Poulsard

This is a varietal made from Poulsard, a red wine grape from the Jura, where it is often labelled Ploussard (an authorized synonym there). I remember tasting it in a blend from the Jura at the Wine Fair a few years ago, but recently I tasted the above varietal. A native of the Jura since the 15th century, viticultural difficulties as well as changing trends have caused the grape to decline in popularity, though it is still the second most widely planted grape there.

Although technically a noir grape, Poulsard has low levels of colour pigment in their thin skins, so the resultant wine is more deep pink than red. The grape is also used for white and rose wine production. The grape has distinctive floral aromas, and so is often used in blends. As for this wine, it was a deep pink with a tuna leathery nose.  The palate was acid with some notes of red fruits, and the acid continued to the finish providing ample structure.