La Percée du Vin Jaune cancelled for 2025

Published: January 28, 2025 by Gill Harris 579

La Percée du Vin Jaune wine festival is one of the highlights of the year in the Jura region of France, attracting thousands of enthusiasts each February.

But it will not go ahead in 2025, following extensive deliberations by the Ambassadeurs des Vins Jaunes. The festival, which celebrated its 26th edition in 2024, has grown significantly in popularity, attracting approximately 33,000 visitors in its most recent iteration and organisers said they needed to press the pause button in order to restructure the event.

In a statement on the festival website, they said: !This pause does not mean a farewell to our precious tradition. On the contrary, it offers us the opportunity to reflect, plan and prepare future editions of the Percée du Vin Jaune, with the aim of making them even more memorable and sustainable.”

François Duboz, the president of the Ambassadeurs des Vins Jaunes, said: “In agreement with the parties concerned, we have concluded that it is preferable not to hold the 2025 edition. Despite its cultural importance and popularity, a variety of factors, including logistical constraints and the challenges of hosting large-scale events, led us to make this decision.”

It seems the festival has become a victim of its own success, with increasing attendance presenting challenges in logistics, not least in finding enough volunteers.

In the meantime, a ‘mini-foire aux vins’ is being organised to allow local winemakers to showcase and celebrate Vin Jaune, which is made from the Savagnin grape, using a unique ageing process in which it remains for six years and three months in oak barrels, protected from the air by a veil of yeast which forms on the surface. It is bottled in a unique bottle known as a clavelin and can be enjoyed young or old.

The next official Percée du Vin Jaune is scheduled for 2026 in Lons-le-Saunier. A key part of the festival is the Piercing Ceremony, in which a priest blesses a barrel of Vin Jaune before it is ceremoniously opened and the tasting begins. This is followed by music, celebrations and cellar tours.

“We look forward to seeing you in 2026, for an unforgettable edition!” say the organisers.