Forgotten Wine Grapes of France – Alpine Wines of Savoie (#Winophiles)   

Nothing excites me more than trying a wine made from a new to me grape.

Wine is currently produced in more than 70 countries around the world, each one has indigenous grapes – varieties native to a specific region where they have historically grown. Why did they survive? They are well adapted to their local environment and climate. And they express unique characteristics of the surrounding area, called terroir. Furthermore, people passionate about them thankfully rescued many of these forgotten wine grapes.

An example of old grapes saved is Clos Centeilles in Minervois in the Languedoc region. Patricia Boyer-Domergue rescued the varieties Riveyrenc gris, Riveyrenc noir, and Araignan blanc. As of 2018, each had barely one hectare planted (1). She blends them to make less than one thousand bottles!

When it comes to these grapes in France, although I live here, tracking them down is not always easy. Usually grown in tiny amounts and often sold only at the winery producing them, a trip to said winery might be inevitable. But that’s a bonus for wine lovers who enjoy exploring wine regions.

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This month, I am hosting the French #Winophiles in our exploration of the forgotten wine grapes of France. See my previous post to learn more about this topic and some grape varieties that were forgotten and almost went extinct. And don’t miss what others in the group found related to this topic. Their articles further down are sure to include great food pairings.

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Off to the French Alps!

I was thrilled to recently join a friend tasting three bottles of Savoie wines (Savoy in English speak). The only alpine wine region in France, and along the borders of Switzerland and Italy, most of the varieties grown there rarely grow elsewhere. Yes international varieties grow, yet growers and winemakers focus on the rare grapes: Jacquère, Altesse, Bergeron (aka Roussanne), Chasselas, and Gringet for the whites, and Mondeuse and Persan for the reds.

One challenge, however, just 5% of the wines are exported, so not easy to find. Yet, if you enjoy trying wines from rare and interesting regional grapes like I do, visiting the region is a must.

And when you do, know the area offers much more including outdoor activities like hiking, cycling and skiing, incredible mountain views, and one of the best fromage in France: Comté.

Two From Savoie

We opened three wines, yet I focus on the two reds here on the left.

Guillaume Quenard and Domaine du Coteau de Tormery – Guillaume is the third generation to make wine in Savoie. He branched out in 2020 creating his small brand with just under 3 hectares of vines, making four wines under his name, along with his family’s called A & M Quenard (his grandfather André and father Michel). Located around Chignan on the steep rocky slopes of the Coteau de Tormery (Tormery hillside), they farm just under 23 hectares in total. The estate farms both organically and per Haute Valeur Environnementale.

Guillaume Quenard, La Voie Royale Mondeuse Noire 2022

Planted in 1956, this .8 hectares of Mondeuse qualify as old vines! (Center bottle in above photo).

Mondeuse noire is known for being aromatic and red-fruited, with tangy cherry and often pepper and mint notes and flavors. It can have considerable tannins, which when the grapes don’t fully ripen, can be somewhat masked by its higher acidity. Yet Guillaume and family, having worked with the variety for 68-years, know how to make it into a lovely wine even in difficult years. My tasting partner and I smiled big after a taste, focusing on the fine, dusty tannins and unstoppable length. The suggested retail price (SRP) in the U.S. is $37. Find it here.

Jeremy Dupraz at Domaine Dupraz

Jeremy is the sixth-generation farming and making wine in Apremont, both a village and white wine cru in the Vin de Savoie appellation. I am happy to share they also have an organic operation farming Mondeuse noire, Altesse (also known as Roussette), and Jacquère. Having worked with that grape for quite some time, many consider them Jacquère experts!

Jacquère is known for its herbaceous quality (think fresh grass), along with green apples, pears, citrus, sometimes peach, and an extreme mountain freshness. The high acidity keeps it bright, although depending on winemaking, it can have a savory quality resulting from aging on lees.

My tasting partner and I were also delighted by Domaine Dupraz Phoenix – La Renaissance 2020 (bottle on left in above photo). This 100% Jacquère had less grass and more apple, pear and savoriness. We discussed how it could be a fantastic pairing with many seafood and vegetarian dishes. The SRP in the U.S.: $35. Find it here.

Now, my question for you after reading about Savoie, Mondeuse noire and Jacquère, have I piqued your interest in these rare grapes and the Savoie region? Bonus! Wink Lorch’s book Wines of the French Alps provides unparalleled information about both Savoie and the Bugey region, bar none. If you are not familiar with this down-to-earth lady, learn about her here and at Academie du Vin.

French Forgotten Grapes with the #Winophiles

I invite you to click away on the links below to discover other French forgotten grapes from the #Winophiles February group.

• Martin from Enofylz Wine Blog shares “Forgotten Grapes of France: Poulsard Shines in the 2022 Domaine Dugois ‘La Sombarde”
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm shares “A Sauvignon Gris from Bordeaux paired with a Chicken Stew from Zambia”
• Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles shares “Rosé d’Anjou with Groulleau and a budget-friendly variation on Crab Mac & Cheese!”
• Camilla from Culinary Cam shares “A Pair of Picpoul – From Two Continents – with a Simple Salmon Dinner”
• David from Cooking Chat shares “French Alpine Wines and Pairings to Go With Them”
• Gwendolyn from Wine Predator shares “Beat the Wintry Blues: Meet Sciaccarellu, Niellucciu, Carcaghjolu Neru, and Minustellu from Corsica!”
• Cathie from Side Hustle Wino shares “Channeling Warm Weather Through Forgotten Grapes of France”
• Linda from My Full Wine Glass shares “Jurancon Noir: A very berry grape from southwest France”
• Payal from Keep the Peas shares “Pineau d’Aunis and Ovalie Cendrée: An Exquisite Pair!”
• Terri from Our Good Life shares “Rediscovering the Gems: Exploring the Forgotten Grapes of French Wine”
• Jeff from Food Wine Click! shares “Forgotten Grapes of France: Fer Servadou from Aveyron”
• And here at Savor the Harvest I share “Forgotten Grapes of France – Alpine Wines of Savoie”