The 7 Best Wines From France’s Jura to Drink Now in 2026
Situated between Burgundy to the west and the Swiss region to the east that has the same name, the Jura region of France takes its name from the Jura Mountains, along which its almost 5,000 acres of vineyards stretch for about 50 miles. The Jura Arbois region—where renowned scientist Louis Pasteur once made wine—received France’s first AOC designation in 1936 and Côtes du Jura, L’Etoile, and Chateau-Chalon were added the following year. The Jura also includes three “product” AOCs, Macvin du Jura, which makes spirits, sparkling wine region Cremant du Jura, and Marc du Jura, where a strong distilled alcohol similar to Italian grappa is produced.
The Jura’s most famous and valuable wine is its Vin Jaune—French for yellow or golden wine—which is made from Savagnin and is matured in oak barrels for a minimum of 75 months during which the barrels are untouched until bottling. When we speak with collectors who find increased resale value among wine from Jura, they are talking about Vin Jaune. In addition to this style, the region is noted for its lauded, sweet Vin de Paille, or straw wine, produced using dried grapes, and Cremant du Jura, a sparkling wine made using the traditional double fermentation method.
The five main varieties grown here are Savagnin, Chardonnay, Poulsard, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir. Only Savagnin may be used for Vin Jaune, and that variety and Chardonnay can be made into a newer style that requires topping up the barrel with fresh wine as evaporation occurs. Production of Vin Jaune involves allowing evaporation to proceed, promoting the growth of a thin layer of yeast on the surface, called the voile (or veil), which creates a style most comparable to Fino Sherry from Spain. Known worldwide for Vin Jaune, the Jura’s biggest secrets are its light red wines made from Poulsard (a.k.a. Ploussard) or heavier reds made with Trousseau and Pinot Noir. While well-aged and properly stored Vin Jaune often commands high prices in the secondary market, most newly released Jura wine can be had for a fraction of the cost of bottles from neighboring Burgundy. And while Vin Jaune may be the Jura’s most highly prized asset, many winemakers are releasing the younger, fresher style to offset the costs of long barrel aging. We tasted through many at Wine Paris this year and the Jura wines are better than ever. Here are seven to introduce you to the incredible nectar from this under-the-radar but highly regarded region.
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Tissot 2022 Bénédicte et Stéphane Chardonnay Arbois Patchwork
Image Credit: Tissot Domaine Tissot was founded by André and Mireille Tissot in 1962, and they passed the torch to their son Stéphane just in time for the 1989 harvest when he was only 19. He chose to utilize massale selection for all new plantings instead of using the clones that have been in the Jura for years. His 2022 Chardonnay is crafted from wines made from different terroirs thus emphasizing the “patchwork” name. In the glass it is bright straw colored and has aromas of apple, pear, chalk, and a whiff of salinity. Flavors of pear, citrus blossom, and apple carry you through to a finish characterized by bright acidity and bracing minerality.
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Domaine de la Touraize 2023 Arbois La Cabane Ploussard
Image Credit: Domaine de la Touraize After the first world war winemaker Marius Morin sold off all his domain except for one small parcel called La Touraize. His son Michel began rebuilding the vineyard stocks in the mid 1950s and his son Andre-Jean joined him in growing grapes and selling to the local cooperative. In 2009 Andre-Jean left the cooperative and built his own winery and today wines are made and sold exclusively by AJ and his wife Heleana. Their 2023 La Cabane is translucent light red and has aromas of strawberry, Fuji apple, and red raspberry. It is light bodied on the palate with flavors of strawberry, ripe red fruits, and a touch of rose hip in the finish.
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Domaine du Pelican 2023 Arbois Savagnin Ouille
Image Credit: Domaine du Pelican The story goes that Guillaume d’Angerville first fell in love with the wines of Jura when he enjoyed a 2005 Chardonnay made by Stephane Tissot. After this life changing event, he began his search for vineyards in the region and signed a contract to lease 12 acres of biodynamically farmed vines belonging to the Chateau Chavanes in Montigny-les-Arsures. François Duvivier now leads winemaking and together he and the team craft stunning bottles. Their 2023 Arbois Savagnin Ouille is vinified in a non-oxidative style and has aromas of white peach, Winesap apple, crushed oyster shells, and chalk that lead to flavors of dried peach, Anjou pear, and fresh apricot with a bright splash of acidity at the very end.
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Joseph Dorbon 2022 Trousseau Arbois
Image Credit: Joseph Dorbon This delightful wine is made from Trousseau, a very old variety of red grape that originated in eastern France but is also grown in Portugal to make Port wines. Also known as Trousseau Noir, Bastardo, or Cabernet Gros, only 5 percent of the vineyards in the Jura have plantings of this variety accounting for about 430 acres. Joseph Dorbon has long been considered a top producer of this little-known grape and farms seven and a half acres of Trousseau vines. The domain was founded in 1990 by Joseph and in 2022 his nephew Pierre Laport took over the reins. The 2022 Trousseau has aromas of ripe strawberry, red raspberry, and a touch of finely ground white pepper. Somewhat spicy in the palate it showcases flavors of ripe red fruits and purple flowers.
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François Rousset-Martin 2022 Cotes du Jura Cuvee de Professeur Sous-Roche Savagnin
Image Credit: Francis Rousset Martin Rousset-Martin fell in love with winemaking at a very young age when his father worked for Hospices de Beaune in Burgundy. He subsequently opened his winery in the Jura in 2007 in Nevy-Sur-Seille, a small village located in the Reculées Valley surrounded by gigantic limestone cliffs. He is well known for his fresh, non-oxidative style. Rousset-Martin’s 2022 Cuvee de Professeur Sous Roche is named for his father and is made from Savagnin grapes. It has aromas of lemon peel, blood orange, white flowers, and white peach that transition to crisp, clean flavors of yellow peach and chalk with just a hint of freshly cut apricot in the mouth filling finish.
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Pierre Girardin 2023 Les Abeilles Chardonnay
Image Credit: Pierre Girardin Pierre-Vincent’s father is the legendary Burgundian winemaker Vincent Girardin and currently Pierre represents the 13th generation of his winemaking family. While their clan is well respected in Burgundy, they also have this notable project in the Jura. Named Les Abeilles for the bees that buzz around and pollinate the vineyard, this fresh Chardonnay has stunning aromas of green apple, flint, white peach, and dried herbs that transfer to the palate with full-bodied roundness and flavors of peach, Fuji apple, and a touch of salty minerality in the finish.
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Domaine de Montbourgeau 2018 L’Etoile Vin Jaune
Image Credit: Domaine de Montbourgeau Nicole Deriaux’s grandfather began making Jura wines in the 1920s and passed his knowledge on to her over the years. She is now the head winemaker and tends her vines on steep hills with soils composed of limestone and marine fossils. A large portion of the terroir contains fossilized starfish which give the name L’Etoile (the star) to this appellation. Made from Savagnin grapes, this vin jaune is golden yellow in color and has aromas of dried peach, roasted hazelnuts, vanilla bean, apricot, and brown baking spices. It is dense and full-bodied in the palate and has concentrated flavors of bitter almond, caramelized orange peel, apricot, vanilla, citrus peel, and dried pear.
