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Wines of the French Alps Savoie, Bugey & Beyond

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Wines of the French Alps Savoie, Bugey & Beyond 3/5/2020 Wines of the French Alps Savoie, Bugey & beyond By Wink Lorch Wines of the French Alps Savoie, Bugey, Isère and beyond The foothills of the southern Jura and the Prealps Limestone and very diverse soils Continental climate with mountain influence Diversity of grape varieties Wines of freshness and lightness Altesse Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch 1 3/5/2020 Savoie: Ancient & Modern History Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch Savoie: the Savoie AOC 2,130 hectares (5,200 acres) which equates to: wine region 0.3% of France’s total vineyards in numbers Less than half of total Chablis area Equivalent to the Pinot Noir grown in Santa Barbara County Production: 17 million bottles per year 68% white; 21% red; 5% rosé; 6% Crémant and other traditional method sparkling Exports 5 –7% Savoie: 45 degrees latitude Situation 250‐500m (820‐1640 feet) altitude Continental climate with westerly Atlantic and climate influence driving rain and winds Proximity of high mountains bringing complicated weather patterns Frost and hail risk Day/night temperature variations increasing with altitude Steep slopes with varied exposures 2 3/5/2020 The Geology and soils Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch The Mont Granier Landslide Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch Steep Slope Viticulture: Organic Challenges Erosion Manual work Weed control Fungal disease Training sur échalas –on a single stake Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch 3 3/5/2020 Savoie: White grape varieties % of total plantings Jacquère 42% Altesse 15% Roussanne 5% Chardonnay 4% Chasselas 3% Gringet 1% Jacquère Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch Savoie Red grape varieties % of total plantings •Gamay 13% •Mondeuse 11% •Pinot Noir 4% •Persan 1% Mondeuse Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch AOC Savoie/Vin de Savoie white, red or rosé + 16 crus or geographic designated areas + Rosé méthode traditionnelle Crémant de Savoie – white only (minimum 60% Jacquère and Altesse Savoie: with minimum 40% Jacquère) The AOCs AOC Roussette de Savoie (100% Altesse) and IGPs + 4 crus: Frangy, Marestel, Monthoux and Monterminod AOC Seyssel white (Altesse or Molette) sparkling (Molette and Altesse) IGP Vin des Allobroges white, red or rosé 4 3/5/2020 Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch Ripaille, Marin, Marignan, Crépy white: Chasselas Ayze – sparkling or white: Gringet Chautagne, Jongieux white: Jacquère red/rosé: Mondeuse, Pinot or Gamay Apremont, Abymes, Montmélian, Savoie AOC Saint‐Jeoire‐Prieuré, Cruet Crus white: Jacquère Chignin white: Jacquère red/rosé: Mondeuse, Pinot or Gamay Chignin‐Bergeron white: Roussanne Arbin, Saint‐Jean de la Porte red: Mondeuse AOC Bugey white, red and rosé still wines; white and rosé sparkling + 3 crus: Cerdon – Gamay/Poulsard méthode ancestrale Manicle –Pinot Noir/Chardonnay Montagnieu – méthode traditionnelle Bugey: AOC Roussette du Bugey Fast facts (100% Altesse) + 2 crus: Montagnieu, Virieu Production: 465 hectares (Cerdon 177ha) 3.5 million bottles/annum Principal grape varieties: Gamay (43% mostly for Cerdon), Chardonnay (33%), Pinot Noir (6%), Altesse (6%), Mondeuse (3.5%), Poulsard (3%) 5 3/5/2020 Why the French Alps are home to The French Alps are a geographic crossroads in the centre of western so many Europe and between ‘the north’ and the Mediterranean indigenous Close links with today’s Italy, Switzerland and beyond and rare The success of Savoie’s vine nurseries grapes IGP areas (Isère and Hautes‐Alpes): fewer constraints than AOC areas A variety of macro‐climates and soils? Advantages of Indigenous Grapes Preserve plant biodiversity Create a bigger and more varied offering A weapon against climate change: Many ripen late Produce naturally low sugars/alcohol Produce naturally high acidity Thanks to the Centre d’Ampélographie Alpine Pierre Galet, working with the IVV, INRA and other organisations, many Alpine varieties are being rescued, rehabilitated and replanted. Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch Savoie: White grape varieties % of total plantings Jacquère 42% Altesse 15% Roussanne 5% Chardonnay 4% Chasselas 3% Gringet 1% Jacquère Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch 6 3/5/2020 The French Alps: Other indigenous/rare white grapes Molette (Savoie/Ain) Mondeuse Blanche (Savoie) Verdesse (Isère) Clairette (Diois/Hautes‐Alpes) VERY RARE (all Savoie/Isère): Bia Blanc Blanc de Maurienne aka Rèze Petite Sainte Marie Mondeuse Cacaboué…. Blanche Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch Savoie Red grape varieties % of total plantings •Gamay 13% •Mondeuse 11% •Pinot Noir 4% •Persan 1% Mondeuse Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch The French Alps: Other indigenous/rare red grapes Etraire de la Dhuy (Isère) Douce Noire/Corbeau (Savoie) Mollard (Hautes‐Alpes) VERY RARE: Mondeuse Grise (Savoie) Espanenc (Hautes‐Alpes) Mecle de Bourgoin (Isère) Onchette (Isère) Seréneze de Voreppe, Salagnin Mondeuse (Robin Noir), Servanin…. Grise Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch 7 3/5/2020 Domaine des Ardoisières IGP Vin des Allobroges Photography: Mick Rock – www.cephas.com Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch www.winetravelmedia.com/shop WSG Members 20% Discount Code (valid through 31st March): WSG200320 Wines of the French Alps by Wink Lorch 8.
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