This month The French Winophiles are looking at wines and pairing from the Jura. Jeff of FoodWineClick! is hosting; read his invitation.
This month the French Winophiles are heading, by tabletop and wineglass, to the Jura. We aren't gathering for a chat this month, but here's the line-up of articles so you can dive into the wines of the Jura, too...
After Dinner Sips From the French Jura to Linger Over by Always Ravenous
Caves Jean Bourdy and Comté Cheese: Jura Classics by Food Wine Click!
Change your 2023 Wine Routine, Reach for the Jura! by Savor the Harvest
Crémant du Jura & Rösti – blurring the borders and blending French and Swiss culture by Crushed Grape Chronicles
Crémant du Jura: A traditional yet different sort of bubbly by My Full Wine Glass
Enjoying Jura’s Wine and Cuisine: Biodynamic Champ Divin Crémant du Jura Brut Zéro + Seared Scallops by Wine Predator...Gwendolyn Alley
Lamb Sausage-Stuffed Ravioli + Domaine Rolet Arbois Vieilles Vignes Poulsard 2018 by Culinary Cam (you're here)
The Region
from mumulesvignes.com
Lying in Eastern France, approximately 50 miles east of Burgundy on the Swiss border, you'll find the Jura wine region. Within the Jura, you'll find Arbois, one of the first recognized Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée designations that dates back to 1936; Château-Chalon AOC; Crémant du Jura AOC that only dates back to the mid 1990s though the production method goes back to the 18th century; Côtes du Jura AOC that produces red and rosé wines from Poulsard, Trousseau, and Pinot noir grapes, and white wines from Chardonnay and Savagnin grapes; L'Étoile AOC who has one origin story that attributes the name to the tiny, star-shaped pentacrite fossils that abound in the area; and Macvin du Jura AOC, the youngest of the Jurassian appellations, that produces the late harvest vin du Jura that's fortified with marc du Jura.
In My Glass
For the event, I got my hands on two different wines from the Jura. But it's the 2018 Domaine Rolet Arbois Vieilles Vignes Poulsard that is in my glass for this event. I will share my pairing with the Crémant du Jura soon.
Poulsard is an ancient red-skinned grape that is one of the primary varieties in Arbois. With its thin skin and pale fruit, sometimes wines from Poulsard are so pale that they are mistaken as Rosés and it is even used to make white wine Blanc de Noir by limiting skin contact. It is commonly seen in blends with Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Trousseau. So I felt fortunate to find a single varietal that would allow me to actually taste this grape.
Désiré Rolet started making wine in the Jura in 1942 and his children took over nearly two decades later. The domaine is in the process of converting to organic practices and getting certified as such, but no herbicides or pesticides are used.
The wine poured a clear, pale ruby color. On the nose, I smelled lots of berries and herbs such as strawberries and thyme. On the palate, the wine has tight tannins and a slight vivacity at the finish that made it extremely pleasant to drink.
Research into suggested pairings presented ideas of morel mushrooms in a white sauce over toasts, croûte aux morilles, and lamb-stuffed zucchini. I rolled those together into a Lamb Sausage-Stuffed Ravioli in a creamy morel sauce.
In My Bowl
You can certainly buy ravioli, but I find rolling pasta very relaxing. And I wanted to use some lamb sausage that I had from a local producer.
Filling
1 pound lamb sausage without casing
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 small onion, minced (approximately 1/4 cup)
1 cup ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
freshly ground salt
freshly ground pepper
Ravioli
laminated dough (see this post)
Also needed: flour, water in a spray bottle, ravioli cutter
Sauce
1/2 cup morels (I used dried mushrooms and rehydrated them in hot water)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons diced shallots or onions
1 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated cheese (I used Asiago)
Filling
Heat butter in a small skillet. Add onions and cook until translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage. Cook until sausage is completely browned. Salt to taste and cook for another minute.
Transfer sausage mixture to a medium mixing bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Set aside.
Ravioli
Roll the dough as thin as you possibly can if you are using a rolling pin or to a 5 or 6 on a pasta machine.
Lay the dough on a floured surface or parchment paper. Place a mound of filling on the dough and spray the entire surface with water.
Lay another rolled dough over the top. Press out any extra air to create a seal around the filling.
Using a ravioli cutter, cut around the filling carefully. Place the finished ravioli on a floured parchment-lined cookie sheet. Repeat until all of the dough or all of the filling has been used.
To cook these: drop them into salted, boiling water. Cook for four to five minutes. Gently remove them from the pot and fold them into a sauce.
Sauce
Rehydrate your morels in hot water, drain, but reserve the soaking liquid if needed to thin the sauce. Slice the mushrooms in half.
Melt butter in large flat-bottom pan or skillet. Stir in the shallots and cook until softened an beginning to turn translucent. Add in the mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes.
Pour in the wine and cream. Simmer until the sauce begins to thicken. Fold in the cheese and stir until melted and smooth.
To serve, spoon the cooked ravioli into the sauce and toss to coat. Spoon into individual serving bowls and serve immediately.
That's a wrap for the French Winophiles' February event. We'll be back next month looking at women in the French wine industry who are working sustainably in a way that's good for the Earth. Gwendolyn Alley of Wine Predator is hosting. Stay tuned!