Located at the foot of the Alps close to the Swiss border, there are the two small wine regions: the Jura and the Savoy. They have a distinctive character and use grapes which you can find nowhere else in France. Let's start with the wine region of Jura.

Jura
The average temperature is 10 degrees Celsius. Although it is pretty cool, the Jura is suitable for viticulture. With the backdrop of the Alps the Jura region contains mountains and also forest. The vineyards are situated on the western slopes of the Jura. There is a continental climate: summers are warm with a long extension till autumn and this is of course ideal for ripening of the grapes. The top layer of soil composed of limestone lies beneath a layer of marl. The roots of the vines have a hard time finding water in the soil. Mainly white wine is produced in the Jura and a bit red what essentially is rosé. The Jura is known for its specialty: Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille.

Grapes
Of the blue grapes are the following varieties available: Poulsard, Trousseau and Pinot Noir. The white grape varieties are: Savagnin, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay (locally called Melon d'Arbois).

Appellations
General appellations: Côtes du Jura for the different types of wine. Crémant du Jura or Côtes du Jura mousseux for the sparkling one. There are three districts appellations in the Jura: AC Pupillon Arbois, Chateau-Chalon AC and AC l'Etoile. Of these, Arbois and L'Etoile are the best wine regions. Chatau-Chalon only produces Vin Jaune and Vin de Paille.

Vin Jaune
The yellow wine is the jewel of the Arbois and of the village of Chateau-Chalon. It is not a cheap wine and is made of the Savagnin grape which can be compared with the Gewurztraminer from the Alsace. Because of the long hot summer going well into autumn, the Savagnin grape has a long ripening and harvest is not earlier until November. Special about the Vin Jaune is the so called ‘voile’ in French. After the vinification of the wine a white veil covers the wine in the maturation. The bloom is a good mold and gives the wine its characteristic nutty flavour and protects it against oxidation. The voile remains at least six years on the wine. Vin Jaune is quite similar to the Spanish sherry, the 'flor' (Spanish white veil), gives the bonus to the sherry wine. A Clavelin is the name of the bottle where the Vin Jaune is bottled in. A Vin Jaune from a good year can mature a hundred years.

Food Combination
Vin Jaune is delicious as an aperitif or with mushrooms in cream sauce, duck, coq au vin and a supervisor of a walnut cake.

Vin de Paille
The Jura is also known for its Vin de Paille (straw wine). The term comes from the straw wine; the harvested grapes have to dry (three months) on straw mats. Although nowadays to dry the grapes they are mainly hung in barns. The grapes for Vin de Paille are harvested as late as possible so that the grape produces as much sugar. After the drying process, the raisin is pressed. The must contains lots of sugar and ferments another one to two years after which the wine matures another four years in cask. After these six years you get a sweet dessert wine with an aroma of ripe fruit and a taste that shows clear tones of honey and apricots in it. Vin de Paille is a liquor wine with an alcohol content of 14 to 16 percent. Also the best Vin de Paille you will find in the village of Chateau-Chalon.

Food Combination
A Vin de Paille is wonderful to eat with fruit compote.

Savoie
Savoie is south of the Jura, also at the foot of the Alps close to the Swiss border. Along the banks of the Rhone on the southern slopes of hills are the vineyards of Savoie. Some of the vineyards are situated on Lake Geneva and the other more southerly are situated southeast of Chambéry. The soil is very rich in calcium.

Grapes
Also in the Savoie they make use of grapes which are not very common in France. The most common white grape varieties: Jacquère, Rousset, Chasselas and Gringet. In quality, the Savoy is known for its white wines.

Appellations of Savoie
The general appellation is called Vin de Savoie. Inside there are sixteen districts which are of the Crus Vin de Savoie. These producers are allowed to carry the name of their district on the label. There are three main wine-growing regions in the Savoie:
1. South of Lake Geneva is only white wine made from the Chasselas grape. The wine is aged "sur lie". There are three districts Crus: Marignan, Ripaille and Marin. Crépy is also an appellation
2. Around the town of Bonneville and the Isère valley, here are the other thirteen Crus counties of those Aprémont and Chignin are the best known. Mainly on the white wine made from the Jacquère grape. In the district Seyssel they make still wine of the Roussette grape and sparkling wine of the Chasselas grape.
3.In the transitional area between Burgundy, Jura and Savoie, here you'll find the typical Burgundy grapes such as Aligoté, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but also the Beaujolais grape Gamay. There are three appellations:
◦ Vin de Bugey (two Crus: Manicle and Montagnieu)
◦ Bugey mousseux / Bugey pétillant (sparkling, slightly sparkling wine made from the Gamay grape)
◦ Roussette du Bugey (a Vin de Bugey made of the Roussette grape) there are six Crus: Anglefort, Arbigny, Chanay, Lagnieu, and Montagnieu Virieu-le-Grand.

Food Combination
More Fish, crayfish and poultry