Over the 2 days you can taste wines direct from the producer and attend numerous masterclasses to enhance your appreciaton of wine. Unusually there is also a selection of Italian wines available to try. Bordeaux Chateau such as Chateau Laroze (St Emilion) will be there as well as producers from Alsace, Burgundy, Champagne, Corsica, Loire and Rhône etc.

Carrousel du Louvre , 99 rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris – see www.grandtasting.com

Why Eastern Burgundy? An opportunity to get the best of both worlds – within easy distance of the classic treasures of Burgundy and the famous Burgundy vineyards whilst also exploring some of the lesser-known delights of the region which most visitors by-pass on the way south.
This is a wonderful area. Burgundy is rightly world famous for its wines and countryside but try the Jura. Most people have only heard of it through Jurassic era rocks & Jurassic Park films. John & Carolyn Scallan fell in love with it. Join them, you won’t regret it.

Where to stay: Le Bourg B&B in Sens-sur-Seille (71 Saone-et-Loire) is is run by John & Carolyn Scallan who are English but happy to live in France, – a good job as they’ve been here for 6 years now.
4 bedrooms, all en-suite, and each with their own individual design welcome you. Two doubles, one twin and a family room for up to four. Evening meals can be arranged using as much as possible from theirur own garden.! Breakfasts with home made jams and PROPER marmalade, served on the terrace when fine.

Nearest Town: Chalons-sur-Saone (40km); Arlay (16km), Louhans (18km)

Where to eat? If not at the B&B, then the Hotel St Germain in nearby St.Germain du Bois (6 kms). Good French restaurant, very popular with the locals and ex-pat Swiss who always know good value when it is around. Salads and good main courses. The 24 Euro menu is always great. It MAY JUST be possible  to give you a lift and pick you up later to help you “enjoy” the meal.

Where to eat (gourmet):
Les Trois Colombes just 300 metres from us. Run by two Swiss ladies this is a real treat. High quality food in calm and beautiful surrondings. The menu featuring “les trois filets” is superb.

Where to eat (value for money):
La Siesta Pizzeria in Bletterans (10 kms) Good value, great atmosphere and an all round enjoyable time. Proper size chips as well, not the thin “allumettes”. The Chicken Liver salad as a starter sets the tone. They do takeaways as well and, the height of nouvelle technologie they’ve got a “Pizzamatic”! A genuine Hole in the wall Pizza machine! Credit card in, choose your pizza (or two etc) and wait. Three minutes later the first will arrive and so on piping hot and in it’s own box – the wonders of technology!

Local food:
This region of France is called the Bresse and is famed for it’s poultry. Poulet de Bresse in Vin Jaune with Morilles is the region’s signature dish. Featuring the chicken (specially reared, free range chickens) and a sauce made of local mushrooms and the stunning powerhouse wine of nearby (4 kms) Jura.

Local wine:
Obviously Burgundy. Beaune is 40 kms away and could lead you into serious trouble with your bank manager but it would be worth it. For a more affordable Burgundy try the Hautes Cotes du Nuits and Hautes Cotes du Beaune or the Cote Chalonnaise. The owners have contacts in all. For something different; head eastwards into the Jura and try their wines. The Vin Jaune (see above) is one of a range of amazing and highly individual wines from this smallest of wine regions. The owners of the B&B have contacts with several winemakers and can easily arrange tastings. The local Cremant (champagne but not allowed to call it that) from friends the Chevassus is stunning. Try it.

Local markets:
St Germain du Bois (6 kms) on Saturday Morning (0900 – 1200) is a traditional morning market. Fruit & veg stalls, clothes, cheese (the B&B gets its cheese from here) butchery etc etc. The rotisserie chicken lady does a mean chicken with onions, tomatoes & gravy and a loaf of bread from either of the bakeries in the town with perhaps something naughty for pudd………..
Chalon sur Saone on Sunday morning. Mainly food market in the St. Vincent square. The cathedral dominates the sqaure and the market bustles along throughout the morning. Take a stroll through the old town, have a drink and watch the world go by.
On Monday morning, Louhans has the largest market in the area, taking up the whole of the town centre, with food, clothing and household goods and livestock too.

