A bottle of the unusual Vin Jaune, Arbois appellation contrôlé, from Montigny in the Jura region of France, that's the low mountains between the Rhône and the Alps. Vin Jaune is matured in a vat under a layer of yeast and then bottled in bottles of 620ml capacity and a characteristic shape, sealed with wax (as would be a port wine).
>This is a bottle of "Les Bruyères", bottled at the domaine of Bénédicte et Stéphane Tissot in Montigny-les-Arsures. A very complex nose but a slightly bitter taste to my palate; my companion tasted this as a sharpness but not acidic, and very very dry. Reminiscent of a particularly dry sherry, like fino sherry or white port but much drier still. For me, it’s a bit like an over-kept Bordeaux white where the sweetness has turned entirely to alcohol.
A beautiful amber colour and unusually fragrant even when tasted cool. Appearance more viscous than a white wine but not as sticky as a sherry.
Nicely goes with cheese as an apéritif, we preferred this Vin Jaune slightly chilled. The recommendation is to drink after between six and ten years' ageing, so this bottle is a little more mature than average. For me, so much the better but my comnpanion felt the sharpness was beginning to detract from the complex bouquet of flavours.
Thanks to Alan for contributing this bottle and the opportunity to experience this unusual vintage.