Crémant du Jura: A traditional yet different sort of bubbly

What’s not to love about Crémant du Jura? Same grapes as Burgundy, same traditional method as Champagne, and at a fraction of the cost.

When the French Winophiles chose Jura as this month’s topic, I was delighted to find a Crémant du Jura at my local Total Wine store. Then I realized this was the second Crémant du Jura to turn my head since I’d become a wine blogger. Well, if the wine is a winner, why not?

A mountainous region

Jura is a mountainous region of eastern France bordered by Burgundy to the west and Switzerland to the east. This thin sliver of land dates from the Jurassic geological period. For the most part, it has the same altitude, soils and subsoils as Burgundy, but with a few exceptions. Jurassic limestone and marlstone are the main soil types in Jura.

Cold in winter, warm and dry in summer – the continental climate of Jura is now becoming somewhat unpredictable, as it is elsewhere in France and around the world.

The same grape varieties grown in Burgundy go into high-quality Crémant du Jura wines. Crémant du Jura blanc (white) must contain a minimum combination of 70 percent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the two Burgundian mainstays, and Trousseau, a native Jura grape. Rosé can be blended with indigenous grapes. 

As with all other Crémant wines in France, Jura bubblies are made in the traditional method used in Champagne. This means the grapes are fermented separately and then blended into a base wine. A secondary fermentation (prise de mousse) occurs in the bottle by adding a blend of sugar and yeast (liqueur de tirage) to the base wine prior to bottling. Then the bottles are aged for a minimum of 12 months in the cellar where they are regularly turned (riddling) to allow the dead yeast cells (lees) to slowly settle into the neck. After disgorging this deposit, winemakers add their signature and secret liqueur d’expédition as a final touch.

Sparkling wines have been made this way in Jura since the end of the 18th century. Previously sold as vin mousseux under the region’s other appellations, Crémant du Jura got its own designated title (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée or AOC) in 1995. The production area for Crémant du Jura is exactly the same as that of Côtes du Jura, its counterpart for still wines. This includes a total of 105 communes (villages), stretching for nearly 50 miles from Champagne-sur-Loue in the north to Saint-Amour in the south. (Source: wine-searcher)

The winery and the wine
Tissot-Maire Crémant du Jura AOC Brut Lapiaz
60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay

Located in Arbois, Tissot-Maire specializes in Crémant. Founded in 1896 by Joseph Tissot, the House of Tissot became partners in the early 2000s with Henri Maire, another major Jura family. Domaine Maire et Fils began its long wine journey in 1632 – more than 300 years ago. By combining their two houses, Tissot-Maire claims to have the largest wine-growing estate in the Jura region.

Brut is a level of sweetness comparable to off dry. “Lapiaz” is a nod to the eroded limestone formations found in Jura. According to Tissot-Maire, Brut Lapiaz symbolizes “the rough and rustic climate of the Jura which gives our Crémant du Jura its unique style…”

Grapes are harvested by hand and transported in crates drilled with holes to preserve the freshness of the fruit. Pressing is done using whole, uncrushed grapes. The last pressed grapes are separated and distilled after fermentation.

My tasting notes: Pale straw in color. Lively bubbles and a nose redolent of honey and white flowers and hinting of bread in the oven. The palate is like tasting that freshly baked bread. Medium acidity and a distinct note of orange peel that lasts a long time. Off dry at 8 grams of sugar. Balanced and delicate. Alcohol: 12%. Price: $17.99.

The pairing: Tissot-Maire suggests serving their Crémant du Jura Brut Lapiaz with a cheese soufflé, a fish cooked with Crémant, or a nut pie. All sound yummy, but I went with appetizers: two chutneys I’ve been meaning to try and homemade guacamole. Check out the chutney recipes here. For my guacamole, I used two ripe guacs, a minced jalapeño pepper (seeds removed), 4 tbsp. minced red onion, 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice, and cilantro, black pepper and salt to taste.

The Crémant du Jura was heavenly with these appetizers. The Chorizo jam was a good foil for the Crémant, as was the creamy guacamole. But the star of the show was the strawberry chutney. This savory yet fruity spread was an excellent match for the off-dry Crémant.

This Tissot-Maire Crémant was more delicate than the Domaine Pêcheur I tasted in October 2020. That one had small perlage and was deeper in color, with a nose like standing in a room of freshly picked, cut-open Honeycrisp apples. The palate had distinctly mineral notes, and the mouthfeel was buttery but not bready. Each wine was delicious – just different from one another.

I’ve also written about two unusual Jura still wines:

2012 Domaine Rolet Rouge Tradition Arbois AOC
2011 Domaine Henri Maire Grand Vin du Jura Savagnin – Sous Voile Arbois AOC

Jura is small but mighty among French wine regions. Read what all the French Winophiles are posting this month:

• Camilla at Culinary Cam shares “Lamb Sausage-Stuffed Ravioli + Domaine Rolet Arbois Vieilles Vignes Poulsard 2018”
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass shares “Crémant du Jura: A traditional yet different sort of bubbly”
• Lynn at Savor the Harvest shares “Change your 2023 Wine Routine, Reach for the Jura!”
• Jane at Always Ravenous shares “After Dinner Sips From the French Jura to Linger Over”
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator…Gwendolyn Alley shares “Enjoying Jura’s Wine and Cuisine: Biodynamic Champ Divin Crémant du Jura Brut Zéro + Seared Scallops”
• Robin at Crushed Grape Chronicles shares “Crémant du Jura & Rösti – blurring the borders and blending French and Swiss culture”
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! shares “Caves Jean Bourdy and Comté Cheese: Jura Classics”