Must see:
The Hotel Dieu in Beaune is spectacular, open all year from 9am to 6pm (closes for lunch only in mid-winter).
The Chateau d’Arlay is open during June to September for visitors or all year long for it’s wine.
The Burgundy winerouteTouristique des Grands Crus) is like driving through all the most famous names on a wine list!
(Route The Jura countryside whose stunning scenery, including lakes, rivers, waterfalls, caves, vineyards, abbeys and castles.

The Jura Wine Route (route des vins de Jura) – “stretching over the 80 kilometres of sunny slopes called “the Revermont”, you will find an area rich in character that will reveal to you all it’s treasures. Exceptional wines, beautiful countryside, enchanting villages, gastronomy of the highest order and many other activities which promise all manner of good things.”

The hilltop village of Chateau Chalon.

For something very different, how about lunch, a bit of culture, shopping and something for the kids all in one place? Sounds good? It’s at the local motorway service station!! No kidding! Just ask for details!

A bit of culture?
Chateau de Pierre de Bresse has a local museum and lots to do for a morning or afternoon.
The photography museum in Chalon sur Saone is worth seeing for some of it’s temporary exhibitions.
The Hospice de Beaune (see above) is really well worth visiting
La Maison de la Haute Seille is a new museum of the region aound Chateau Chalon with lots to do (open Sat & Sun from 9 to 12 and 2 to 6) . They are slowly getting the English translation sorted out for all of the panels and, hopefully, the audio side of things.
The abbey at Baume Les Messieurs….. we could go on and on!

Somewhere for a walk?
Loads of quiet roads, paths, and marked routes. There are details of some in the Jura and a lot of local maps at the B&B

Something for the kids?
Lac Chalain about 30 kms. Beaches, entertainment and the like.
The Aurochs farm (www.ferme-auroch.com) ,(auroch= an ancient breed of cattle) near the Cascades des Herisson about 40 kms. Rare breed cattle, bison, Aurochs and, somewhat bizzarely, Dalmations.
Visit a snail farm. Bet you didn’t expect that! July & Aug are best for this, it can be arranged by the B&B
Or how about a river cruise on the Saone, with commentary by the English speaking captain and co-owner

Getting there?
Car is best. (more room to take the wine home.) The B&B is about 410 miles south of the Channel ports. From Calais etc, head for Reims, then Troyes, Dijon. Take A36 to the A39 and come off at junction 8. Remember a map or the GPS co-ordinates above. Otherwise, Sens-sur-Seille is between an hour and a half and two hours from both Lyon and Geneva airports, with low-cost flights from all over the UK

Getting around:
A car, frankly, is essential here. There are bikes available for hire so that the fitter amongst you can get a healthy buzz. If you let the B&B know the day before they can arrange a picnic lunch and recommend routes which are quiet and relatively flat to amble along. Should you be of a more Tour de France disposition there are longer routes of over 100 kms as well!

When to come?:
June through to September is best with the Montgolfiades Hot air Balloon festival in early June
Chalon dans la Rue festival of street theatre in July
Jazz festivals; Water festivals and a whole range of other festivals taking place over the summer months.
Late september is usually harvest time and the vineyards are alive with people picking grapes.
October things start to quieten down a bit. In November there is the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau in Beaujeu (about 75 mins away). Great fun and the wines is usually very good. The weekend after that is the Beaune wine festival where the great and the good get together to sort out the price of this years vintage Burgundies. The first weekend in February is the big wine festival in the Jura where about 80 winemakers gather together and celebrate the new vintage Vin Jaune (it’s had 6 years maturing in its barrels and is adjudged ready). Lots of other smaller festivals dotted around the year

For a longer stay?:
Louhans (about 10 miles away) has a market on Mondays all through the year. In summer it totally dominates the town. All the usual items plus hardware, fashion and livestock. Get there fairly early to get a good parking spot!
Go wine-tasting at a local producer (or two). John & Carolyn have lots of contacts in the business and can set these up and sometimes accompany you. Visit the Jura wines website www.laroutedesvinsdujura.com for information on lots of small events in the region.
There’s a tasting evening every Tuesday in season in nearby Lavigny that’s great fun but best if your French is fairly reasonable.

For more info on Le Bourg B&B see  Le Bourg B&B or use the enquiry form below.

