Tucked away in the Jura, Jean-François Essler works his vines with a light touch: hand-harvested fruit, gentle pressing and native yeasts doing the talking. This 2023 white shows you what the region's limestone and marl soils can give — a bright, mineral backbone wrapped in orchard fruit, citrus zest and a whisper of hazelnut. Fermentation and ageing stay low-intervention, so nothing gets in the way of the terroir. Pour it slightly chilled alongside Comté, roast chicken or a creamy risotto, and you'll see why Jura whites have such a following. Honest, lively and ready to win you over.
17.85 € incl tax

-5% for 6 identical bottles

10 in stock

Wine name: VDF Virage

Vintage: 2023

Producer: Jean-François Essler

Grape varieties: Chardonnay 100%

Region: Jura, France

Appellation: Vin de France

Vinification method: Hand-harvested grapes, direct pressing, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, ageing in old oak barrels under a light veil, no fining, no filtration, minimal sulphur addition at bottling

Maceration: None, direct pressing of whole bunches

Colour: Bright golden yellow with light green reflections

Bouquet: Yellow fruit, fresh almond, lemon zest, white flowers and a discreet hint of walnut and flint

Palate: Dry and tense, saline attack, mid-palate on orchard fruit and citrus, chalky texture, long savoury finish

Alcohol content: 12.5% vol.

Soils: Grey and blue Jurassic marl with limestone scree

Farming: Organic practices, ploughed soils, no synthetic inputs

Ageing potential: 5 to 8 years

Food pairing: Comté cheese, poultry in cream sauce, trout, pike quenelles, mushroom risotto

Serving temperature: 11-13 °C