🔥 Warm up question
You will find the correct answer at the end of the today’s newsletter 😉
✒️ Practice question
Question two from the October 2022 exam
Describe the growing environment (30%) and grape varieties (30%) in the Jura region. Explain how winemaking (40%) influences the range of wine styles produced.
✔️ Examiner’s Report
Copyright © Wine and Spirit Education Trust
This is a lesser-known region, but one that is attracting greater interest in recent years, particularly from sommeliers. Jura has unique grape varieties and wine styles, and the substantial number of merits demonstrated that those candidates who studied it did well. However, those who did not specifically learn about it would have been better served by answering a different question because the answers could not be guessed. A disappointingly large number of candidates did not know where Jura is - for example, several placed it in the Rhône Valley - and some wrote about Jurançon. It was difficult to award these papers any marks at all. Also, there were many very brief answers, and others containing little more than generic information when specific facts were needed.
The growing environment was generally poorly answered. Brevity was the main issue, but also many candidates offered an exaggerated view, thinking that the vineyards were far higher and far cooler than is actually the case. High rainfall is a key factor that was also often missed. There are a number of unusual grape varieties in Jura and most candidates correctly identified Savagnin and its characteristics, but the red varieties were frequently overlooked, as was Chardonnay which is the most planted variety in the region. The third part of the question was about the range of wine styles but many candidate struggled beyond Vin Jaune. This was covered quite well, although Château-Chalon was rarely mentioned, despite this being arguably the most important example (and many thought this was an estate and not an AOC). Red wines, conventionally-made whites and particularly Vin de Paille were common omissions.
In conclusion, it is important to cover the entire range of the Specification when studying and to consider the lesser-known regions. Exam papers are carefully compiled to cover as much of the syllabus as is practical, and candidates disregarding minor regions can prove disastrous if there are other problematic questions on the paper as they will run out of options.
🤖 AI Answer 2.0
This answer is generated by Claudee 3.0 Opus, which uses current internet data up to February 2023. While it has received more training, the answer AI produces is far from perfect. Please read this sample answer as if it’s by a fellow coursemate. How does your own answer compare? How would your mark it if you were the Examiner?
The Jura wine region, located east of Burgundy and bordering Switzerland, has a moderate continental climate with relatively high annual rainfall (above 1,100 mm), including significant precipitation during the growing season. This can pose challenges such as reduced yields due to poor flowering and fruit set, and increased risk of fungal diseases, necessitating additional vineyard work and costs. Spring frost and hail have also caused losses in recent years. However, the region enjoys good sunshine levels, and climate change has brought extra warmth. Vineyards are situated on west-facing slopes of the Jura Mountains at altitudes of 250-400 m, with mainly clay and marl soils, and some limestone. Many vineyards are grassed between rows to reduce erosion and limit herbicide use. Vines are mostly replacement-cane pruned at height to mitigate frost risk, and vertical shoot positioning is employed to promote air flow and reduce fungal disease pressure. Machine harvesting has become more common, except on steep slopes, to reduce costs and enable efficient harvesting. Average yields in the decade to 2017 have been well below the maximum permitted levels due to weather hazards, often less than half the allowed limit for red wines (23 hL/ha in 2017).
The main grape varieties in Jura are Chardonnay (44%), Savagnin (22%), Poulsard (14%), Pinot Noir (13%), and Trousseau (5%). Chardonnay, the most planted variety, is used in both still and sparkling (Crémant du Jura) wines. As an early-budding variety, it is prone to spring frosts. Savagnin, a thick-skinned white variety with good disease resistance, is used for conventional white wines and oxidative styles, including Vin Jaune. It buds early and thrives on steep marl slopes. Poulsard (Ploussard), the most planted black variety, buds very early, making it vulnerable to spring frost. It is prone to coulure, fungal diseases (due to thin skins), and requires constant attention, increasing costs. However, it ripens early, allowing harvest before autumn rains. Pinot Noir, the second most planted black variety, is used in red blends, Crémant du Jura, and increasingly as a single-varietal wine. Trousseau, a thick-skinned black variety with disease resistance (except for botrytis), is prone to poor flowering and coulure, reducing yields. As a vigorous variety, it requires careful canopy management and warm sites (gravel soils, lower slopes, or well-exposed steep slopes) to ripen fully.
Winemaking in Jura significantly influences the diverse range of wine styles produced. For conventional white wines, Savagnin and Chardonnay are typically fermented in stainless steel tanks or old barrels at mid-range temperatures, as fruity esters are not desired. Malolactic fermentation is common. Some producers make Chardonnay in a Burgundian style, with barrel fermentation and possible lees stirring for added richness. Red wines, such as those from Poulsard and Trousseau, are usually macerated for a short time (5-10 days) at temperatures below 30°C (86°F). Poulsard may undergo carbonic or semi-carbonic maceration for a fruity style. Trousseau and Pinot Noir can be macerated longer for more structure and aging potential. Red wines are often aged in old oak barrels for less than a year. Most white and red winemaking involves old barrels of various sizes, with minimal new oak, to preserve primary fruit and reduce costs.
Jura's most distinctive wine, Vin Jaune, is made from Savagnin grapes fermented to dryness and aged in barrels with a headspace for a minimum of six years, including at least five years under a flor-like yeast called "le voile" (the veil). Producers may inoculate with selected yeasts or allow natural flor development. The thin flor layer and lack of topping up result in a combination of biological and oxidative aging. Alcohol levels increase to 13.5-15% abv due to water evaporation through the barrels. Vin Jaune develops pronounced aromas of bread dough, almond, ginger, and green apple, with high acidity, and can age for decades. Other related white wines, such as Savagnin withdrawn earlier from barrel or blends with Chardonnay, display less intense oxidative characters. The region also produces small quantities of Vin de Paille, a sweet wine made from grapes dried off-vine, with a minimum of 14% abv, 70-120 g/L residual sugar, and mandatory oak aging for at least 18 months.
Notable producers in Jura include the cooperative Fruitière Vinicole d'Arbois, négociant Maison du Vigneron (Grands Chais de France), and Henri Maire (Boisset). The region has a strong emphasis on organic viticulture (20% of vineyards) and natural winemaking, contributing to its artisanal reputation. Annual production volumes vary significantly due to vintage conditions, ranging from 45,000 to 105,000 hL in the five years to 2016-17. Exports, which have grown rapidly over the past 15 years, account for nearly 20% of production. The annual Percée du Vin Jaune wine fair has played a crucial role in promoting Jura's unique wines, particularly Vin Jaune, and raising the region's profile.
👀 And the correct answer for the warm up is…
“Rosé d’Anjou Villages AOC“ doesn’t exist. Anjou Villages AOC is strictly red-only.
Course material and references
Anjou Villages AOC - WSET Diploma in Wine D3 textbook p79
Rosé de Loire AOC - textbook p81
Official Vins Val de Loire page on rosés