For more info on the local area see the local tourist office websites at Tourisme Jura or Tourisme Saone-et-Loire

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Map showing the location of Sens-sur-Seille

Vin Jaune (Yellow Wine) are unique and are the only wines in the world to develop such an aromatic palette during the aging process. This rare nectar, with remarkable character, is set off to best advantage in a 62cl bottle called a Clavelin,which fits it perfectly.
Aged in oak barrels for 6 years and 3 months, it takes its time to concentrate the unique aromas of the original Savagnin grape variety, which gave it birth. The permeabilty of the barrel lets part of the wine evaporate. As no interference is allowed, the barrel is not, therefore, completely full and a veil of
natural yeast forms on the surface of the wine. Carefully watched over by the winemaker, the yellow wine gradually acquires the qualities and aromas which are so special to it.

The festivities include open days at the various wine cellars in the region, a procession, an “intronisation” ceremony, charity auction and cookery competition

For more info see www.percee-du-vin-jaune.com/

A good starting point for getting to know the region and its wines could be John & Carolyn Scallan at their B&B at Sens-sur-Seille (71 Saone et Loire, Bourgogne) – and you get local advice on where to go in English!

For more info on the B&B use the form below:-

cforms contact form by delicious:days

So you could try something a little different for your festive fizz. 10% off a mixed case of sparkling wines,

The other half of the business specialises in gourmet foods from SW France and beyond, including duck and goose products such as confit, rillettes, patés, cassoulet and soups, jams, bottled fruit, tapenade and anchoiades and even snails!

Devigne Wines and Confit Direct

Michael & Patricia Robertson, PO Box 13748, North Berwick
EH39 9AA

Tel: 01620 890860 Fax: 05600 756287

Jura Wine is a specialist independent wine merchant in Birmingham who specialises in the wines of the Jura – and specifically the wines of Domaine Tissot.

Jurawine collects the wines in person from our supplier, Domaine Tissot and arranges courier delivery to you throughout the UK.
Jura is part of the region known as Franche Comte and lies in eastern central France between Burgundy & Switzerland. This beautiful area has fine gastronomic traditions, including unusual wine festivals

Specialities of the region include “Vin de Paille” (straw wine), where the grapes are laid out on straw mats to shrivel and concentrate the juices producing delicious, long-lasting sweet wines; and Vin Jaune (yellow wine) which is made from Savignin grapes in a manner similar to Sherry!
Jura Wine - , 1 Augusta Rd, Acocks Green, BIRMINGHAM, B27 6LA
E-Mail: jurae@jurawine.com Tel: 0121 243 4042 Mbl: 07850 845518 Fax: 07092 888372

Another merchant who specialises in Jura & neighbouring Arbois wines (and others including Gaillac and Languedoc) is Devigne Wines (and Confit Direct) in Edinburgh (Tel: 0131 664 9058
Fax: 05600 756287, info@devignewines.co.uk)

A good starting point for getting to know the region and its wines could be John & Carolyn Scallan at their B&B at Sens-sur-Seille (71 Saone et Loire, Bourgogne)

See our customised, searchable map of the region

For more info on the wines of the Jura see the official Wines of the Jura site

Waitrose

As well as our usual French favourites, the showcase will also see the launch of four new wines to the range, including the delightful Taittinger Rose NV and the excellent value Domaine des Eyssards Bergerac Rouge.

Unusually for a major supermarket (and greatly to be welcomed) Waitrose will be featuring 13 specially sourced small parcel wines from a wide range of less well-known appellations such as:

Quincy (crisp Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire), Provence and Lirac (Southern Rhone) and the wonderfully unusual Pierre Boniface Domaine des Rocailles Apremont de Savoie 2007 and La Bastide Blanche Bandol (rich Mourvedre red from east of Marseille).

Waitrose Wine Direct

“We’re biased. We live in a small village in the extreme east of Burgundy, right on the border with the Jura Department and we love it here” say John & Carolyn Scallon at www.bandb-burgundy.com who offer excellent accommodation (4 individually decorated bedrooms with en-suite facilities) in the heart of south Burgundy at Sens-sur-Seille (71 Saone-et-Loire, Burgundy) east of Chalon-sur-Saone.

