In short: Jura whites come from two grapes, Chardonnay and Savagnin, on their own or blended. They fall into two families: the “floral” ones, aged in topped-up barrels, fresh and mineral, and the “tradition” ones, aged without topping up under a veil of yeast, with walnut and almond aromas. For a classic raclette, go floral; for a raclette with a very aged cheese or Morbier, dare a tradition. As for vintages, 2022 and 2023 score well, and 2024 is scarce.

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Why Jura whites go with raclette

The Jura is cheese country as much as wine country, and you can taste it in the glass. The specifications of the Côtes du Jura AOC describe its main output as a dry white, most often a blend of Chardonnay and Savagnin, with mineral, “gunflint” and fruit notes, “with lots of freshness”. Sugar is capped at 3 grams per liter: these are truly dry wines.

That freshness cleans up the fat of melted cheese, which is exactly what you want from a raclette wine. “Tradition” whites have another card to play: the regional wine body credits them with hazelnut, almond and even “Comté” aromas, and advises keeping some “for the cheese”. In our opinion, it’s the dream pairing for a raclette with Morbier, the Franche-Comté neighbor, or with a well-aged Raclette du Valais AOP. With a smoked raclette, the tradition style goes the distance.

Floral or tradition: the two families of Jura whites

Floral whites (topped up)

To avoid any contact with air, the winemaker “tops up” the barrels (ouillage), refilling them as the wine evaporates. According to the Vins du Jura guide, these whites, mostly from Chardonnay, are “fine, elegant and mineral”, with hawthorn, acacia, linden, white-fleshed fruit and flint. Topped-up Savagnin shows lemon and white flowers. It’s the safest choice for a raclette: fresh, clean, and it won’t throw anyone off.

Tradition whites (under veil)

Here, no topping up: an air gap forms in the barrel and a veil of yeast develops on the surface of the wine. Savagnin, often blended with Chardonnay, develops aromas of fresh walnut, almond, hazelnut, mushrooms and even curry, according to the regional wine body. Jura Tourisme describes a white “with a powerful character, typical of the Jura terroir”. On the label, look for words like “tradition” or “sous voile” (under veil), or ask your wine shop: a tradition served blind to guests expecting a fruity white is pure must-see TV.

The appellations and the case of vin jaune

The Jura’s four geographical AOCs (Arbois, Côtes du Jura, L’Étoile and Château-Chalon) all offer whites, with Château-Chalon producing only vin jaune. Vin jaune is the ultimate expression of the under-veil style: made from Savagnin, it’s aged in barrels without topping up until December 15 of the sixth year after harvest, including at least 60 months under veil, then bottled in a 62-centiliter clavelin. It’s a magnificent wine, but for raclette, a tradition white has the same effect for much less money.

The best Jura white vintages

The scores from 2018 to 2023 come from iDealwine (Jura whites, out of 20); 2024 and 2025 from the press. The “Drink” column is our advice for a raclette: floral whites are best drunk fairly young, while tradition whites handle waiting better.

VintageQuality / styleDrink
2025Back to a normal harvest: about 50 hectoliters per hectare, three times 2024 (Réussir Vigne, citing the regional wine body). No reliable tasting report yet, so no opinion from us.The first floral whites, to taste on release
2024Frost, rain and mildew: 60 to 70% losses expected; the director of the regional wine body estimated the harvest at 25,000 to 30,000 hectoliters, compared with about 80,000 in a normal year. The wine body announced that quality was “there”, but volumes were far too low.If you can find any
2023Whites 17-18/20: whites “of very fine craftsmanship” and Savagnins of very high quality.Now (floral); tradition whites can wait
2022Whites 17/20: “sunny and balanced” whites that should age well despite sometimes average acidity.Now
2021Whites 15/20. A very difficult year, Chardonnay hit hard, Savagnin more resistant; fresh wines with typicity.Now
2020Whites 17/20. Savagnin kept good acidity.Now
2019Whites 17/20. Frost and June heat; Savagnins a notch above Chardonnays.Now (tradition whites rather)
2018Whites 16/20. Some wines diluted and low in acidity; topped-up Savagnin keeps more natural acidity than Chardonnay.Drink soon

How to serve Jura whites

  • Temperature: 10 to 13 °C for a floral white and 12 to 15 °C for a tradition, according to the Vins du Jura guide. So a tradition is served a little less cold: too chilled, it loses its walnut aromas.
  • Glass: a medium-sized white wine glass. For a tradition, a slightly wider glass helps it open up.
  • Decanter: not needed for a floral white. A tradition can be opened a little ahead of time.
  • Quantity: our benchmark is half a bottle per wine-drinking adult over the evening. If you’re serving both styles, start with the floral and keep the tradition for the end of the meal, with the most aged cheese.
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Other wines for raclette

Back to the complete guide to wines for raclette, or to the raclette pantry. For a lighter mountain white, see Apremont; for another full-bodied white, Roussette de Savoie or Alsace Pinot Gris. And to open the evening with bubbles, see our Crémant page.

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Frequently asked questions

Which grapes are used for Jura white wines?

Chardonnay and Savagnin, the main white grapes in the Côtes du Jura specifications. They’re made into wine on their own or blended.

What does “ouillé” (topped up) mean for a Jura wine?

The winemaker refills the barrel as the wine evaporates, to avoid contact with air. The result is a “floral” white, fresh and mineral. Without topping up, a veil of yeast forms and gives a “tradition” white, with walnut notes.

Which Jura white should you choose for a raclette?

In our opinion, a floral (topped-up Chardonnay) for a classic raclette, because it’s fresh and easy. A tradition under veil is superb with a very aged cheese like Morbier.

Can you serve vin jaune with raclette?

You can, but it’s a rare wine, aged more than six years in barrel. A tradition white, from the same aromatic family, makes a comparable pairing for much less money.

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