Red wines from the Jura

Jura red wines are among the most original in the French wine landscape. In this region of limestone plateaus between Burgundy and Switzerland, two indigenous grape varieties found almost nowhere else in the world produce wines with a truly incomparable personality: Trousseau and Poulsard. One is powerful and deep, the other so light and translucent that it almost looks like a deep rosé. Together, they embody the full singularity of the Jura vineyard.

The Jura is a confidential wine region, yet it produces some of the most atypical reds in France. These wines are made in limited quantities by small independent winemakers who cultivate and vinify their parcels with the same care as their ancestors. Authentic cuvées, often unavailable outside the region, that Avenue des Vins allows you to discover directly at the source.

On Avenue des Vins, our selection of Jura red wines is available through short supply chains, directly from the estates’ cellars. Each bottle is shipped by the winemaker himself, ensuring freshness, traceability and fair pricing.

Our Jura Red Wines to Discover

To help you choose quickly, here are the four profiles available direct from the producer on Avenue des Vins, with cellar prices:

These wines are produced in limited quantities and are very rarely available outside Jura. By buying direct on Avenue des Vins, you gain access to these confidential cuvées at prices set by the winemaker himself.

Which Jura Red Wine Should You Choose Depending on the Occasion?

Unlike Bordeaux or Burgundy reds, Jura reds offer far more digestible and original profiles  lighter, naturally fresher, with grape varieties that no other region can offer. Here is how to choose according to the occasion:

Tip: if you are discovering Jura for the first time, start with a Poulsard. Its lightness will help you understand Jura terroir before moving on to Trousseau, which is more demanding.

How to Choose Your Jura Red Wine

What Budget for a Jura Red Wine?

Why Are Jura Red Wines Still So Little Known?

Jura produces only a few million bottles per year, across all colors. That is less than a single large Bordeaux estate. Jura winemakers sell most of their production locally in Arbois, Poligny or Lons-le-Saunier  as well as to gastronomic restaurants, which have rediscovered these rare grape varieties over the past decade. The natural wine movement has also helped bring Jura onto the tables of the best restaurants in Paris.

But outside this circle of insiders, Trousseau and Poulsard remain almost unknown to the wider public. It is precisely this lack of awareness that creates the opportunity: you are buying wines of remarkable quality at still-reasonable prices, before speculation takes hold.

Grape Varieties of Jura Red Wines

Trousseau: Jura’s age-worthy red grape

Trousseau is Jura’s great red grape variety, grown mainly in the vineyards of Arbois on red marl soils. Powerful and ideal with characterful dishes meats in sauce, game, aged Comté it produces wines with intense aromas of dark fruit, licorice, pepper and undergrowth, with firm tannins and high natural acidity that give it excellent aging potential. The finest Trousseau wines of Jura can age for 10 to 15 years.

Poulsard (or Ploussard): the lightest red wine in France

Poulsard, also called Ploussard in certain communes, is one of the most atypical red grape varieties in France. Its color is so pale and translucent, somewhere between a deep rosé and a pale red, that it is sometimes mistaken for a rosé. But it is very much a red wine, vinified as such. Its lightness, freshness and red berry aromas make it a very accessible and highly digestible wine, ideal for aperitifs and informal meals. The Arbois-Pupillin appellation produces the finest expressions of this unique grape.

Pinot Noir: the accessible touch

Pinot Noir is also planted in Jura, particularly in the vineyards of Arbois and Côtes du Jura. It produces more classical wines, with recognizable cherry and red fruit aromas. These are often the easiest Jura reds for newcomers to approach.

Discover our Trousseau and Poulsard cuvées available direct from the producer on Avenue des Vins shipped from the winemaker’s cellar at estate prices.

The Main Appellations of Jura Red Wines

Arbois: the capital of Jura red wines

The Arbois AOC is Jura’s historic appellation, where Louis Pasteur carried out his fermentation studies in the 19th century. It is the best-known appellation for red wines, especially Trousseau and Poulsard. Arbois’s red and blue marl soils give the wines remarkable depth and complexity.