They have provided a personalised guide to visiting the vineyards of Burgundy – see http://www.frenchduck.co.uk/B&BBurgundy.html , This is great as Burgundy is one of the wine regions which I know least well, as it did not really fit my focus on “lesser known French wines” in my wine merchant days. So it is good to get advice from someone who knows the region well.
My most memorable Burgundy was imbibed at Nuits-Saint-Georges, where we stayed for a night about 20 years ago. As is usual, we opt for the local wine in the restaurant – a Clos la Marechal from Faiveley, which was smooth and creamy with oaky lush cherry fruit. Sadly every red burgundy since has been a bit of a disappointment, in part because Pinot Noir tends to be a bit tempremental, and Burgundy’s weather can be quite variable. Last time I looked it was about £25.00 a bottle, which is the other problem with Burgundy – it tends to be pricey! However find the right one and you could be in heaven. See Faiveley’s website (under construction)

Yapp Brothers Ltd, The Old Brewery, Mere, Wiltshire BA12 6DY

Few things beat a little local knowledge to point you in the right direction when visiting an unfamiliar region of France. John Scallan who runs a B&B in southern Burgundy reports:-

“Over in the Jura there are things to do. Particularly interesting is a guided wine-tasting through the wines of the Jura in historic Chateau Chalon.

Every Tuesday until 29th August, at 20:30, six vignerons bring one example of their work to a tasting evening. A Professor of wine talks you through the wines of the Jura, their individualities, quirks, and characteristics and how to taste them! How to recognise the alcohol content from swirling the wine around the glass, developing and recognising the aromas, and finally the taste. Once all the theory has been dealt with you get to taste the wines! Much chat, people in the audience being asked their opinion, what can they smell, and or taste in each of six different types of wine.

The range of Jura wines is well covered. You’ll start with a Cremant (Sparkling wine), go next to a Red, either Poulsard, Trousseau (you’ve not heard of those have you) or Rubis (Pinot Noir with Trousseau mix). Following that is a Chardonnay, as unlike a Chablis or Californian Chardonnay as is possible to find, thence to a Chardonnay/Savagnin (yes the spelling is correct) mix which starts you off on the typical Jurascian tastes. Next is the classic Chateau Chalon Vin Jaune. A white wine which positively mugs the unaware. Finishing with a Macvin (mix of Marc du Jura and grape juice).

The whole evening will take about 2 – 2½ hours and costs the princely sum of € 5! (2006 prices, and you get to keep the glass!)
Booking is advised from the Tourist Office in Chateau Chalon infos@hauteseille.com. Good French is definitely helpful but not totally necessary.”

For more info on the B&B in Burgundy see http://www.bandb-burgundy.com/

Each year several of the wine makers on the “Route des Vins du Jura” have their version of an “Open day”. As most of them are tiny producers this can’t really take the form of visits around the wineries as that would take about three minutes flat but what they do is host picnics!
Sunday 10th June this year. Over 40 wine makers are taking part, and they provide the tables, chairs, some of them provide “animations”, most provide visit to the cellars, some of them provide tours around the vineyards and all provide tastings of the Jura’s highly individualistic wines. All you provide is yourself and the picnic! You can telephone each wine maker that you wish to attend (or we can for you) and the world is your oyster.
From here it is about 18 kms to the nearest wine maker in the “Route”, Jean Bourdy at the stunningly picturesque village of Arlay. His family have been making wine here for nearly 500 years and they have plans for a small museum and other attractions. They will also give you a booklet detailing several small walks around the village (if the picnic was rather large!). We recently treid his Macvin, a local speciality, which has had about 15 herbs and spices added to it to an ancient family recipe. Wow!!
There are other areas that have a couple of wine makers close to each other and some that can arrange pick ups from a nearby point. The fun usually starts at about 1000 and goes on to 1800 ish (later if the weather is really good and there is some wine left.

For more info see www.laroutedesvinsdujura.com
www.bandb-burgundy.com/

Recommended Reading:-
IGN Jura Wines Map
Michelin Green Guide to Burgundy and Jura

Enough of all these wine festivals in Bordeaux and such like. “Head East young man!” (to paraphrase somebody famous) This year the end of May Bank Holiday coincides with the traditional Whit holiday in France and there are all sorts of activities going on. There is still a move in government circles to get the populace working for nothing on Whit Monday with their pay to go to the old and sick but that seems to have come up against the might of the French union system and as such is now fairly well scuppered.

