Savoie and Bugey

Savoie and Bugey

Curtet - Tonnerre de Grès XXII – Sku: 391822 – 35
Curtet Marie et Florian
French wine
€25.90
Bio
Ardoisières - Argile Rouge 2022 – Sku: 380222 – 72
Domaine des Ardoisières
2022
IGP Vin des Allobroges
€26.90
CLUB AVANTAGE
Dupasquier - Roussette de Savoie Marestel 2014 – Sku: 3776 – 6
Dupasquier
2014
Roussette-de-Savoie PDO
€27.90
Jean Masson & Fils - Apremont Coeur d'Apremont 2020 – Sku: 372420 – 6
Jean Masson & Son
2020
Apremont PDO
€28.00
CLUB AVANTAGE
94/100 RVF
Dupasquier - Roussette de Savoie Marestel 2013 – Sku: 3767 – 3
Dupasquier
2013
Roussette-de-Savoie PDO
€29.90
95/100 RVF
Les Fils de Charles Trosset - Mondeuse Confidentiel 2020 – Sku: 390820 – 22
Les Fils de Charles Trosset
2020
Savoy PDO wine
€29.90
Bio
Clément Bärtschi - Bugey Manicle Blanc Le Clos 2021 – Sku: 391421 – 10
Clément Bärtschi
2021
Bugey AOP
€31.00
92/100 RVF
Bio
Dominique Belluard - Les Perles du Mont Blanc – Sku: 3737 – 6
Belluard
Savoy PDO wine
€31.90
CLUB AVANTAGE
Dupasquier - Roussette de Savoie Marestel 2011 – Sku: 3795 – 6
Dupasquier
2011
Roussette-de-Savoie PDO
€33.90
Bio
Gilles Berlioz - Chignin Bergeron Le Jaja 2022 – Sku: 387422 – 24
Gilles Berlioz
2022
Savoy wine Chignin PDO
€34.90
Bio
Gilles Berlioz - Chignin Bergeron Les Fripons 2022 – Sku: 386922 – 30
Gilles Berlioz
2022
Savoy wine Chignin-Bergeron PDO
€39.90
Bio
Gilles Berlioz - Chignin Bergeron Les Fripons 2021 – Sku: 386921 – 1
Gilles Berlioz
2021
Savoy wine Chignin-Bergeron PDO
€41.90
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Savoie and Bugey, two vineyards to discover

These are two vineyards in eastern France that are gradually emerging from anonymity thanks to white wines that are constantly improving and surprising. If the vineyards of Savoie have been gaining in popularity for several years, in particular thanks to their finest Mondeuse and Chignon-Bergeron, those of Bugey are still relatively confidential. Geographically close, but also by some of their soils, these two vineyards are often brought under the same banner. We suggest you discover them.

General presentation of the Savoie-Bugey vineyards

Vineyards of Savoie

At the foot of the French Alps, the Savoie vineyard covers some 2,200 hectares spread over Savoie and Haute-Savoie, as well as Ain and Isère. It is made up of a multitude of islands, mainly concentrated in Savoie. The vineyard extends from Thonon-les-Bains on the shores of Lake Geneva to the Isère and the region south of Chambéry. The Savoie vineyard follows the Rhône, makes an incursion into the Ain, passes through the Lac du Bourget to reach the Isère and the Arc. It also makes a few detours into Haute-Savoie to blossom in the Arve Valley.

The vineyards of Savoie produce mainly white wines. However, there are also red Savoy wines, rosés and sparkling wines. Five white grape varieties make the identity of local wines: jacquère, roussette (also called altesse), chasselas, gringet and bergeron (or roussanne). In reds, the leading grape varieties are Mondeuse, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Persian. Mondeuse, malvoisie and molette are sought-after and appreciated Savoyard grape varieties.

Bugey vineyard

This vineyard is located in a small region of the Ain in the heart of a triangle formed by the cities of Lyon, Bourg-en-Bresse and Chambéry: the Bugey. Like the vineyards of Savoie, it is also quite scattered. Its 900 hectares are grouped in clusters around the three main areas of the region: Belley in the south, Cerdon in the north and Montagnieu in the centre.

