🏆 TOP 5 🏆 Go bold with oxidative wines — they’ve got serious nose!

A wine for connoisseurs, a nectar for adventurous palates: oxidative wine has its fan club, and the Jura is its superstar! Curry here, saffron there, the mysterious veil of yellow wine is the stuff of dreams for wine lovers ready to break the bank. But beware, oxidative wine isn't just a matter of aging under a veil without topping up! We'll break it all down for you, with a selection of vintages that will "oxidize" your wine cellar.

A brief definition: When air becomes your best friend 🤙

An oxidative wine is a wine that has spent a long time flirting with oxygen, an idyll orchestrated by the winemaker. In "let the air do its show" mode, the taste of the wine is transformed: the aromas become more concentrated and unfold a range of spices (curry, saffron, it's like being in India!) and dried fruits (hazelnut, walnut, perfect for an aperitif!). The structure becomes more supple, the acidity softens, and the color intensifies, tending towards amber for the whites and brick-red for the reds. A real makeover!

Methods: The subtle art of taming oxygen 💨

Several paths lead to oxidative fermentation:

👼 "Angels' Share" Aging: Evaporation is allowed to do its work, the famous "angels' share" that pecks at the wine. The winemaker then plays with topping up (which consists of replenishing the evaporated portion of the wine), using little or no topping up. Vin jaune is the champion of this category (six and a half years without flinching!), but stylish oxidative effects can be achieved much earlier.

🏺 The Demijohn and the Sun: We put the wine in large demijohns, expose it to light, and presto, it's done, slowly but surely. A bit like a tanning session for wine, but watch out for sunburn!

⌛ Time does its work in the bottle: Yes, even in the bottle, the wine evolves! A reduced wine can switch to slow oxygenation thanks to micro-aeration through the cork. Patience is a virtue, especially with a good wine!

Oxidative VS Oxidation: Don't confuse a masterpiece with a failure 💥

The oxidation of oxidative wines is a controlled process, a bit like a Michelin-starred chef adjusting his spices. It happens after vinification, under the watchful eye of the winemaker, who controls the interaction between the wine and oxygen to create complex and supple vintages with bold aromas. "Failed" oxidation is another story! This occurs when a bottle is left open for too long or the cork goes on strike. This is called spoilage, a bit like a pizza left on the counter.

And the Jura isn't the only region to master this art! Spain (Sherry, Rancio Catalan), Roussillon (Maury, Banyuls), the Loire, Savoie, the Southwest... Everywhere, talented winemakers are exploring the fascinating facets of oxidative wines. So, are you ready to think outside the box and "oxidize" your palate?