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Wine Unwrapped

Wines from the Jura and Switzerland

1/15/2016

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On Monday, January 4, 2016 I attended another tasting organized by Vin Marottoli of Wine Lover's Tours. Vin brings back wines from his many trips and sets up one of a kind tastings with wines generally unavailable in the US. Tonight it was wines from the Jura region of France and Switzerland. 
The Jura is a small region  east of Burgundy and just west of Switzerland. Although Arbois in Jura was the first  AOC in France, wines from the Jura are relatively unknown in the US. The Jura now contains four AOCs, Arbois, created in 1936 along with the Chateau-Chalon AOC, L'Etoile AOC, and Cotes Du Jura AOC. There are also three product AOCs as well. 
Picture
Thanks to Bon Appetit for the great map.
The white grapes used in the Jura are Savagnin and Chardonnay. The modern wines from the Savagnin grape show a mix of citrus, peach and minerals. They are a nice change from the wines we usually see on wine shop shelves. The Varone Heida and Lornet Nature stood out and got rave reviews from the tasters. While the other whites were very good those two made a big impression. 


The Jura has a traditional style of wine made from the Savagnin grape that is quite different from the those mentioned above. Vin Jaune-Yellow Wine. Vin Juane is 100% Savagnin and after fermentation is aged in oak casks for 6 years and 3 months at a minimum. During this time a veil of yeast forms and protects the wine from oxidation. The result is a wine that remind some a a dry sherry. The finest come from the Chateau-Chalon AOC.  
The Jura also produces red wine from three allowed grapes- Pinot Noir, Trousseau, and Poulsard. They are light to medium bodied with delicate fruit flavors that make them very easy to drink. 

Wine in Switzerland dates back to Roman times. Very little  Swiss wine makes it to us here in America so I was glad to have a chance to taste some here.
The Swiss wines included a white and red from Albert Mathier and a Pinot Noir from Marie -Therese Chappaz.  The Mathier Ermitage is made from  the Marsanne grape. It was in contrast to the Jura whites, richer with less acidity, quite nice. The Cornalin evoked comparisons to Gamay and lighter Rhone Valley reds. The Pinot Noir from Marie -Therese Chappaz was remarkably dark in color for a Pinot Noir. Very youthful, I would like to taste this wine again in a few year.

Both regions produce other types of wines, from sparkling to dessert style. This tasting was a great introduction to a few wines from these regions. Vin Marottoli can always be counted on to pick some interesting wines to bring home and share. I hope he continues this practice so I can try wines from places I have not yet visited. If you are interested in trying wines not available in the states get on his email list. These tastings sell out very quickly!
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    Wine Unwrapped Blog, I will post about wine events, dinners, memorable wines and anything else that sparks my interest.

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I contacted Jon to arrange a Wines 101-style tasting for myself and a group of friends in order to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday. Jon did a wonderful job of tailoring his teaching to the needs of our novice group. He chose an exciting array of wines from the New World and Old, and took us through relevant aspects of each wine's production before guiding us through the tasting. He gave us handouts and other useful materials that helped us to better describe the aromas and flavors that we were experiencing. By the end of the session, we all felt a new level of comfort with describing and appreciating drastically different types of wines.

What impressed the group most was Jon's highly contagious passion for wine making and tasting. He was friendly, personable, and told humorous anecdotes and behind the scenes facts from his years working in the business. Jon was also flexible with regards to the date of the session, and his fee was reasonable. He is clearly motivated by a desire to share his passion for wine with as many people as possible, and I couldn't have asked for more.

Thank you very much Jon - we are all incredibly excited about continuing to apply our newfound knowledge of wine tasting for years to come! 

Nik
New Haven, CT



Thank you so much Jon! Our guest enjoyed the tasting and the wines! They called to tell us today. The party went on to 2 am so needless to say, everyone had a really good time. Thanks again! 
Sara 
April 2015
New Haven


Thank you so much for everything! Everyone had a great time and even learned some thing about wine in the process. You put on a very interesting talk and kept everyone's attention throughout the evening . We were really impressed with all of your knowledge. 

