GOLDEN DELIGHT

Linda Vijeh extols the virtues of ’vin jaune’, the golden wine of Jura which has its own festival to celebrate the release of a new vintage.

At the time of writing it is hard to believe that in just few weeks’ time, especially once the clocks go forward heralding the onset of spring, we shall all be looking forward to some warmer weather. Of course, one of the first signs of spring, already in evidence, are those sunny bright yellow daffodils that cheerfully adorn the wayside. 

Thoughts of spring have me thinking of the delightfully unique ‘vin jaune’ from the Jura region in Eastern France, which will certainly add a little sunshine to your life. 

Each year, at the end of January, a festival called La Percee du Vin Jaune (Opening of the Yellow Wine) is held to celebrate release of the new vintage which, due to the legal requirements for ageing, will be the one that was harvested in the autumn seven years earlier, in this case 2012. 

Now in its 22nd year, this popular festival takes place in a different village in the region each year. This year it is being held in Poligny. I’ve missed the boat this year, but will make sure that it is at the top of my list for 2020. 

The wine is strictly controlled by four distinct appellations: Arbois, Cotes du Jura, Chateau-Chalon and Etoile, and is renowned for the subtlety and complexity of its aromas, making it an unforgettable encounter. 

The production of ‘vin jaune’, the golden wine of Jura, is unique. It is made from 100% Savagnin grapes, a white variety in the Traminer family, but less aromatic than Gewürtztraminer. The grapes are picked in late October and this late harvesting allows the sugars to develop sufficiently to achieve a potential alcohol level of 13% to 15%. 

After pressing, the juice is then fermented slowly and aged six years and three months in old 60-gallon oak barrels. Unlike most wines, the casks are not topped up, which allows an air gap to appear above the wine due to evaporation. As the wine ages a veil of yeast is formed (the voile) on the surface of the wine, protecting it partially from direct contact with the air. During the ageing process the chemical changes that take place contribute to the unique flavours and aromas of ‘vin jaune’, producing a wine that is similar to a dry fino sherry although, unlike sherry, ‘vin jaune’ is not fortified. 

The finished wine is then bottled in special squat bottles (clavelins), which hold just 62cl. Historically, this particular bottle size equates to the amount of wine left over from the original one litre of grape juice, after evaporation has taken place during the ageing process. 

‘Vin jaune’ is golden in colour, with a brilliant translucent luminosity. It has a complex aromatic nose, full of nuts, spices, dried fruits and floral notes. These characteristics are also evident on the palate, enhanced by hints of green apple and honey. 

This is definitely not a quaffing wine, and although it is a white wine, ‘vin jaune’ is usually served at around 13 to 15°C. 

Whilst ‘vin jaune’ has tremendous ageing potential, as evidenced by the recent sale at auction of three bottles from 1774 for over £20,000 each, it is still enjoyable in its youth and does benefit from being allowed to breathe before drinking. Decanting allows further exposure to the air to stimulate the wine’s unique aromas. ‘Vin jaune’ goes really well with savoury dishes, including the local Jura dish where chicken is cooked in the wine, producing a delicious sauce, as well as with the local Comte cheese, from the FrancheComte region. 

‘Vin jaune’ is not something you are likely to find on your local supermarket shelves, but recent vintages can be had for around £30 from specialist wine merchants, which we should all be supporting, and as luck would have it, on a recent trip to France I picked up a bottle of the 2009 vintage for the bargain price of just 15 euros. 

For anyone interested in exploring further this distinctive style of wine it is also worth looking out for other ‘vin jaune’-style wines made in France outside the Jura region, such as Gaillac.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dJiX1ZJAPdPdOXzt4WlJM7bh2mSfGVhI/view?usp=sharing

Article in March 2019 Somerset Living Magazine

CLIMATE CHANGE, PLASTIC WASTE, FAST FASHION TAX

I believe that the right to air one’s views, to demonstrate, is a fundamental pillar of democracy. As a local councillor, when attending meetings at which matters important to the public are debated, I always get a thrill when I see groups of demonstrators outside; it means that someone cares. Why is it though that we only speak out when something is not going our way?

In protesting against climate change, I wonder if those involved considered the clothing they destroyed, and the cost of repairing, presumably at the tax-payers’ expense, the benches they glued themselves to at Gloucester County Council?

Recent news has also focused on school children who went ‘on strike’ to highlight the damage we are doing to our planet through the use of plastic, and the call for a ‘fast-fashion’ tax on clothes to offset the cost of handling waste and re-cycling.

These are all topics I have strong views on; my own pet littering peeves are the discarded cigarette ends and blobs of chewing gum I see on the streets.

When it comes to plastic packaging, it is not plastic that is the real problem; it is the irresponsible way that we dispose of our rubbish.

We appear to do little to penalise those who are the driving force behind excess packaging; supermarkets. They make huge profits by selling us goods, so they should be required to set up counters where shoppers can return their bottles, cans, paper, cardboard and other waste, in exchange for shopping vouchers or loyalty card points. This would also save a considerable amount of tax payers’ money by reducing the volume of on-street litter collection. The current system of individual on-street waste and re-cycling boxes is unsightly and refuse lorries crawling from house to house cannot be a cost-effective way to deal with this problem.

My recent visit to the Dharavi slum in Mumbai showed that by collecting, sorting and re-cycling the waste they find, slum-dwellers contribute the equivalent of a whopping great £324 million to the Indian economy.

As a single person I try to avoid using supermarkets, but when I do, I remove all excess packaging and leave it there; I did not ask for it, do not want it, and have less to dispose of when I get home.

I believe that all new builds should be designed to accommodate the requisite re-cycling facilities and a central collection point. Moreover, has anyone considered the cost of the water required to rinse out bottles and cans before disposing of them? I think not.

To reduce our carbon footprint, there is much we can do. It really is very simple; we cannot bemoan the loss of our local shops while we continue to buy out of season fruits, vegetables and flowers from foreign shores. With less choice available our diet may be less interesting, but we will all be better for it; fortunately, in Somerset we have an abundance of fresh local produce readily available.

When it comes to clothing and household goods, as a one-woman re-cycling unit I can hold my head up high with pride. I hate waste and eagerly accept cast-offs; over 75% of everything I own is second-hand, either from charity shops, auctions or someone else’s hand me downs, often for free. Most of my ‘stuff’ I have owned for over 25 years, leaving me with more money for life’s real pleasures, food, wine, travel and the theatre.

LOVELY BUBBLY

Getting married is one of the most important things we will ever do in life. It is natural that those who have decided to tie the knot will want everything to be just perfect; but as anyone who has ever

organised a wedding will know, it can be something of a minefield.

According to a 2018 survey, the average cost of a wedding in the UK is now a whopping £30,355. On the other hand, a great shindig can be had for as little as £1,000. Many of the larger chain hotels have packages on offer that include wine, although this is likely to be restricted to ‘house’ wines.

Short of eloping or paying through the nose for a ‘professional’ party planner, most of us will have a mix and match approach to how things are organised. Focusing on your budget, and how many guests you will want to attend, will help to concentrate the mind, whether paying for the wedding yourself, or getting mum and dad or your mates to chip in.

What is most important to you; having friends and family on hand to celebrate, or a bit of one-upmanship and a wedding that makes the headlines? 

Some of the very best weddings I have attended have been of the ‘homemade’ variety, with friends and relatives all contributing in some way; which can give a really personal flavour to a memorable occasion.

For me, for such a special occasion, it really has to be bubbly. Many of us choose to opt for Champagne, but nowadays Prosecco or Cava, or even better, one of our own homegrown award-winning sparkling wines, remain popular for those with an eye to the cost. Half a glass is sufficient for the toast itself, so one standard sized bottle will serve seven to nine people.

If your wedding venue is providing the booze, then expect a mark-up of 300% on the price you would pay in your local supermarket or wine merchant. 

With the market for weddings being highly competitive, you should be able to negotiate an ‘all-in’ deal which will help to keep the cost down.

Assuming that you know your guests’ preferences, it may well be that they prefer beer, cocktails or other drinks. Also allow for non-drinkers, youngsters and the elderly who will consume less, in theory at least.

For wine enthusiasts, it can be more cost effective to purchase your own wines, and a quick trip across the Channel, the outcome of Brexit aside, can be a great way to cut costs. If supplying your own alcohol, you will usually need to factor in fees for corkage, which can be as much as £15 per bottle, but can still save a significant amount of money. 

The site www.moneysavingexpert.com have a link to their own Wine Discount Finder which will help you to search for discounted offers. Also worth checking, is the wine section of shopping comparison site www.mysupermarket.co.uk.

Many wine merchants offer a ‘sale or return’ policy, allowing you to return any unopened bottles, along with free glass hire if required.

Personalised ‘wedding’ wine labels, available from several sites at around 50p, can be a good way of offering less expensive wine without your guests feeling that you are doing things on the cheap.

The timing of your wedding and the style of food served can also have a big impact on what alcohol you choose to serve, and how much. When calculating quantities, allow around 1⁄2 bottle per person.

More booze will be required for a reception that leads onto a full-blown evening meal and post-nuptial party rather than a lunchtime wedding, or even a summer-time afternoon tea, where Pimm’s could be just the job.

For most of us, finding an easy to drink and inexpensive wine is most important, in which case I would tend to stick to a red Côtes du Rhône Village, a white Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie and something along the lines of a Crémant from Burgundy or Alsace, all of which will can be found for under £7 a bottle, even less if you catch them on promotion. 

Above all, remember that the best wines are the ones that you drink with friends.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1TblPSaDLmapgb0S8lEQ8OmWlS_9OmQYm

ARTICLE FEATURED IN SOMERSET LIVING - FEB 19