Wine Arcana

Region

Arbois

Arbois is a wine appellation around the town of the same name in the northern Jura, in eastern France. It brings together the region's principal still-wine traditions: pale reds, firmer reds, fresh whites, whites matured under yeast, and sweet wines from dried grapes. The appellation was recognised on 15 May 1936.1. INAO, “Arbois blanc”; recognition date also appears in section I of the adopted specification.

Slopes and grapes

Vineyards lie below the limestone edge of the Jura plateau and on nearby hills. Marl and clay retain water beneath a covering of limestone debris that helps drainage. In this rainy climate, growers favour sheltered slopes with enough sun to ripen their grapes. Warm, gravelly sites are particularly useful for Trousseau.

Poulsard, also called Ploussard, gives many of the lightest-coloured reds. Pinot Noir and Trousseau can bring deeper colour and firmer structure. Producers bottle both individual varieties and blends. Pupillin, just south of Arbois, has a strong association with Poulsard; Arbois-Pupillin identifies wine meeting the rules for that commune's supplementary geographical designation.2. Arbois specification, sections II, IV, and IX. Pupillin is a supplementary geographical designation within Arbois.

White wines and cellar choices

Chardonnay and Savagnin anchor the white wines. The cellar method is especially useful information when choosing between them. Ouillé means topped up: wine lost during maturation is replaced to keep the vessel full. These wines can show the grapes' fruit and acidity clearly, with further differences from site, barrel use, and time on the lees.

For sous voile wines, producers allow a yeast veil to develop on the surface of wine in partly filled barrels. This gives a more savoury, nutty character. Vin jaune is the long-matured expression of this practice, centred on Savagnin. Arbois has a tradition of using lofts or attics for part of its maturation, where seasonal temperature changes can be large. Wink Lorch associates these conditions with more evaporation and an overt walnut character, while stressing that cellars and wines vary.3. Lorch, “Decoding Jura's Wine Styles,” sections on white wines and the sous voile family.

Vin de paille concentrates grapes by drying them after harvest. Arbois rules require at least six weeks of drying before pressing; the resulting sweet wine follows its own extended maturation.2. Arbois specification, sections II, IV, and IX. Pupillin is a supplementary geographical designation within Arbois.

Sources