730. Bénédicte & Stéphane Tissot, Vin de Paille Arbois Jura, 2008

€36 / 37.5cl; 14%

Picked up whilst in the Alps, this is a bit of an oddity – not because it’s a vin de paille, with straw-dried grapes as base, but because the Tissots have traditionally not been allowed to sell an AOC of this, I think. Anyway, this is very interesting, and very, very nice. Mainly Savagnin or Traminer, made in the oxidative Jura style. Mid-amber, with copper glints, and a broad, watery rim. Intense, slightly oxidative notes on the nose – raisin, yoghurt hints, dried peel, more raising, some nuts… and then a distinct character emerges: chilli spice notes, with rancio and rôti character. Full-bodied, medium+ acidity, balancing the full sweetness, leading to a long, off-dry finish – albeit with some alcohol. Cooked mandarin, orange peel, marmalade and roast peach. Lovely and a very good match for duck liver pate with beetroot and orange jelly!