Pupillin: the village of Poulsard

Pupillin is a small village entirely devoted to viticulture, just a few kilometers from Arbois. Its communal mention within the Arbois AOC designates wines produced on its land. The Poulsards of Pupillin are the most structured and gastronomic, with an aromatic depth that Poulsards from flatter vineyards cannot achieve.

Côtes du Jura rouge

The Côtes du Jura appellation covers a broad area and produces reds in a lighter, more accessible style. It is often the ideal entry point for discovering Jura grape varieties at affordable prices.

Food Pairings: What to Eat with Jura Red Wines ?

Franche-Comté and Jura gastronomy

Jura red wines are natural companions to the cuisine of Franche-Comté. A light Poulsard pairs perfectly with Jura charcuterie: Morteau sausage, Montbéliard sausage, or Luxeuil ham. Trousseau pairs beautifully with cream-based Bresse chicken, coq au Trousseau, red meats in sauce and long-simmered dishes.

Cheese: the signature pairing

Jura is the region of great pressed cooked cheeses. A structured Trousseau with a 24-month Comté forms one of the most powerful and authentic pairings in French gastronomy. A fresh Poulsard with warm Mont d’Or is a winter pairing of disarming simplicity and total effectiveness. Each bottle is shipped directly from the winemaker’s cellar.

Why Choose Jura Red Wines on Avenue des Vins ?

Jura reds, especially Trousseau and Poulsard from top estates, are confidential wines produced in tiny quantities. By buying direct on Avenue des Vins, you gain access to these rare cuvées at estate prices, unavailable in mass retail.

• Trousseau and Poulsard from independent winemakers, unavailable outside Jura and gastronomic restaurants
• Unique indigenous grape varieties at prices that are still highly accessible
• Each bottle shipped from the Jura cellar of the winemaker, with guaranteed fresh vintage condition
• Full traceability: you know the winemaker, the estate and the vintage

Order now and discover Jura reds before these wines become much more sought-after in the coming years, Jura remains one of the last great quality vineyards where prices have not yet been overtaken by speculation.

Still Hesitating? The Quick Choice

FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Jura Red Wines

What are the grape varieties of Jura red wines ?

The main grape varieties are Trousseau, powerful and age-worthy, Poulsard, light and translucent, and Pinot Noir, more classical and accessible. Trousseau and Poulsard are indigenous varieties found almost nowhere else in the world.

What is the difference between Trousseau and Poulsard ?

Poulsard is very light and translucent, with fresh red berry aromas a red that almost looks like a rosé, fresh and digestible. Trousseau is clearly more powerful, darker and longer-lived, with aromas of dark fruit, spices and a serious tannic structure. Two completely different temperaments.

Can Jura red wines age ?

Poulsard is best enjoyed young, within 2 to 5 years. Trousseau especially from the great terroirs of Arbois can age for 10 to 15 years, developing remarkable aromatic complexity.

What is Poulsard or Ploussard ?

It is the same grape variety: Poulsard is the official name, while Ploussard is the local spelling used in certain communes such as Pupillin. Its very pale, almost translucent color immediately distinguishes it from all other red wines. A unique grape variety found almost only in Jura.

What is the best pairing with Comté ?

A structured Arbois Trousseau is the signature match for a 24-month-aged Comté: the power of the wine answers the richness of the aged cheese, while the notes of dark fruit and spice harmonize with the nutty and caramelized aromas of the Comté. It is one of the emblematic pairings of Franche-Comté gastronomy.

Why are Jura reds more digestible than other reds ?

The naturally high acidity of Jura grape varieties — linked to limestone terroir and continental climate — gives wines that are fresher and easier to drink than many Bordeaux or Languedoc reds. Poulsard in particular is one of the lightest and easiest-drinking red wines in France, without ever lacking personality.

Why buy Jura red wines on Avenue des Vins ?

Avenue des Vins offers Jura reds direct from the producer. These Trousseau and Poulsard cuvées from top estates are practically impossible to find outside the region. The bottles are shipped directly from the winemaker’s cellar, guaranteeing freshness, traceability and fair pricing.