[:en]Several years ago there was a big scandal in Australia when it was discovered that the ‘Albariño’ that they had planted, was not in fact albariño, but was actually the savagnin blanc grape variety most commonly found in the Jura region of northeast France. The error was committed by Australia’s very own wine research organisation, and was uncovered whilst we were visiting Australia back in 2009. As a result we unwittingly found ourselves at the centre of a good deal of media attention as the Australian wine press clamoured to get the oinion of some ‘authentic’ albariño producers!

The reason I mention this now is because we actually discovered a savagnin on the wine list of a local restaurant, and so, quite naturally we jumped at the chance to try it. The Côtes du Jura Savagnin ‘Les Marnes’ 2011, from Domaine Philippe Bornard, did not disappoint. It’s perhaps an odd thing to say, but this is a wine for Manzanilla and Fino sherry drinkers who enjoy the salty, nutty flavours originating from the flor that grows over the wine in sherry casks. In the Jura they call this the ‘sous voile’ method whereby a layer of yeast covering the wine produces a very similar end result. Although this wine is not completely ‘bright’, and has a rustic, slightly oxidative character, it is still absolutely delicious. Multi-layered – smoky, salty, nutty, but with plenty of stone fruit, a fresh acidity and just a touch of spice. It’s a wine that just keeps coming, is extremely complex, and to be fair, is probably something of an acquired taste that might not appeal to every palate. Suffice to say that we enjoyed it![:es]Several years ago there was a big scandal in Australia when it was discovered that the ‘Albariño’ that they had planted, was not in fact albariño, but was actually the savagnin blanc grape variety most commonly found in the Jura region of northeast France. The error was committed by Australia’s very own wine research organisation, and was uncovered whilst we were visiting Australia back in 2009. As a result we unwittingly found ourselves at the centre of a good deal of media attention as the Australian wine press clamoured to get the oinion of some ‘authentic’ albariño producers!

The reason I mention this now is because we actually discovered a savagnin on the wine list of a local restaurant, and so, quite naturally we jumped at the chance to try it. The Côtes du Jura Savagnin ‘Les Marnes’ 2011, from Domaine Philippe Bornard, did not disappoint. It’s perhaps an odd thing to say, but this is a wine for Manzanilla and Fino sherry drinkers who enjoy the salty, nutty flavours originating from the flor that grows over the wine in sherry casks. In the Jura they call this the ‘sous voile’ method whereby a layer of yeast covering the wine produces a very similar end result. Although this wine is not completely ‘bright’, and has a rustic, slightly oxidative character, it is still absolutely delicious. Multi-layered – smoky, salty, nutty, but with plenty of stone fruit, a fresh acidity and just a touch of spice. It’s a wine that just keeps coming, is extremely complex, and to be fair, is probably something of an acquired taste that might not appeal to every palate. Suffice to say that we enjoyed it!

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