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2017 Côtes du Jura Savagnin “Cuvée du Professeur—Sous-Roche”

François Rousset-Martin
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One of Rousset-Martin’s flagship cuvées, this Savagnin hails from François’s very own vines in the marl soils of the storied Château-Chalon appellation and was patiently matured in Burgundian barrels. A transformative process must have been at work here, with the dynamic freshness of the ouillé, or topped-up style, yet it still displays hints of caramelization and golden savoriness. It’s racy but rich, umami-driven, and creamy, and could be a compelling marriage with the notoriously difficult-to-pair artichoke, especially with a ramekin of butter alongside. Transcendent!

Jennifer Oakes


Technical Information
Wine Type: white
Vintage: 2017
Bottle Size: 750mL
Blend: Savagnin (ouillé)
Appellation: Côtes du Jura
Country: France
Region: Jura
Producer: François Rousset-Martin
Winemaker: Francois Rousset-Martin
Vineyard: 30 years , .25 ha
Soil: Gray marl
Aging: Aged on fine lees
Farming: Organic (practicing)
Alcohol: 13.5%

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About The Region

Jura

map of Jura

The Jura wine world is a fascinating, mysterious, and at times confusing one. The region’s recent surge in popularity on American wine lists lies in contrast with how strange its wines come across to the uninitiated, with many of its indigenous production methods and quirky winemakers requiring more than an introduction for one to fully savor their virtues. We firmly believe, however, that the pleasure at stake is well worth a slight detour to study the wild world of Jura.

Jura tradition calls for aging whites sous voile, or under a fine “veil” of yeast that grows over wine in barrel that has not been topped-off (non ouillé) to compensate for evaporation. The voile effectively slows the process of oxidation, while chemical reactions between these microorganisms and the wine below give rise to a highly distinctive and complex set of aromas. Often hinting at walnuts, beeswax, oriental spices, cheese rind, and brine, wines aged sous voile can come as a shock to the unhabituated palate. Their textural and aromatic singularity naturally sets them in a category of their own at table, perhaps the best setting in which to gain an appreciation for such wines.

Many Jura producers also produce more conventional whites in an ouillé, or topped-off style, as is practiced in Burgundy–or for that matter, in essentially all the white wines we are accustomed to. This method preserves fresh fruit flavors without the rather rustic, often funky oxidative notes typical of wines aged sous voile.

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Where the newsletter started

Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch

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