Chalon-sur-Saone(71 Saone et Loire, Burgundy), about 35 kilometres from us, hosts the 21st annual “Montgolfiades” a balloon festival that is nearly on a par with Bristol. Balloons come from all over Europe, including various from Britain and they fly, weather permitting, morning and evenings on Saturday & Sunday and Monday morning. The balloonists are accommodated in Cote Chalonnaise wine makers houses for the duration of the festival and there is traditionally one flight where they all take off from there rather than the main field. The whole Cote is alive with colour. As with all balloon festivals the morning flights are more for the real enthusiast with their 6.00am take offs but should you stay with us and wish to get up early then we guarantee to send you off with hot coffee, a croissant or two, orange juice and perhaps a bottle of something fizzy to put in it. Just give us 24 hours notice. The Sunday evening flight is the highlight when all of the balloons form up on the “Prairie de St. Nicolas” just to the east of Chalon. There are fairground rides and all sorts of attractions and would probably be just about the right thing to do after a wander around the market in the old town. Interesting and colourful. Great place to pick up a picnic for lunch, the rotisserie chickens are to die for. More details will be available soon from the Chalon sur Saone website:- www.chalon-sur-saone.net

Chalon sur Saone Tourist Office have got a link going with a couple of British guys who own a cruising “Peniche” called the DELTA They do lunch and dinner cruises several days a week and on Wednesdays do a lunchtime picnic cruise where you bring you own picnic and they just take you for a little run up and down the mighty Saone. Their website is www.croisieres-saonoises.fr and booking through the tourist office is compulsory. We had guests who stayed with us last year who tried the picnic cruise and thought it marvellous.

Should you be in the area on Whit Monday and not so keen on a 0500 alarm call then you might like to visit the Market at Louhans (18 kms from us). This takes over the whole town centre and is usually open all day on Bank Holidays. Parking can be a bit of a bind but if you get into Louhans for 0900 then there shouldn’t be a problem (Just think that you could have been going to the Balloon festival and regard it as a lie-in). This is the fourth largest agricultural market in France and makes me wonder how big the top three are! The main street through the town is closed to traffic as are all of the side streets in the old town centre. You can buy virtually anything you may need, and an awful lot that you don’t! The large car park by the Post office is completely given over to livestock. Not to every one’s taste but should you wish to buy some chickens (The Bresse is world famous in France for producing the best poultry in the world!) or rabbits or whatever…….Please don’t buy any Charolais cattle though, we could be in trouble trying to feed them until you leave.For more info see www.bresse.info

Jura wine is something that not many Brits know about, Jura whisky perhaps, but wine? The Committee Interprofessional de Vins du Jura is doing it’s bit to try and rectify this. In addition to running courses for its wine makers in how to speak English they have just set up a Tourist Route similar to that in Burgundy. Website address www.laroutedesvinsdujura.com or you can reach it from www.jura-vins.com. There are details of wine makers, accommodation, restaurants etc. etc. all there for the finding out. It might give you a clue as to who was in charge of the English class when we reveal that despite being 15 kms from the nearest vine-yards we are in the guide. We have the zeal of new converts and will do our best to help you to see the error of your ways (!!!). We offer a special meal featuring wines from the Jura with each course for 35 Euros per person. The wine makers open their cellars for tastings regularly, some each day, others by appointment, and they would be very surprised if somebody was to buy without tasting. These wines are not cheap but by dint of diligent research (on behalf our guests you understand) we know of several “caves” where the produce is of absolutely top quality. It was hell, but we did it all the same! For more info see www.bandb-burgundy.com

