By now, it’s widely accepted that world-class sparkling wine can be found in practically every region of France. But that doesn’t mean every place is equally good at it; some, like the Jura, consistently produce some of the best non-Champagne sparklers to be found. And occasionally, within those places, you come across a bottle like Jean Bourdy’s Crémant du Jura, which isn’t just an affordable alternative to, but genuinely goes toe-to-toe with elite Champagne bottlings while also speaking loudly of its own unique terroir. Imagine top-notch Blanc de Blancs, with an added twist of rustic minerality and Alpine herbaceousness, and you’re close to the magic contained within a bottle of Bourdy. Of course, it also costs a fraction of even run-of-the-mill Champagne; compare it with anything of similar history, care, and craftsmanship and the value proposition here goes through the roof. Who doesn’t wish they could pop a special bottle of endlessly complex, perfectly-crafted sparkling wine every night of the week? With Jean Bourdy, you can!
The Jura is justly renowned for its stellar white wines and singular reds, but it’s also got quite the history of sparkling production. In-bottle secondary fermentation dates back here to the 17th century, meaning it may have been done in the Jura before it was in Champagne. Regardless, the Crémant du Jura appellation was only created in 1995, in an attempt to buttress the global reputation of a style locals had consumed greedily for centuries. The Jura has all the ingredients to produce truly special sparkling wine, after all: ancient soils of clay and limestone, much like in Burgundy next door, combined high elevations for added grace. Great bottles from the Jura can bear some resemblance to Burgundy in their earthy nuance, but there’s typically a touch more savory, almost smoky complexity to them. That’s as true for its sparklers as it is for its still wines.
Amongst Jura aficionados, Caves Jean Bourdy is famous. They’re maybe the oldest continuously run estate in the region, with an almost six century history of farming vines there. Brothers Jean-Phillipe and Jean-François are now the 15th generation of Bourdys to work this land. Their cellar is filled with evidence of their family’s enduring presence as Jura vignerons: 80-year-old barrels still in use, a stash of bottles dating back to 1865. The brothers do things the old way, with all spontaneous fermentations, very long aging for reds and whites, and no temperature control. They aren’t hidebound by tradition, though. In 2006, they were one of the first Jura producers to achieve biodynamic certification. They continuously tweak their winemaking, embracing shorter macerations and aging regimens for some early-drinking cuvées, and switching to stainless steel fermentation to preserve freshness and structure in their Crémant. It’s 100% Chardonnay from a single plot of red clay and gravel soils, always the first fruit the Bourdys pick. After fermentation, the wine rests in bottle for 18 months before being disgorged and given a small 10g/l dosage.
The Bourdy Crémant du Jura pours a faint gold with silver and straw highlights, and refined, delicate bubbles. The nose bursts with stony depth and orchard fruit–pulverized chalk, seaspray, creamed apple, pear skin—alongside golden tones like toasted brioche, hay, and fresh butter. Tasting it blind, you’d think it was Blanc des Blancs Champagne from a great grower-producer, were it not for a layer of meadow flowers and faint smoky tones. The palate is electric, resonating with the chalky minerality before fleshing out into the soft toasty notes. This is truly elite juice; sub-$40 sparkling wine just flat out doesn’t get any better than this. Go deep, grab whatever you can, and revel in the glory of Bourdy!
