative and suggest that Jurançon is at least equally worthy of addiction, not least because it produces wonderful sweet examples as well as dry. These dries are perhaps not analytically bone dry like most Muscadet and there are sometimes honeyed hints but these are balanced by mouth-wateringly crisp acidity and exciting minerality giving a subjectively dry impression. Prices are very reasonable for the quality.
Here are TNs on some dry ones which I have recently drunk.
Jurançon sec La Part Davan 2010 Camin Larredya Alc.14% - (13), made from organically grown Gros Manseng 55%, Petit Manseng 30%, Petit Courbu 15%.
This producer is new to me but seems on a par with the outstanding Lapeyre and Charles Hours. This gently aromatic medium/light bodied wine gives a subjectively bone dry and exhilarating impression but mingled into the citrus fruit, crisp juicy acidity, minerals and toasty hints are fleeting glimpses of honey; there was an attractive grapefruit like bitterness giving backbone to the finish. My guess is that even greater complexity such as I found in Lapeyre’s Vitatge Vielh 2007 (see below) will emerge with medium term ageing; 16.5/20++ now QPR.
Jurançon sec Cuvée Marie 2010 Charles Hours Alc.14% - (12). I have loved previous vintages of this, particularly 2004. This one is not quite there yet but shows lovely crispness and minerality with touches of pineapple (prominent with the oysters) and honey. I was bothered by some oak induced caramel touches at the autumn tasting (10 months in wood of which 15% new) and Hours opined that it may have been due to recent bottling. I think that he was right because I no longer found these wood touches in this bottle; 16.5/20 with + potential QPR. (Jan 2012)
Jurançon sec Cuvée Marie 2005 Charles Hours Alc.14% - (11 for 2007), made from Gros and Petit Manseng with Courbu; its aromas show white fruit (a lot of pineapple), a lot of honey and abundant minerals; the nose could presage a sweet wine but the palate turned out to be dry, medium bodied, harmonious (with no alcohol burn), quite aromatic with plenty of lively/crisp acidity yet with caressing fruit and mouth-feel and good length but perhaps slightly less integrated than my previous bottle; 16.5/20++ QPR. (July 2010)
Jurançon sec Vitatge Vielh de Lapeyre 2007 Clos Lapeyre, Larrieu Alc.14% - (14), made from Gros & Petit Manseng and Courbu organically grown. This is a lovely wine several notches about the basic dry Lapeyre. The nose was invigorating with complex notes including passion fruit, minerals and honey and could have presaged a sweeter wine. The long palate was dry, medium bodied with generosity and some roundness and gras and was infused with lively fruit, complex minerals and juicily crisp acidity. The high alcohol did not obtrude. It was excellent with fish but the goat cheeses brought out extra subtleties in its minerality whilst the Beaufort pairing was more neutral; 17/20+ QPR!!. (Nov 2011)
Here are TNs on some dry ones which I have recently drunk.
Jurançon sec La Part Davan 2010 Camin Larredya Alc.14% - (13), made from organically grown Gros Manseng 55%, Petit Manseng 30%, Petit Courbu 15%.
This producer is new to me but seems on a par with the outstanding Lapeyre and Charles Hours. This gently aromatic medium/light bodied wine gives a subjectively bone dry and exhilarating impression but mingled into the citrus fruit, crisp juicy acidity, minerals and toasty hints are fleeting glimpses of honey; there was an attractive grapefruit like bitterness giving backbone to the finish. My guess is that even greater complexity such as I found in Lapeyre’s Vitatge Vielh 2007 (see below) will emerge with medium term ageing; 16.5/20++ now QPR.
Jurançon sec Cuvée Marie 2010 Charles Hours Alc.14% - (12). I have loved previous vintages of this, particularly 2004. This one is not quite there yet but shows lovely crispness and minerality with touches of pineapple (prominent with the oysters) and honey. I was bothered by some oak induced caramel touches at the autumn tasting (10 months in wood of which 15% new) and Hours opined that it may have been due to recent bottling. I think that he was right because I no longer found these wood touches in this bottle; 16.5/20 with + potential QPR. (Jan 2012)
Jurançon sec Cuvée Marie 2005 Charles Hours Alc.14% - (11 for 2007), made from Gros and Petit Manseng with Courbu; its aromas show white fruit (a lot of pineapple), a lot of honey and abundant minerals; the nose could presage a sweet wine but the palate turned out to be dry, medium bodied, harmonious (with no alcohol burn), quite aromatic with plenty of lively/crisp acidity yet with caressing fruit and mouth-feel and good length but perhaps slightly less integrated than my previous bottle; 16.5/20++ QPR. (July 2010)
Jurançon sec Vitatge Vielh de Lapeyre 2007 Clos Lapeyre, Larrieu Alc.14% - (14), made from Gros & Petit Manseng and Courbu organically grown. This is a lovely wine several notches about the basic dry Lapeyre. The nose was invigorating with complex notes including passion fruit, minerals and honey and could have presaged a sweeter wine. The long palate was dry, medium bodied with generosity and some roundness and gras and was infused with lively fruit, complex minerals and juicily crisp acidity. The high alcohol did not obtrude. It was excellent with fish but the goat cheeses brought out extra subtleties in its minerality whilst the Beaufort pairing was more neutral; 17/20+ QPR!!. (Nov 2011)