I hoped you enjoyed yourself as well. Needless to say...we had a lot of leftovers :)
Thank you again. It was a great time!!
Colleen & Gene


May 9, 2014


Hi Jon,

Thank you so much for all of your hard work and knowledge in helping to put the evening together.  Everyone loved having you there... and the wines were fabulous.  Mike visited the liquor store yesterday to buy Christmas gifts and came home with 4 bottles of the Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc FOR US!!   Beth 

Thank you, Jon - you did an incredible job.  I received so many compliments regarding your presentation and wine selection.  Your expertise and warmth were the perfect combination for an event like this.  You really made the shower!
Several guests requested your contact information and the list of wines we tasted.  We nearly finished the remaining wine at lunch!
I had a lovely glass of the Voignier after the guests left....I loved it and it was perfect way to end a special day.   It was my daughter's and her fiancé’s favorite wine and the cork they chose to put in their collection!

Please keep me on your event list - my husband and I would love to attend another one of your tastings.  

Thanks again,
Susan
Shelton 


Testimonials


Hi Jon 
Thank you so much for coming. You did a great job and my dad really enjoyed it.
I'm so glad I came across your name- you were a pleasure!   
You picked some great wines.  My brother is already talking about
having you come again. Everyone really enjoyed it.
  Thanks again! M.M . Stamford




Thank you Jon! You did a fantastic job. We will definitely spread the word to our friends about Wine Unwrapped. T.P. Orange



Jon- everyone had a great time- your pitch and delivery were absolutely perfect! Thanks again and we'll be recommending you to everyone... Cheers Dave and Eileen  Easton



Hi Jon,
 We all had such a wonderful time and learned a lot!! The group
 really enjoyed all the wines.  Thank you so much for making the night so
 wonderful.  We are already talking about a Spanish wine tasting in the
future...when I'm able to drink again of course :) G.S. 
 Ridgefield
    

Thanks Jon,
We all had a wonderful time!  
Everyone really enjoyed themselves & thought you did such a nice relaxed & casual
presentation...just the right amount of information with very nice wine choices.

Don't be surprised if you get some calls from people to whom I'd referred you.

Thanks again!
Faith K. 
Stamford CT




For several years the community at Waterview Landing in Shelton has sponsored an annual wine tasting afternoon held at our gazebo.  It’s an informal event; everyone brings one or two bottles of their favorite wines and some munchies.  Our resident wine expert, Jon Haight, moderates the event, and always makes the experience both educational and enjoyable.

Jon is extremely knowledgeable about wines, both domestic and foreign.  Typically Jon will rank the wines by white and red, and by maturity.  Since he does not know beforehand what wines will be available it is impressive to watch his skill in sorting the wines.

As the tasting progresses Jon describes the nuances of each wine and does so in terms that are easily understood.   We learn, we enjoy, and a good time is had by all. 

Speaking for the folks at Waterview Landing, we are thankful that Jon is resident, and would hope that others can benefit from Jon’s knowledge and skills.  He is excellent at what he does and has a great sense of humor to boot.
Alan W. Morton
President, Waterview Landing Homeowners Association 




Dear Jon,

I wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for providing our Lions Club with a very educational and entertaining evening on October 27, 2010.  The presentation you did on the basics of wine tasting combined with that of a general knowledge of Chilean Wines and Ports provided us with a very informative program that our membership enjoyed.  Maybe we could consider doing this on an annual event.  Thanks again.
           Joe Charbonneau

            President, Manchester
Lions Club

Jon's presentation to our teachers' group was great. We all had a good time and learned how to taste wine like the pros do. F.F. Stratford



Thanks for helping us with our wine dinner. The wines you picked went very well the  meal and your  presentation between courses was interesting. R.B. Danbury
 

✕