Jean-Francois Ganevat Côtes du Jura Les Vignes de Mon Pere 2010 - 75cl
This is one of the Jura's cult bottles. Jean-François Ganevat named Les Vignes de Mon Père — “my father's vines” — for the old Savagnin planted by his father in La Combe de Rotalier, and the wine is his tribute to them. It's Savagnin taken to an extreme: aged for around a decade in topped-up (ouillé) barrels, farmed biodynamically and, from this era, made without added sulphur.
Do not confuse this with the region's oxidative, sherry-like vin jaune. Because the barrels are kept full, this stays fresh and precise — but the sheer length of ageing gives it extraordinary depth. The 2010 offers preserved lemon, ripe apple and quince, then curry leaf, toasted almond, dried herbs and a saline, briny undertow. The palate is intense and driven, with searing acidity holding together layers of flavour and a finish that lasts a full minute. There's power here, but also a nervy tension that stops it ever feeling heavy.
This is a wine for a serious occasion and a patient drinker. It's drinking beautifully now but will hold for years. Pour it for someone who thinks they've tasted everything.
How to Serve
Serve at 12–14°C in a large white-wine glass. It genuinely rewards a decant — give it an hour, and expect it to keep evolving in the glass over the evening.
Where to Drink It
Noble Rot for a list that reveres the Jura. The River Cafe for bold Italian flavours. Planque for the natural-wine crowd.
Food Pairings
Comté, aged and nutty, is the textbook match. It also stands up to a mild, aromatic chicken curry or a plate of morels in cream.
