A NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: Yup, we were making a Negroni. Sbagliato. And were probably going to put prosecco in it since we were going to be featuring it during a prosecco tasting. That all may sound very familiar read from the vantage point of 2024. But look at the date this was originally published. 2011. Yeah, we were just that ahead of our time.
Wine geeks love wines from the Jura. This doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Well, it doesn’t come as a surprise to a certain sect of the world’s wine geeks …the Juranistas, to coin a phrase that really shouldn’t be coined. I’m one of those Jura-loving wine geeks and Frankly Wines stocks more wines from this region than my accountant considers fiscally responsible. So anytime an article appears touting the joys of these obscure, unique wines, I do a little happy dance.
I did a big happy dance following Eric Asimov’s most recent Jura post. This one specifically mentioned Domaine Montbourgeau, which is located in the sub-region of L’Etoile. This estate, overseen by Nicole Deriaux, is one of my favorite. I’ll even admit to a girl crush on Nicole and her wines, of which I stock quite a few, including her “starter” Chardonnay. This Chardonnay – which has nothing in common with big, buttery, Cali-style Chardonnay, beyond the name – is my gateway drug to the Jura. I price it aggressively, at $19.99, a price at which many people are willing to take a chance. It has the twangy, earthy, funkiness so typical of the Jura, balanced by an elegant minerality and a bit of roundness that softens it up a bit. ‘Accessible ’ is probably not the right word – this is not a wine everyone will like – but if you’re looking to try a white from the Jura, made in the classic style, this is a good place to start.
Montbourgeau L’Etoile 2008 (L’Etoile, Jura, France): Pair it with some comte cheese, or with a creamy sauce, possibly involving mushrooms, and you could just find yourself turning in to a Jura-loving wine geek. And if that happens…don’t worry, I can help you get your fix. Price $19.99