Jurançon AOC

Located in the Atlantic Pyrenees, Jurançon is one of the oldest AOCs in France. A white wine that can be found both dry and sweet, it is mainly composed of the Gros and Petit Manseng grape varieties. Its blend is composed of the other grape varieties Courbu Blanc, Petit Courbu, Camaralet de Lasseube and Lauzet. Although the first trace of a Jurançon wine transaction dates back to 988 AD, it was in 1936 that it officially became an AOC; initially for sweet wines only. The dry Jurançon obtained its own AOC in 1975. Jurançon reached its peak in the 15th and 16th centuries. The important personalities, viscounts and princes of Béarn who settled in Pau introduced the notion of "cru" according to the value of the plots of land. This was in fact the first attempt at national classification to preserve the authenticity of Jurançon wines. Its nickname of "royal wine" comes from King Henri IV. It is said to have moistened his lips during his baptism!

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SHALL WE TASTE?
In the Glass

Dry White:

Colour: Its colour is a pretty pale gold, punctuated by shades of green..

Nose : Floral aromas of broom and acacia mixed with fresh stone fruit and exotic fruit fragrances. Aromas of roasted almonds, honey and spices also enhance the bouquet.

Mouth : The attack is frank and lively. The freshness of the fruit and the citrus fruit notes form an elegant, slightly sparkling palate, characterised by a good length and roundness in the mouth.

SWEET white:

Colour: In its youth, the colour is golden with green reflections. As it ages it takes on a rather old gold colour.

Nose : Intense aromas of honey, white flowers, candied fruit and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The Petit Manseng grape variety brings nuances of ripe fruit and, according to some producers, truffle aromas.

Mouth : Superb balance between the sweetness of the residual sugars and the liveliness. The nectar is concentrated yet delicate. The mellow Jurançon is sweet, though full-bodied and slightly acidic. Its mouth remains complex and round..

FOOD / WINE PAIRINGS
Jurançon and food

Dry White:

Enjoy it with a seafood platter, river fish, shellfish or a cassolette of mussels with saffron. It also goes very well with white meat, pork or goat's cheese.

SWEET white:

Partner from starter to dessert, it goes well with foie gras, fish in sauce, blue-veined cheeses and finally with fruity and light desserts such as an exotic fruit mousse.

LEARN MORE
Interesting facts about Jurancon

CONSERVATION :

Dry Jurançon can be kept for five years. A sweet Jurançon can be kept for up to twenty years.

CLIMATE :

It is thanks to its unique climate that Jurançon has been able to achieve nobility. As Béarn is characterised by high rainfall and a late autumn, over-ripening of the grapes is facilitated. The famous foehn wind, a warm wind from the south, dries out and warms the atmosphere; contributes to the concentration of sugar in the grapes by the evaporation of water.

PASSERILLAGE :

Passageillage is a winemaking technique that uses natural drying of the grapes to produce sweet wines. The grapes, passerised, are concentrated in sugar and have aromas of candied and dried fruit. The manual selection of these "noble" grapes is carried out by successive selections on the vine by harvesting the grapes that are the most toasted and golden by the sun. This is the technical term used to characterise a grape whose sugar concentration has been achieved by firstly by evaporation of water due to the climate and secondly by a late harvest. The sweet Jurançon can be harvested until mid-December.