Bugey is situated between the vineyards of the Jura and Savoie, a proximity that is reflected in some of its grape varieties: the Poulsard from the Jura and the Altesse (Roussette) from Savoie. Chardonnay, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Mondeuse are grown alongside them. Red and white wines make up most of the production, to which must be added sparkling wines, including Cerdon sparkling wine.

The appellations

The Savoie-Bugey vineyards have several appellations d'origine contrôlée to which a geographical name may be added.

Wines of Savoie

The Savoyard AOCs concern mainly white wines:

  • AOC Vin de Savoie: it represents more than 80% of the total production. It is produced from one end of the vineyard to the other, from Lake Geneva in the north to the banks of the Isère in the south.
  • AOC Roussette de Savoie: these AOC wines are produced from the region's flagship grape variety, altesse, also known as roussette. It is towards the Bourget that this AOC is mainly produced, in Monthoux and Marestel. Further north, around Frangy, we also find this AOC.
  • AOC Seyssel: this appellation is shared with the Bugey vineyard. It extends indeed on the two banks of the Rhône, on the communes of Seyssel and Corbonod. It uses the Altesse and Molette grape varieties.
  • AOC Crémant de Savoie: it is produced on all the vineyard (except Seyssel and Ayze).
  • The Savoie vineyard also has 20 geographical denominations which "enrich" the AOC Savoie:
  • In Haute-Savoie: Ayse, Crépy, Marignan, Ripaille, Marin, Frangy, Seyssel
  • In Savoie: Chautagne, Marestel, Jongieux, Monthoux, Monterminod, Saint-Jeoire-du-Prieuré, Apremont, les Abîmes, Chignin, Chignin Bergeron, Montmélian, Arbin, Cruet, Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte

Wines of Bugey

The Bugey vineyards are the source of 3 AOCs and 5 geographical denominations:

  • AOC Bugey, which includes the appellations AOC Bugey Cerdon (sparkling rosé), AOC Bugey Manicle (pinot noir and chardonnay) and AOC Bugey Montagnieu (mondeuse noire for red wine; altesse, chardonnay and mondeuse for sparkling wine). These wines are very diverse: sparkling, red, white and rosé.
  • AOC Roussette du Bugey, an appellation with 2 denominations, namely Roussette de Bugey Montagnieu AOC (altesse) and Roussette de Bugey Virieu-le-Grand AOC (altesse).
  • AOC Seyssel, an appellation shared with the Savoy vineyards.

Le vignoble

André and Michel Quénard

Guillaume Quénard is now the leader of the estate. He is beginning to make his mark with more straightforward, fine wines of superb balance.

Belluard

The Domaine Belluard now covers some twenty hectares at an altitude of 450 metres and is cultivated on very steep slopes. The soils are very varied and bring all the richness to these biodynamically cultivated wines (since 2001), red ferruginous clays alongside limestone scree, glacial sediments...

Domaine des Ardoisières

Brice Omont and his rare and great Coteaux de Cevins...

Dupasquier

"Located near Jongieux in the picturesque village of Aimavigne, at the foot of the vertiginous Marestel hillside, the Dupasquier family has been cultivating their vines for five generations with good reason (grassing down, no synthetic products). (...) The Roussette Marestel is the great wine of the estate, capable of improving over 30 to 40 years of ageing in good vintages with an astonishing diversity of flavours, without losing its freshness. With a little rebalancing, the estate could quickly climb up our hierarchy..."

Giachino

The vineyard of the brothers David and Frédéric, the Giac brothers as they are known, is made up of about ten hectares overlooking the Isère valley.

Gilles Berlioz

The Chignin Bergeron artist...

Jean Masson & Son

Les Fils de Charles Trosset

The Mondeuse de garde par excellence...

Olivier Bardet

En 2007, Olivier Bardet a entrepris son parcours viticole en reprenant une exploitation de 2,5 hectares. Aujourd'hui, il dirige un vignoble de 5 hectares, situé autour du village de Mérignat, dédié exclusivement à une production : le Cerdon méthode ancestrale.

Raphaël Bartucci

A must of the appellation with a natural Cerdon, greedy and complex at the same time. Ideal with a red fruit crumble.

Renardat Fache

A great reference in Cerdon du Bugey.

Curtet Marie & Florian

Clément Bärtschi