Le Jaja de Jau Sauvignon Blanc

We’ve focused a lot of our sauvignon blanc reviews on Chile and also had a few from California and New Zealand.  But we shouldn’t forget about France, and so today we’re checking out a French sauvignon blanc.

This wine is called Le Jaja de Jau and is produced by Château de Jau in southern France.  “Jaja” is a colloquialism used in that region to describe everyday wines.  I don’t know much French, let alone their colloquialisms, so I’m not personally familiar with the term.  Nonetheless, the full name translates to mean “the everyday wine from Jau.”

You may notice that on the label it also says, “Ben.”  This is because Le Jaja de Jau was established as an association of the artist, Benjamin Vauthier, who designed the label, and the winemaker Estelle Dauré.

This is a more subtle and less tropical sauvignon blanc, than many others we’ve tasted recently, with a fairly strong mineral characteristic on the nose.  There is a slight cut grass aroma and some citrus too, but it’s very soft.  The palate has good acidity and flavors of lime, grapefruit and granny smith apple.  The finish combines a sea salt mineral note with citrus acidity.  It’s a very crisp sauvignon blanc with muted flavors making it a good, neutral wine for delicately flavored foods, like light fish.

Wine: Le Jaja de Jau
Variety: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2009
Alcohol: 11.5%
Rating: 84
Price: $10.49

Find Le Jaja de Jau Sauvignon Blanc with Snooth

Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.