The wines of this Jura region are relatively unknown yet are so distinctive always showing their unique terroir. I don’t drink them regularly but one of my favourite pairings during 2012 was a 40 year anniversary bottle of 1972 Vin Jaune D’Arbois from Henri Maire with some hot buttery garlic escargots. We certainly need much more detailed information on this underrated region.

Fortunately there is a credible expert on the region who has come up with an innovative book project for Jura Wines. Check out Wink Lorch on her website of www.winetravelmedia.com and @WineTravel on Twitter for more information.

Wink posted today on www.jurawine.co.uk her campaign to fund the production of her book for publication in April 2014. She is using Kickstarter for a fund raising target of 7500 English pounds through individual pledges of various amounts possible from 1 pound to 1500 with various rewards as a result of the amount of your pledge (if average 25 pounds would need 300 people). I believe Wink is very credible and I have pledged my 25 in support and invite you to join in too. The reward is a worthwhile encouragement for a great idea and for 25 pounds delivery of what will be an interesting valuable wine book and 2 PDF Travel Guides. It is also an all or nothing deal so if the budget is not reached you end up paying nothing.  Check out www.kickstarter.com/projects/winklorch/jura-wine-the-book and it is off to an encouraging fast start because right now there already are 74 backers with 2207 pledged towards the 7500 goal with still 27 days to go. Follow the details set out on these postings to become involved in all the excitement.

I worked closely with Wink Lorch as my editor last year on my Monograph “An Appreciation Of The Age Of Wine”  and set out in Author’s Acknowledgements my praise for her laudatory work.

Pleased to receive any feedback you have on sharing your own Jura experiences – either touring or drinking!

Many of us would consider this question of “what to do with left over wine” to be an oxymoron. What left over wine?

However as more bottles are being opened together either for verticals or horizontals and comparisons of the same varieties from different regions there is often more wine left over at the end of the evening then we expected.  What to do with it?

Several systems are on the market to keep oxygen out including the innovative restaurant-wine bar Enomatic wine dispensing machines. Are you the first in your neighborhood to install one in your home or condo? Ha! Ha!  Simpler Vacu Vin and other pump systems to get the air out or using a canister spray of an inert gas containing Nitrogen or Argon are becoming increasingly popular.

I still use an antiquated series of small bottles. 750 ml for left over Grand Format, 500 ml, 375 ml (if you have no half bottles to drink consider immediately on opening a 750 decanting it into a half for subsequent use and drinking the other half), 250 ml, and petite jam jars or even those miniature airline liquor bottles. Fill them as full as possible, stopper them, and refrigerate them for later drinking! Some of those new screw cap bottles work well for this procedure. The cold temperature helps slow down oxidation but try not to keep them in the frig too long. My system still works satisfactorily for me and some young wines actually do show improvement the next day.

Dessert and Fortified wines – especially Madeira – last better but be careful when opening those special older vintage ports which can change after 24 hours or so and still oxidize rather quickly compared to young table wines.

My better half  Joan has a few tips for using your leftover wine:

Freeze in ice cube trays for later use in your marinades or addition to cooking sauces.

Hold some white wine as a helpful household solvent for help in getting those emergency red wine stains out before they set.

Start your own special homemade vinegar blend.

Please post your comments on what works best for you in either preserving or using left over wine.

So many of us with wine cellars really appreciate a restaurant with a reasonable corkage charge allowing you to Bring Your Own Wine (BYOB). It also helps those ever increasing more casual places that no longer can afford the ever increasing cost of maintaining an inventory of older wines. The Aussies have been the best in encouraging BYOB.

In British Columbia with our restrictive government regulations this idea has been illegal until the recent law change last summer. After less than a year it is still unclear what the corkage policy might be for any given restaurant in Vancouver. However several places are supporting this new initiative and continuing to work to modernize BC’s antiquated liquor laws. The amount of corkage varies widely from $60 at Bearfoot Bistro in Whistler, $38 at all four of the outstanding restaurants forming The Top Table Group to the more common $20-$ 30 at the majority of spots. Always ask whether there is any special deal for a certain day of the week. For example La Cigale French Bistro has no corkage charge every Tuesday, Versace Pizzeria every Wednesday and even Four Seasons Vancouver offers half price on all their wines on the extensive wine list at their Yew Restaurant every Sunday.

What are some places that allow you to bring your own wine that you would recommend to us?

What do you think is a reasonable charge by a restaurant to allow you to bring in your own wine?

Delia Viader born in Argentina  founded Napa Valley Viader in 1986 on the steep rocky slopes of Howell Mountain at over 1200 feet elevation. Their first wine was produced in 1989 with cabernet sauvignon blended with cabernet franc. This was daring at the time and their new wine Dare is using 100% cabernet franc. Delia just hosted in Vancouver a family tasting including her son Alan Director of Operations, daughter Janet Sales & Marketing and daughter in law Mariela Viader Executive Chef  showing 12 vintages back to a surprising lively stylish 1990 (32% cab franc). My favs included a sweet chocolate 1993 with 40% cab franc (bottle of 94 a bit too earthy), riper full rich 97, (98 lighter more herbal), an outstanding 99, more modern style 04 and impressive classic 2009 for the cellar. They know cab sauv will ripen well but the canopy management is important to protect the cab franc in the hot summers to get that distinctive elegant floral lift for the terroir.

Interesting that recently Ray Signorello hosted during the Vancouver International Wine Festival tastings of his Estate cab as well as a vertical of his Padrone back to the original one in 97 (containing 16.5% merlot). Ray has now decided from 09 onwards to use no merlot in either his Signorello Estate or Padrone cabs. Will blend in cab franc if it is a good year for it and it helps the quality for longer aging.

I congratulated Delia for deciding so early on for her property that cab sauv and cab franc worked best in the blend. Asked Alan if he was thinking of now using merlot to add roundness and softer middle texture but he says he can get that already through his cab sauv because of the very steep vineyards. Viader remains in good family hands and it looks like another 20 years of traditional excellent quality!

What are your thoughts about the best grape varieties for red blends you have tried from Napa?