AOC Jurançon wines awarded at the Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge

A.O.C./A.O.P.

The Jurançon appellation lies in Béarn, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, on the hillsides rising between the Gave de Pau and the Gave d'Oloron, facing the Pyrenees mountain range. It covers 25 communes and around 1,400 hectares of vines. The soils combine limestone-pebble conglomerate, clay and marly sandstone, forming a well-drained base that limits surface water retention while allowing a steady summer water supply from the groundwater table. The oceanic climate, tempered by the nearby Pyrenees, is marked in autumn by the foehn, a warm, dry southerly wind that encourages the natural raisining of grapes left on the vine. The main grape varieties are Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng, complemented by local secondary varieties: Courbu, Camaralet de Lasseube and Lauzet. Reserved for white wines only, the appellation differs from the neighbouring Béarn AOC, which also produces red and rosé wines.

Grape varieties: Vins blancs doux : petit manseng, gros manseng, courbu, camaralet, lauzet

The wines of this appellation

Jurançon produces white wines exclusively, either dry or off-dry to sweet, with some vintages labelled vendanges tardives when grapes are picked very ripe and partly shrivelled on the vine. Dry wines show a pale, greenish-tinged colour and aromas of citrus, exotic fruit and white flowers, sometimes lifted by honey and spice notes; the palate is lively and taut, best enjoyed young. Sweet wines display a deeper golden colour and aromas of candied fruit, pineapple, peach, honey and sweet spices such as clove; the palate is rich and smooth, balanced by an acidity that keeps them from feeling heavy, and they reward several years of cellaring. Late-harvest wines, more concentrated still, can age for up to twenty years. At the table, the dry style pairs with river fish, shellfish and goat cheese, while the sweet style suits foie gras, Ossau-Iraty and blue cheeses such as Roquefort, or can be enjoyed on its own at the end of a meal.