If you're a fan of crisp, fresh white wines, light spicy reds, and super-clean Rosé (especially during the hot weeks of late summer), wines from the Savoie will be your new favorites!
Tucked away in eastern France, nestled on the Swiss and Italian borders, the Savoie (pronounced sav-wah) is best known as one of Europe's favorite winter sports playgrounds. Wines produced in this Alpine region rarely make it out of the area and historically were consumed mainly by the local population and the hordes of thirsty tourists annually drawn to the ski slopes. Local winemakers would joke that any wine that made it past Lyon was considered an export!
Until recently, the region was best known in France for exporting vines, not wine -- twenty to thirty million plants are grown annually by nurseries in the Savoie. Over the last twenty years, wine importing pioneers like Kermit Lynch and Charles Neal successfully introduced wines from the Savoie to fans of crisp, clean whites and light and spicy reds. These wines were primarily available in small quantities and usually only found in major metropolitan areas.
I'm happy to report that Kate Stamps, owner of Asheville's Rise over Run Imports an
d former AWM Staff Member, tops that list of wine importing pioneers. Over the last four years, Kate has provided Asheville with a superb collection of new wines imported directly from the Savoie. Her selections are gorgeous examples of small production, hand-crafted wines, and I believe they are the finest examples from the Savoie I've encountered during my career.
Last week, I had the opportunity to taste the exciting new arrivals from the Rise over Run Savoie portfolio. Once again, it was love at first sip, and I feel this new vintage is the best I've tasted! These wines perfectly represent everything that excites me about the Savoie; they are wines with a crisp, super fresh balance of minerals and fruit that happen to be a bargain for the incredible quality. These hand-picked selections are the heart of Kate's portfolio and the fruit of her trips to the Savoie. I'm thrilled to add these new vintages to our ever-growing Rise over Run Savoie section, and you can look forward to more new additions in the coming weeks.
Domaine Willy Blanc Le Cellier des Chênes Savoie, France
Apremont is a tiny dot of a wine region in the French Alps just south of Chambéry in the Savoie. The stoney slopes and hillsides here feature classic Alpine marl and clay-limestone soils, ideal for viticulture.
Despite the steep slopes and higher altitudes of the region, the climate here is remarkably suitable for vineyards. Southeastern exposure and the moderating influence of the Savoie's lakes and rivers combine to temper the region's microclimate, allowing grapes to ripen for both white and red wines. Jacquère is the star of the Savoie for white wine, while Gamay and Pinot Noir flourish in the cool Alpine climate producing light, fresh reds.
The wines from Domaine Blanc are about as close as you can get to buying your wine directly from the producer! Kate sources these gems directly from Willy Blanc, a winegrower and owner of the best wine shop in the Savoie. We're talking the epitome of Local-Global -- a local Asheville importer (Kate), sources wine from a small independent producer in France (Domaine Willy Blanc) and sells wine to a local independent wine shop (AWM). This is how we like to do business!
La Cave du Prieuré Jongieux, Savoie, France
The Barlet Family has cultivated the limestone scree-filled slopes of Jongieux for five generations. Brothers Pascal, Noël, and Julien now manage the estate under their father's oversight, vigneron emeritus, Raymond. Over time, the family has acquired 27 hectares across the crus villages of Jongieux and Marestel. The villages are located in an isolated, hanging valley north of Chambéry, separated from Lac du Bourget (the largest natural lake in France) by Mont Charvaz, an extension of the famous "Dent du Chat."
Gamay and Jacquère are the two most important native grapes here and are grown at altitudes upwards of 400 meters. The grapes ripen beautifully here thanks to the steep, south-south-eastern exposure of the vineyards and the protection from the cold Alpine air provided by Mont Charvaz.
The estate just received the new certification in France designated for all-around clean environmental practices that encourage biodiversity. Despite the estate's relatively large holdings, all vineyard work is done by hand. You'll find the same care and attention to detail in the winery with fermentations done in large, neutral vessels using ambient, natural yeasts.
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