“Once again it is approaching the first weekend in February and once again the Jurascian wine world is bracing itself for it’s big weekend out. The Percée du Vin Jaune is this year taking place in the Spa town of Salins les Bains on Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th Feb. The caves are open from approx 1300 – 1800 each day.
After the success of last years event in Lons le Saunier where approximately 40,000 people paid to taste up to 10 wines Salins has taken on the challenge. As the Percée is a moveable feast the host for next year’s bash is already being chosen. It is the turn of the Southern Revermont for 2008 with the tiny village of Vincelles, near Beaufort among the candidates. Should they be awarded the Percée it will be a return to the old style of hosting where the visitors outnumber the hosts by about 50 to 1!
What is the Percée? Simply it is the release of the new vintage of Vin Jaune, probably the most celebrated of the AOC’s of the Jura. Don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of it. As yet few in Britain have but there’s always hope. Unlike the release of the Beaujolais Nouveau which has spent almost two months in the vat (and sometimes appears to have spent far less) Vin Jaune has spent six years three months in second hand oak barrels (bought from Burgundy vignerons) prior to it’s release. All this waiting means the wine has to be something special.
The festival is run by a different town or village each year and this year the most northerly town within the Jura vignoble has opened it’s doors and cellars to the wine drinking public. Every cellar, shop store room and the like will be rented out by their owners to either the winemaker direct or to the CIVJ (Comite Inter-professional Vins du Jura). As well as the cellars there will be a few marquees for a couple of the larger producers and the ubiquitous food stalls. You need something to soak up the wine!
Last year was the first time that the Percée had taken place in a town centre, previously they had been held in a different village each year, but there will be a difference in ambience again this year. Salins les Bains is a much smaller town than Lons le Saunier and because of it’s history as a Spa town has quite a few facilities for visitors. The 70 (approx) winemakers who chose to exhibit their wines at the Percée will stretch out along the whole length of the town and attempt to lure you in to taste, and hopefully buy. The routine is that you park nearby in special car parks and either walk to the centre or catch a free bus. Those who are going to taste the wine pay the entry fee (in 2006 it was €10) and receive an engraved tasting glass and 10 tickets.
The tickets are in three different colours. 6 of them (yellow in 2006) will entitle you to a tasting measure of Cotes du Jura, Crémant (please try this, it can be stunning) and other “normal” wines. Please note that Jura wines can be very different from what you expect. If you are expecting a dry Chablis style Chardonnay because it’s the same grape variety forget it. You have to taste it to get to know it in the Jura. 3 of the tickets (orange in 2006) are for the Vin Jaune or it’s slightly upmarket brother Chateau Chalon. This is the special wine, not made by all of the exhibitors, that is being “feted” this weekend. Matured in old oak barrels and never topped up in it’s six year three months maturation this wine has a taste that really will make you think. The remaining ticket (orange and yellow in 2006) entitles you to a measure of Macvin. Not a wine found in MacDonalds but a blend of grape juice and Marc du Jura. This is the spirit that is distilled from the pips, stalks and skins of the grapes that have been pressed. The net result is a sweet aperitif style wine of about 15 – 16 degrees. The largest producer in the Jura, Henri Maire, doesn’t accept the tickets but just hands out free wine! However they have a very active team of salesmen on hand in their marquee and getting away without buying will take a big effort, especially if you’re visiting them last!
Should you be driving or a lifelong teetotaller with a masochistic streak you don’t have to pay to get in. As the event is on the main street and the shops are open in the normal way the organisers can’t stop you from just walking up the main road. You don’t get the tasting tickets and glass but you can just wander around to your hearts content .The driver can leave the car keys at the Police tent near the main entrance and, on returning, blow into the breathalyser, pass the test, receive the keys back and an engraved glass. If you wish to borrow a glass and a ticket from your friends that’s up to you. The measures are not large, you are there, allegedly, to taste different wines, not to get slaughtered. Drivers be warned. French Police do not need a reason to stop you for a breath test, and our own experience will tell you that they will be on most of the roads leaving Salins on the lookout.
All in all it is a very special weekend with the great and the good of the Jura wine world there, a good time being had by all, and it will probably snow! It has both times we’ve been! Fear not though, the wine keeps you warm. Here at Chateau Scallan (www.bandb-burgundy.com) we’re offering weekend special, 2 nights B&B accommodation with a special tasting dinner featuring many of the wines of the Jura, all for €80 per person based on two sharing a twin/double room. All of our knowledge will be thrown in for free!”

For more info see www.yapp.co.uk

“The Jura defies many expectations, nowhere more so than in its wines. The leading whites have a nutty, sherry-like aroma that many people regard as hopelessly oxidized, but they are actually tangy, complex, pure and delicious. The best reds barely have enough color to be called red. They are delicate and graceful, yet with an earthy intensity that can stand up to the smelliest of cheeses. Almost singularly among wine regions, the reds are usually served before the whites in the Jura because they are lighter in texture.” (see full article)

UK stockists include a new discovery for us – Vine Trail in Bristol; also Devigne Wines in Wales

Keywords: France,wine,french,jura,savoie,savignin,macvin

As always there are lots of wine fairs and village fetes all over the place, however there is a major festival Fetes de la Vigne in Dijon (21 Cote d;’Or. Burgundy) 1st – 3rd September 2006 in the Autour des Halles, Place Francois Rude. Entry is free but a souvenir glass and tasting tickets cost from €2.00 open from 10:30 – 20:00 each day to sample wines from the fine Burgundy crus – lots of wine-related events around the pedestrianised centre of the town.
Also in Dijon is yet another inland summer beach – Dijon Plage open until 10 September at the intriguingly named Lac Kir!! – see map

