The most interesting part of our visit to Domaine André et Mireille Tissot was getting to see the grapes drying for the vin de paille, or literally "straw wine."  Vin de Paille, or some form of it is made in many European countries, the most well-known is probably Italy's Amarone. In the Arbois appellation, both red and white grapes are used to make the wine. The grapes are harvested and then laid in shallow wooden crates lined with straw. These crates are then placed in the attic of the winery and left for several months. Along with leaving the windows open, most wineries have powerful fans installed to keep the air circulating in order prevent the grapes from molding. The grapes normally spend about three months drying, sometimes more depending on the producer. At the end they look more like raisins than grapes, they are then pressed and fermented into a delicously concentrated dessert wine! This wine appellation is so interesting, in such a small area they produce white, red and rosé, plus dessert wine, fortified wine, and even spirits made by distilling the grape skins and then aging the resulting elixir in oak barrels for several years, much like a cognac or armagnac. But wait! I've saved the best and most interesting for last: Vin Jaune.   Vin Jaune translates literally to "yellow wine" and it is truly yellow. It is a special appellation all to itself and is made only from the savignin grape. The grapes are harvested, pressed and then put into 228 liter barrels and left to age for a minimum of 6 years and 3 months! During this time the wines are not touched! While the wine sleeps, a very magical thing takes place, a yeast called a voile, or veil, develops on the surface of the wine which imparts a unique nutty flavor and protects the wine from oxidizing, much the same as a Spanish sherry. The wine slowly evaporates over the 6 years and is never topped up, which is usually what needs to be done to keep a normal wine from oxidizing or turning to vinegar in barrel, but the special "voile" keeps that from happening. Every February in Arbois there is a festival to celebrate "La Percée du Vin Jaune" which is when they pierce through the voile and taste the vin jaune for the first time. This festival is now on my list of things to do, maybe even this year! (Note: I copied this photo from a blog called www.wineterroirs.com by French photographer Bertrand Calce, it's very interesting, check it out!)