L'Etoile is an appellation of the Jura region of eastern France. Its geographical coverage includes the villages of Plainoiseau, Quintigny, Saint-Didier and L'Etoile itself.
L'Etoile wine is produced in very small quantities from 185 acres (75ha) of vineyards around the village of the same name; as a result, it is rarely seen outside France. The name means 'The Star' in French and is reputed to be a reference to the star-shaped fossils which make up a visibly high proportion of the local limestone-rich soils. Coincidentally, the five hills which surround the village also bear a resemblance to the five points of a star, suggesting another possible origin for the name. In wine terms, both of these stories are of interest; the first hints at the fresh minerality of the white wines produced in L'Etoile, while the second indicates the hilly topography and protected mesoclimate that the area enjoys. These two elements – and the fact that Chardonnay is the grape variety of choice here – imply obvious parallels between L'Etoile and Chablis, 110 miles (177km) to the north-west.
Savagnin is the other white grape that is permitted under the L'Etoile appellation and is used to produce the quintessentially 'Jurassien' Vin Jaune. It is also blended with Chardonnay to make sweet vin de paille. Light-skinned Poulsard, Jura's key red grape variety, is also used in varying degrees in the vin de paille to add complexity and color. Red wines are not produced under the appellation.