Over in the Jura there are things to do. Particularly interesting is a guided wine-tasting through the wines of the Jura in historic Chateau Chalon. Every Tuesday until 29th August 2006, at 20:30, six vignerons bring one example of their work to a tasting evening. A Professor of Wine talks you through the wines of the Jura, their individualities, quirks, and characteristics and how to taste them! How to recognise the alcohol content from swirling the wine around the glass, developing and recognising the aromas, and finally the taste. Once all the theory has been dealt with you get to taste the wines! Much chat with people in the audience being asked their opinion, what can they smell, and or taste in each of six different types of wine. The range of Jura wines is well covered. You’ll start with a Cremant (Sparkling wine), go next to a Red, either Poulsard, Trousseau (you’ve not heard of those have you) or Rubis (Pinot Noir with Trousseau mix). Following that is a Chardonnay, as unlike a Chablis or Californian Chardonnay as is possible to find, thence to a Chardonnay/Savagnin (yes the spelling is correct) mix which starts you off on the typical Jurascian tastes. Next is the classic Chateau Chalon Vin Jaune. A white wine which positively mugs the unaware. Finishing with a Macvin (mix of Marc du Jura and grape juice) the whole evening will take about 2-2½ hours and costs the princely sum of €5.00! (and you get to keep the glass!) Booking is advised from the Tourist Office in Chateau Chalon (infos@hauteseille.com) website: www.hauteseille.com Good French is definitely helpful but not totally necessary.

Add for something completely different – a trip around a brewery! The Rouget de Lisle Brewery in Bletterans (39 Jura, Franche-Comte) has tours during July and August weekdays at 1000 & 1500 and weekends at 1500 only. No booking necessary, just turn up at the time – see www.larougetdelisle.com/. Foreigners had perhaps be on their best behaviour, as Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle was a soldier, engineer, poet and musician who composed “la Marseillaise” – so expect some due reverence to a true French icon.

A perfect base for these visits would be the British owned and run B&B with John & Carolyn Scallan at “Le Bourg” in Sens-sur-Seille (71, Saone et Loire, Bourgogne) – see map – website at www.bandb-burgundy.com

Keywords: France, wine, burgundy,jura,beer,tourism,festival, accommodation

Leon Stolarski has some new Languedoc wines in stock, including some decent Chardonnay and Merlot in 5-litre wine boxes – the same wine that goes is also sold by the bottle – ideal for summer picnics, barbecues etc. I reckon there is scope for more wine boxes to be available – the big brands tend to rip you off with pretty ordinary plonk, whilst most vineyards in France sell quality wines either “en vrac” -. i.e. on draught for your cubitainer or empty Evian bottle – or in vacuum packed “Bag-in-Box” (the french term!) – OK so you will not get the top cuvées which might benefit from bottle age, but as most wines are drunk young that should not be a problem. Sure, the quality will deteriorate if you leave if only 1/3 full for weeks on end, but generally if good wine goes in, good wine come out! Usually I find the problem is that it gets drunk faster than the same quantity in bottle, as it is just too easy to just pour another glass!

Meanwhile Devigne Wines have a range of new wines from Jura and Arbois, including Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille – something you don’t often see in the UK.

Pic Wines have a couple of Rosé discovery cases from the Languedoc available, and on the basis of having recently tasted some other wines on their list, these can be recommended without hesitation. I really do reckon Rosé wines are getting better and better – especially if you remember that they are in fact a style of red wine (from the same grapes) and not some compromise for those who cannot choose between red and white wines. And, although they are ideal for summer, don’t expect these to be light and inconsequential picnic wines – the best rosés are seriously good drinking with real depth of flavour and nuance.

“Now”, in the words of a famous TV programme of yesteryear, “for something completely different”. Wines of the Jura. There will be those who think “They’ve gone barmy. Jura makes excellent Malt Whiskies but wine???” Trust us. The Jurassian wines are, in our opinion, a virtually undiscovered gem. The whole production of the areas vineyards amounts to just less than 1% of the French annual wine production and that means that for the most part even the French remain blissfully unaware of the regions produce.

Should you wish we can arrange for tastings at various vignerons cellars. The Caveau des Jacobins is open daily but Chevassu’s needs an appointment (it’s well worth it).

