As we covered a few weeks back, the wines in Vinebox are generally sourced from smaller producers, but tend to be excellent if the reviews online are to be believed.  The small bottles have been chilling beautifully in my wine fridge for a few weeks while I’ve been traveling, and working through some of the underlying issues mentioned in my hiatus.  While I’ve never had a wine from Jura (I’m more familiar with the scotch, which is delicious), I was excited based on the description.  At 90% Chardonnay, and 10% Savagnin (an ancient varietal also known as Traminer, and progenitor to Sauvignon Blanc, Grüner Veltliner, and others)  , how does Domaine Baud L’Étoile serve as an introduction for Vinebox’s wares?

Sight:  A beautiful gold throughout, leaning deeper into the gold spectrum.

Smell:  Huge pops of pears, with drops of geraniums and honeysuckle, hang over the top of touches of nuttiness and minerals.  The pear is wonderfully poached, and gently spiced.

Sip:  There’s a brightness to the full body that leads things off, and it erupts into a combination of fresh pears and poached pears.  There’s a great amount of other flavors that add complexity, with pops of preserved lemons, spices for poaching, and minerals.  Other touches of orange and floral elements add an additional level of depth.

Savor:  The ending is beautifully long, heading into a mix of toasted almonds and freshly sliced pear.  At it progresses, it leans more into a caramelized nut and pear flavor.

Despite many of the descriptions, it’s incredibly dry wine, but the flavors are amazingly well defined.  Due to the strong association with pear, it ends up being dramatically like a dry pear cider, with huge notes of floral and nuts.  Fans of Chardonnay, especially old world Chardonnay are going to be impressed by Domaine Baud L’Étoile.

Verdict:  Fresh Pear, Poached Pears, Spices, Nuttiness, Floral
Rating: 92
Price: Part of Vinebox – Our Review
Jura, France