Domaine des Carlines Poulsard 2024

Domaine des Carlines is a young estate in Ménétru-le-Vignoble in the Jura, in eastern France. Poulsard is a thin-skinned, pale local grape that yields wines of very light colour and gentle structure, and this bottling shows the variety in its purest form. The Jura sits at altitude on marl and limestone soils, with a cool continental climate that gives a long, slow growing season and keeps alcohol low, here just eleven per cent. Because the skins are pale and the tannins soft, the wine is vinified for freshness rather than extraction. It is fermented and held in stainless steel for three months, which preserves the primary aromas and the bright, crunchy fruit without any oak influence. The colour is a translucent pale ruby, almost rosé in depth. The nose shows fresh red berries, cherry and red currant with a floral, rose-petal lift and a touch of earth. The palate is light bodied with high, refreshing acidity, barely-there tannins and a clean, savoury finish. This is a red to serve lightly chilled, at 13 to 14 degrees. It suits lighter dishes such as charcuterie, poultry and salads.