How I suffer for my art...

Many of the world's most famous artists have, famously, suffered for their art in more ways than one, losing ears and what have you in their quest for artistic perfection. Well, dear reader. I am one of those artists, prepared to go to any lengths in the pursuit of perfection for you, for my art, for the world. High and low I will search and leave no wine bottle unopened - if I can help it, that is - in the pursuit of knowledge, which will then be brought to your door fresh, unsullied and ready to be absorbed by you to sate your quest for the best this world has to offer. Or, being realistic, whatever it is I come across that I am able to taste, absorb, describe and make known to my vast readership, should I deem it appropriate.

So when my good friend YT, he of the gastronomic adventures background and wine lover, invited me to a quiet boys only evening of Jura wines and cheeses, slightly embellished with some other bits and pieces - to ensure nobody went hungry, you understand - I just had to say yes for your sake. Not a thought did I give to my pleasure; rather, I viewed this as pure hard work: a fact-finding and reporting mission for you, dear reader, a necessary sacrifice in my ceaseless battle to ensure your sound education and happiness.

'What is a Jura?' I hear you ask in a slightly irritated tone of voice and I'm away, wearing my education hat and eager to add to your boundless knowledge:

The Jura mountains give their name to an area mainly in the southeastern corner of France but also the northwestern part of Switzerland. As expected, the area is quite mountainous - but in a verdant, rolling kind of way - and because of that relatively isolated despite being in a very central position. With a more old-fashioned agricultural way of life, quiet towns and villages, almost no heavy industry and enchanting scenery, this is a wonderful area to visit. And, as the main agricultural activity involves vines for wine making, this is an area of special interest to me and, indeed, anybody whose love and curiosity about wine is above average. That individual will be rewarded greatly by discovering and exploring the wines of the Jura region, probably far more than many better known areas - do you think that the dinosaurs of the Jurassic period who lived in the area - yes, that's where the name comes from - knew a thing or two about wine?

Let me explain why this area is special: Real wine lovers are constantly tasting, learning, searching for interesting, and often unusual, wines to get to know and enjoy. The average wine drinker, however, wants something largely familiar, reliable, available and not particularly expensive; as they hugely outnumber the first category most wine on the market is geared to them. Furthermore, the topography and weather of the Jura region does not support large-scale production, mechanisation and mass market appeal. Luckily the producers have recognised this and have stuck to their smaller scale and more individual products, though this is not to say that they shun developments in viniculture. In fact their 'normal' wines are getting increasing recognition worldwide - and, alas, commanding ever-higher prices - where their flagship Vin Jaune, that individual standard-bearer for the area had proved too difficult to get to know and love.

We kicked off our evening with a selection of salamis, some with nuts and others with cheese or spices, from the region and two wines, a white and a red, from Caveau de Bacchus, a top producer of the Arbois AOC. The white was from the 2010 vintage and Savagnin grape, oxidised but not to full Vin Jaune specification, complex and spectacular as only good wines can be with a bit of age, a bit metallic and dry, with rich, herby fruit. The red, from the Trousseau grape was a 2014 and comes more under the heading of curiosity rather than sheer pleasure - the cold weather of the area means that, despite 191 days with the skins it has a light red colour and a cherry character. The white I would happily seek out and drink again and again, assuming (a) I could find it and (b) I could afford it.

With the aperitif and nibbles out of the way we moved on to a delicious thick carrot and orange soup, followed by a fresh, crispy green salad with chanterelle mushrooms; contrasting tastes and textures alternately coating the palate and cleansing it. The Cuvee l'Hopital 2015 (another Savagnin grape wine but in the modern, fresher style without any oxidation) from Peggy and Jean Pascal Buronfosse I'm afraid I rather gulped down and remember little other than sparkling fruit, exceptional length, vivacity and complexity.

The highlight of the evening was the cheese course - three different Comte cheeses of 24, 27 and 37 months from different sources, all typical of the region but so different in character with, surprisingly for me, the middle one being freshest and having the most complex flavour, though all were just yummy. The reason that the cheese course was so special was the accompanying wines, which were of the Vin Jaune style with a strong character; one was a Cotes du Jura AOC 2001with a rustic label from the Bourdy family (just learning their craft having been making wine since 1475 or something, yes, the same family...), the other a 2000 by Philippe Vandelle from the L' Etoile AOC. Both these wines are challenging biggies bursting with flavour and too complex for words, still at the peak of their powers, young and vigorous. These are not relaxed sipping wines, not easy drinking guzzlers, but wines that deserve time and respect to be understood, occasional pleasures for the dedicated friends of Dionysos. While the L'Etoile is perhaps more ethereal and the Cotes du Jura a bit more robust, they both sang faultlessly from the same hymn sheet as the cheeses, making a uniquely satisfying melody.

The Vin Jaune wines are often compared to sherry, as they are produced using a similar method of oxidation, but I find that misleading as the taste differs significantly albeit there is a similarity in style. They are most certainly not interchangeable!

The 'keeping it simple' theme continued with the dessert course, which was different bits of chocolate (dark, of course) enhanced by a charming little drop (or two?)  of Poire Williams eau-de-vie from masterful Massenez in neighbouring Alsace to finish. If you have never had a fruit eau-de-vie from Alsace you are missing one of life's great pleasures and one far more affordable and easier to come to grips with than the Vin Jaune. After that my mind kept thinking about coffee but my body was incapable of consuming another thing.

Or was possibly completely incapable, as the blurred photograph of our table after the 'orgy', complete with Jura region tablecloth and full of empty glasses shows. At least it is shaken, not stirred...