Domaine André et Mireille Tissot, Château-Chalon Vin Jaune, Jura, France 2010

How do you describe Stéphane Tissot? Perhaps ‘human firework’ comes closest. He fizzes and crackles with energy, bonhomie, positivity and creativity, and he and his wife Bénédicte have, in the 25 years since he took over from his father, turned this into one of the finest French domains in any region. It's also one of Jura’s most sizeable, offering a colossal range of 28 different cuvées including three different Arbois Vin Jaune cuvées and a Château-Chalon. For Tissot, the difference between the two appellations is that that Château-Chalon has 'more finesse, more delicate fruit and more citrus character'. That’s certainly true of this magnificent example, still a relatively pale gold in early 2018. There’s huge aromatic complexity here, if you just give it a little time to emerge. Notes of moss, woodruff, mint and lemon verbena cushion understated but supportive light citrus fruits – though not, as yet, much nut or mushroom complexity. On the palate the wine almost has the acidic energy and lunge of a Riesling, though the allusions seeping from that acidic force are quite different: crushed stone, green plum skins and green apple with a chicory, acorn or dandelion-sap bitterness. It’s resonant, energetic and almost caustic in the mouth, yet there is a little umami warmth too and, given time, you will see a glowing shapeliness emerge. A magnificent Vin Jaune.

How do you describe Stéphane Tissot? Perhaps ‘human firework’ comes closest; he fizzes and crackles with energy, bonhomie, positivity and creativity, and he and his wife Bénédicte have, in the 25 years since he took over from his father, turned this into one of the finest French domains in any region, as well as one of Jura’s most sizeable, offering a colossal range of 28 different cuvées, including three different Arbois Vin Jaune cuvées and a Château-Chalon, too. For Tissot, the difference between the two appellations is that that Château-Chalon has “more finesse, more delicate fruit and more citrus character.” That’s certainly true of this magnificent example, still a relatively pale gold in early 2018. There’s huge aromatic complexity here, if you just give it a little time to emerge: moss, woodruff, mint and lemon verbena, cushioning understated but supportive summer or light citrus fruits – though not, as yet, much nut or mushroom complexity. On the palate, the wine almost has the acidic energy and lunge of a Riesling though the allusions seeping from that acidic force are quite different – crushed stone, green plum skins and green apple with a chicory, acorn or dandelion-sap bitterness. It’s resonant, energetic and almost caustic in the mouth, yet there is a little umami warmth, too, and given time (which this wine needs) you will see a glowing shapeliness emerge. Magnificent Vin Jaune.