For more info on Jura wines see www.jura-vins.com/
A good UK stockist of these wines is Devigne Wines (Nationwide mail order)
www.bandb-burgundy.com offers excellent B&B with added wine knowledge and advice!!

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Over at Spittoonextra.biz there are these great photos and article on this cheese from Jura close to the Swiss border.. It is a raw cows’ milk cheese (ie. Vacherin from “vache” the French for “cow”) and it is an Appellation Controllee cheese with quite strict rules – namely that the fresh milk must be got to the dairy every day; it may only be coagulated (thickened) with rennet; no artificial rapid heating;and the wrapping in a strap of spruce wood and the wooden box are a requirement (as well as a marketing ploy I suspect!). The wooden box is quite important as the cheese will continue to mature once it has left the dairy.
He should of course have looked to match it with a local wine such as Cotes de Jura, where a grape called the Savignin is used. No relation to Sauvignon, it is thought to come from Austria. It produces bone dry quite aromatic wines, which would cut well against the creaminess of the Vacherin. Savignin is also used for the famous Vin Jaune (Yellow Wine) of the Jura.

Click here to read Spittoonextra’s posting

My main worry about the cheese though is that it looks as though an ordinary knife or cheese knife will not do – going by the picture you need more of an old chisel that’s been languishing in the workshop – although it is a soft cheese – maybe the rind gets a bit tough!

Not far away is a good English run B&B in the village of Sens-sur-Seille (71 Saone-et-Loire, Burgundy) -see their website at www.bandb-burgundy.com

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Keywords: France,wine,cheese,vacherin,doubs,jura

The French are seldom modest when it comes to promoting their products (often with good reason), but the website for the “Poulet de Bresse” does not hold back -

The Queen of Poultry, the Poultry of Kings ”
There are champagnes … and Dom-Pérignon !
There are cars … and Rolls Royces !
There is caviar … and Beluga caviar !
In the same way, there are chickens, and there are “Bresse
Chickens” …
Bresse Poultry is unique ..

In southern Burgundy, around the town of Bourg-en-Bresse (01 Ain, Rhone-Alpes) they rear a specific pure breed of chicken with all white feathers and fine blue feet. Bresse chicken is young poultry that have not yet reached adult age. During the first part of its life, the young Bresse chicken is raised in the open on the farmlands of the Bresse region, where it is free to roam. Thanks to this daily exercising, its flesh becomes more firm.
In order to make the flesh more tender, Bresse poultry farmers confine the animals in a coop. The chicken is placed in semi-darkness, and is then fed exclusively flour mixed with cereals and dairy products. It always carries a “seal” of authenticity as it is an Appellation Controllee product, providing a guarantee of its origin and conformity to the agreed standard.

It is widely acknowledged to be chicken at its best – moist, tender, succulent and tasty – especially when cooked in a cream sauce with morel mushrooms, or roast.

We know of a good English-run bed and breakfast in the region (see www.bandb-burgundy.com). which is an ideal base for visiting the vineyards of the Cote d’Or and Burgundy,the Cotes Challonais and Maconnais (predominantly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) and a little further south to Beaujolais (Gamay). In the other direction the vineyards of the Jura are within reach and are worth exploring.

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Vin Jaune (yellow wine) is a speciality of the Jura (eastern France between Burgundy and Switzerland) which is made exclusively from the Savignin grape – late harvested and then pressed and subjected to a slow fermentation followed by a slow ageing process in small 228litre casks. The process yields a thin layer of yeast on the surface of the wine. The wine is then matured without any racking, filtering or other human intervention.As it evaporates naturally the nature and colour of the wine changes – over 6 years or more – producing a deep yellow dry wine with distinctive and complex aromas of nuts and spices with a long long finish in the mouth. It is bottled in special 62cl “clavelin” bottles.

Every year there is a festival to celebrate and taste the “Vin Jaune” and this year it is to be held in the town of Lons-le-Saunier (01 Ain, Rhone-Alpes) on 4th and 5th February 2006. La Percee du Vin Jaune is a “moveable feast” that changes from one wine village to another each year and celebrates the breaching of the barrels of the Vin Jaune, 6 years and 3 months after being made. It’s a big festival and usually attracts around 30,000 visitors plus over the two days.
For more info see http://www.jura-vins.com/actualites-vins-jura.htm

Nearby (15km) is a good English run B&B in the village of Sens-sur-Seille (71 Saone-et-Loire, Burgundy) -see their website at www.bandb-burgundy.com

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