Vine Path Blog 2/20: A Fresh Take on Savoie
Beatrice and Louis Magnin
Perhaps the most exciting yet to be discovered (if one can claim such a thing) and woefully underappreciated wine regions of France is the Savoie. The Alpine influence is pronounced and the wines, many of which are made from grapes unique to the area, speak with their own distinctive voice. In our seemingly endless search for the great wines of France we’ve found ourselves in a love affair with the wines of Savoie. When handled well, wines like Mondeuse and Altesse become profound, dynamic, and singular. We’re excited to present to you three of the best producers from the region: Louis Magnin, Maxime Dancoine, and Chateau de Merande.
Louis Magnin Arbin ‘La Rouge’ 2012
For us, the producer that’s most captivated our senses has been Domaine Louis Magnin. They, along with Merande and Dancoine, produce wines in the Combe de Savoie, arguably the best location for grapes in the region. La Rouge is Louis Magnin’s introduction to the great red of the region, Mondeuse. For this cuvee, Louis gathers grapes from a 70 year old organic vineyard and vinifies them with a gentle hand. For us, the Mondeuse of Magnin is the cream of the crop. Wild, brambly, brisk, aromatic, acid focused, fresh and fruity, and yet still tannic, structural, and worthy of aging. This wine will turn 8 this year and still has quite a way to go.
Drinking Window: Now - 2027+
Chateau de Merande Arbin ‘La Belle Romaine’ 2014
The brothers Genoux of Chateau de Merande
Among Magnin’s neighbors in Arbin is Chateau de Merande, another brilliant estate that producing amazing Mondeuse. Since it’s founding in 2009 the estate has been farming biodynamically with a focus on preserving biodiversity. These vineyard tactics result in wild farms, rich in fauna and flora, that produce obviously superior grapes. La Belle Romaine, like La Rouge, is vinified naturally and aged gently. Drinking them together one can appreciate the differences. Where La Rouge is rough, tense, and lean, La Belle Romaine is a little more plump and ripe with gentler tannin. These two wines demonstrate the two major styles of Mondeuse, each compelling in their own way.
Drinking Window: Now - 2024+
l’Aitonnement Savoie Altesse ‘Solar’ 2017
Among the latest generation of innovative winemakers in Savoie is Maxime Dancoine. Situated in the tiny village of Aiton, Maxime is the village’s last winemaker. After taking over the domaine of Bernard and Marido Bachellier in 2016 he’s been on a mission to spread the good word of Savoie wines and reinvigorate the area’s winemaking. Maxime immediately converted the vineyards to biodynamics and began producing wines without any additions. Of his wine, we’re partial to the whites. For Solar, Maxime vinifies Altesse (the great white of the region) from two different parcels in Aiton and ages the wines large neutral barrels without any lees stirring. The idea to is make a super wound-up, tense, and age-worthy white with a lot of energy. Mission accomplished.
Drinking Window: Now - 2027+
