Jurançon Wine Region

Jurancon wine appellation is a historic wine-growing region in the far southwestern region of France, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, around the commune of Jurancon. The region is one of the first wine appellations to obtain the french certification of Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée in 1936 for its sweet wine. The region later received another french certification AOC in 1975 for the dry wine. The Jurançon wine region received a great reputation as the wine was used for the baptism of King Henry IV. All of the wine produced in the region is white out of which dry white wine accounts for around 75% and sweet white wines around 25%. 

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Where is the Jurancon wine region?

At the foothills of the Pyrenees, the Jurancon wine appellation lies around the commune of Jurancon, just southwest of the city of Pau in the Southwest France region. The region is surrounded by Uzos from the East, Saint Faust from the west, Gan from the southeast, and Lasseube from the southwest. The river Ousse flows across the border on the northern side of Jurancon. The village of Jurancon is less known as a tourist destination, but the dense forests, spectacular landscape, and wine culture in the region are worth it. 

History of Jurancon wine region

The earliest known viticultural practice in Jurancon dates back to 998 in Lucq de Bearn. However, Viticulture and winemaking in the Jurancon region became significant only in the 14th century when the region was said to be covered with Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng. History suggests that the King Henry II of Navarre bought a vineyard in Jurancon in 1552, He also used Jurancon wines at the baptism of newborn future king Henry IV. Jurancon wines soon became famous across France and were transported across the country and other parts of Europe. The reputation of Jurancon wines soon disappeared due to the phylloxera and depopulation from the two world wars. The wines managed to gain popularity with the help of some independent winegrowers in the region. 

The Jurançon appellation title was awarded in 1936 for sweet wines and Jurançon Sec was listed in 1975 for dry wines. 

The terroir and geography of the Jurancon wine region

The Jurancon region is close to the Pyrenees mountain region to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the west which has oceanic influences on the region. The region is mostly valleys and foothills of the Pyrenees. 

The landscape here is marked by the valleys and hillsides of the Pyrenees foothills and viticulture is interspersed with pasture, agriculture, and woodland. Most vineyards are situated on the upper slopes of the valleys and the top of the hills. The northeastern slope is mostly dominated by pebbly limestone mixed with stony clay as topsoil. The southern part is mainly flysch, alternating layers of sandstone, limestone, and clay. The region gets higher rainfall than Gaillac and Fronton with moderate sun exposure.  

Popular grape varieties from the Jurancon wine region

The Jurancon wine region is mostly dominated by two grape varieties, Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng. Another grape variety used in the Jurancon wine appellation is Corbu. 

The sweet wines of Jurancon are the well known among wine enthusiasts than the dry wines of Jurancon. Sweet wines are amber-colored that have high sugar content. The wine has an intense aroma of exotic tropical fruits and citrus. 

Food to pair with Jurancon wine 

Gâteau Basque

Gâteau Basque is a classic French pastry that originated in the town of Cambo-Les-Bains, Lambourd. The pastry usually has two layers of shortcrust pastry with filling made with black cherry jam and vanilla-flavored pastry cream. Modern bakers use lemon zest, rum, and extracts from almonds for texture and flavor. Traditionally, the top of the pastry is decorated with a basque cross. The pastry cream version has a crosshatch pattern on the top. In the 18th century, the cake was made with bread called Bistochak. The cake gain its popularity and in the early 19th century the cake was produced commercially by Marianne Hirigoyen in Cambo. There is even a museum in Labourd exclusively committed to this cake, Le musée du Gâteau Basque. Gâteau Basque is the perfect companion to the sweet Jurancon wine.  

Canelé

Canelé is a small French pastry with a custard center and thick caramelized crust on the outside. The early version of the pastry, Canalet, was first made in Bordeaux in the 15th century in a priory. Traditionally, the Canelets were made by nuns and given to the poor. In the later 18th century, nuns left the priory, and the recipe was lost which was rediscovered in 1830 with some improvements. Canelé is a symbolic dish of Bordeaux and has been one of the specialties of the city. 

The Canelé is a versatile pastry that can be a great match with cocktails, tea, and especially the Jurancon wines. 

Crema Catalana

Crema Catalana is one of the most popular desserts in Spain which is locally known as Crema Cremada. The cake is made with milk, cornstarch, sugar, and egg yolks. The cake is baked and cooled then sprinkled with sugar. Finally, the top layer is burnt with a torch to create crisp burnt caramel. There are a lot of variations across Europe, sometimes the cake is flavored with cinnamon, lemon, or orange zest. 

Places to visit in the Jurancon wine region

Château de Pau

Château de Pau is an emblematic castle of the city of Pau, the capital of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The castle was built in the middle ages and has stood against the time. The King Henry IV of Navarre was born in the castle. The castle was also known to be used by Napolean on a holiday during his reign. The castle was recognized as a national heritage by the French ministry of culture in 1840 and now the castle has turned into a National museum. The estate covers 22 hectares of park and gardens with the castle in the center. 

Boulevard des Pyrénées

Boulevard des Pyrénées is an 1800 meters long boulevard in the town of Pau that offers the most beautiful panoramic view of the Pyrenean mountain range. The Pyrenees mountains are just 50km south. This long avenue was said to be built at the suggestion of Napolean linking the Parc du Beaumont to the Château de Pau and bordering the town center from the southern side. 

You can begin the journey from the Gates of Castle of Pau.

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Frequently asked questions about Jurancon