Cotes du Jura Poulsard Chevassu 2020

Cotes du Jura Poulsard Chevassu, crunchy, lively, rustic, totally natural red wine from the Jura. Some might call this wine whacky, but for advocates of natural wine this is absolutely delicious. Hold the bottle up and it looks like some dirty water from a bucket left outside the back door but this is the pure appearance of natural wine made from the unusual and very tasty Plousard variety grown in the Jura. It is a rustic wine, bruised red apples and earthiness mingle with crispy acidity and savoury notes. But hell, you can’t ‘alf finish off the bottle quick! Light in alcohol and colour, this is almost orange wine from red grapes, with some tartiflette, goats cheese or a plate of charcuterie and pickles, very good indeed!

Marie-Pierre is a young vigneronne whose wines are definitely old style.

At just 50 hectares Chateau Chalon is home to the extraordinary Vin Jaune (“Yellow wine”), made from the Savagnin varietal, aged in small oak barrels for a minimum of 6 years and 3 months under a thick layer of flor yeast. This aging method, similar to that used for fino sherry in Spain, but in France specific to the Jura, allows the wine to acquire its distinct flavours, characteristic of walnut, almond, spice and apple, before release. Marie-Pierre makes a Chardonnay which is influenced by this method, which has all the richness and body you'd expect from a Chardonnay, but with that extra dimension of salinity and nuttiness. The vineyards are worked organically and only natural methods are used in the winery. The Poulsard, a local grape variety is also fascinating - crunchy, light, juicy and a bit funky.