Jura Benchmark
- Don't Miss Vintage
2010 Macle Côtes du Jura
Jura's Pinnacle of Elegance and Refinement
2010 marks the sixth vintage of Macle's Côtes du Jura that we've offered.
Much has changed in the Jura, and yet, one thing has remained the same: Macle produces some of the most classic and elegant Jura wines we know.
Back when we first offered Macle's wines, the Jura was still a curiosity. Macle wasn't available in the U.S. and was known by only the savviest of wine geeks.
Today, the Jura has exploded, young talent continues to pour into the region and many of the region's top producers are tightly allocated. Regarding Macle specifically, the wines are recognized as being the work of one of the regions great traditionalists and benchmarks. This is the reputation that Macle has enjoyed in Europe for decades.
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2010 in the Jura delivered whites of sparkling clarity with concentration, very deep complexity and amazing acid backbones. It's just a really, really lovely vintage.
What lifts Macle to the top of the category is the estate's ability to take Jura's wild, earthy flavors and, with absolute clarity, weave them together into a unified tapestry that has an undeniable, mineral-driven elegance. As Andrew Jefford says in The New France, "[Macle's wines] seem to rifle through a repertoire of the natural world as you sniff and sip."
The complexity and elegance of Macle's wines should come as no surprise: Beyond the skillful, über-conscientious winemaking, the Chardonnay and Savagnin vines for Macle's Côtes du Jura are from a choice plot that was in fact part of Château-Chalon until the appellation’s boundaries were redrawn in the 1980s. When you drive up to the hill town of Château-Chalon, the favorable situation of the area is obvious. It's clear when you taste the wines as well: the "sous voile" (oxidative style) wines from this area possess a standalone elegance. Macle takes this to another level of breed and refinement.
For Macle's wines, we always give this disclaimer, in case you're new here: These are beautiful yet unique wines - there is an oxidative tang to the wines that is very distinct. If you're unfamiliar with these, try a bottle before you go long!
For those of you familar with Macle's Côtes du Jura, the 2010 has all the wine's signature notes and in this vintage they're delivered with captivating precision. We're talking about a kaleidoscopic complexity - mirabelle plum, Meyer lemon marmalade, moss, mushrooms, pine needles, crushed baking spices, stony minerality, a silken but powerful acidity.
Sous voile wines' place to shine is at the table. My favorite pairings with the Côtes de Jura are a simple roast chicken and potato purée spiked with walnut oil, winter squash soup, or Jura's most famous dish: chicken with cream, vin jaune and morels. They also excel with umami-driven Japanese food that wreak havoc on so many other wines.
For Macle fans, 2010 is a vintage that you want to make room for in your cellar. For people new to Macle, it's hard to think of a better vintage to be introduced to the wines. Macle's Côtes du Jura ages very, very well, but the 2010 promises to be a distance runner. The concentration, acidity and balance are just that good.
One last thing: the increase in notoriety makes these wines, which are already in short supply, harder to secure in quantity. With only 12 total hectares of land and a name that looms large, demand for Macle tends to be greater than supply.
To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits