Independent Wine Makers Fair

Twice a year the Independent Wine Makers Fair (Salon des Vignerons Indépendants) takes place in Paris.

It's quite an event, and the occasion for amateur wine connoisseurs like me to discover small estates that are hardly sold on the mainstream wine market.

I went there with a couple of friends to experience the frenzy of tasting wines from 9am to 5 pm in a gigantic garage-like hall that held approximately 1000 wine makers.

We started out spitting our wine, but by 2pm we had completely forgotten all about our spitting cups. So I'm not sure my judgment on the last wines we tasted is totally accurate...

In fact, I realized the following morning that I had bought 3 times as much wine past that time.

Unfortunately, I don't think this is because we got lucky and found the best estates towards the end.

We did find some very interesting wines though. And at fairly decent prices.

I literally uttered a cry when I saw 30 feet from me one of the Jura wines I like the most. It's almost impossible to find it in Paris and the only way to get a hold of it is to order it directly at the estate.

I had come across it during an organized wine tasting last march in a upscale hotel in Paris, and since then I just could not find it anywhere.

So when I saw "Domaine de l'Etoile", Jura right in front of me, I simply lost it.

My friends got a little scared and I think they might have assumed someone had put something in my wine. Nope. I was just on wine frenzy.

So I ran to their counter, tasted everything they had, raved about how delicious everything I drank was (yeah okay for this one I didn't spit), and bought way too much for my cellar to hold.

I don't care. The nuttiness, the golden hues and powerful scent of this wine just swept me off my feet.

Here are my tasting notes on this fabulous yet very particular wine:

Domaine de l'Etoile

G. Vandelle et fils

Cuvée des Ceps d'or, 2006

8,5 euros

100% chardonnay. Golden robe, bright. It exhales an elegant and complex scent of hazelnut, nut and oriental spices. Its mouth is long, and gives out a good balance between acidity and mineral flavors. Explosion of nut and wood. This one is a keeper, 10 years easy according to the wine maker. Perfect with parmiggiano cheese, comté or "poulet aux morilles" (chicken with morel mushroom) a typical dish from the Jura region, you may also enjoy it with chicken and cream or American style lobster. I'm hungry just thinking about it. I also bought a typical wine from the region called "Vin de paille" (Straw wine). The name comes from the beautiful color of the wine which reminds the taster of Monet's paintings of the French countryside. In order to make this wine, grapes have to be kept at least 6 weeks on wicker racks. Then it requires at least 18 months in wood barrels and ages 3 years. This wine is for special occasions. It is rare and more and more appreciated by connoisseurs. Nose: sultana raisin, apricot, cocoa bean. Mouth: exquisite balance, dried fruits, vanilla Domaine de l'Etoile G. Vandelle et fils Vin de paille, 2000