Bugey nights and a little 'Savoie'-faire

Being savvy about Savoie. Those of you who have experienced Patrick Bottex’s pink sparkling Bugey Cerdon are sure to be happy this week. It’s back! Also blog featured is a white wine that will certainly stump your friends at the next blind tasting, a 100% Jacquere. Both wines are from the Savoie region in France.

The region of Savoie is in the eastern French alpine region on the border with Switzerland near Geneva. This dramatic countryside is so popular with visitors for both winter sports and summer relaxation that only a small amount of the wine produced here ever leaves the region. Bugey was once part of Burgundy and under the medieval influence of monasteries. At the time the area was an important wine producer. Much of Savoie's terrain is too mountainous for viticulture and the vineyards tend to be spread out, concentrated in the flatter, more sheltered parts of the region. Some vineyards are on the banks of the Rhone River as it flows from Lake Geneva towards the the Rhone Valley.

The village of Cerdon is located along the river Ain which carries down the waters from the Alps to the Beaujolais area. This region is mostly known for its gastronomy. Few people are aware that the region produces a wonderful, sweet, fizzy wine. Brought in the Beaujolais region, the winemakers from Cerdon inherited the Gamay grape. From the Jura area they got the lesser known Poulsard. Poulsard is a grape that ripens well on the steep and sizzling mountain slopes but the color remains light and the acidity quite high, enhancing its fruity quality.

Bugey Cerdon is a pink, semi-dry bubbly and was made by spontaneous fermentation, otherwise known as the ‘methode ancestrale.’ Gamay and Poulsard grapes are picked by hand and fermented in chilled vats just reaching around 8 degrees alcohol. The young and light wine is then bottled, along with its active yeast and considerable unfermented sugars. The bubbles are a result of fermentation under pressure. Bugey Cerdon is a fantastic warm weather quaff. Watch out though, the bottle will be finished before anticipated.

Lively and lightly sweet raspberry and strawberry flavors jump from the glass and go down quite easily. 'As if' you needed another reason to buy a Bugey; Bugey pairs well with chocolate! Best to act quickly here as this wine sells very quickly and is allocated.

Domaine Patrick Bottex Vin de Bugey Cerdon NV, Retail $19.99 Warehouse $15.99

In 1988, Frederic Giachino took over his family’s very small 3.5 acre estate which has now grown to 18 acres. Although the domaine had been worked before his arrival using traditional viticultural techniques, Frederic took the leap towards organics. Possessing some of the poorest soils in France, the Savoie is primarily made up of clay and limestone parcels with some gravel and sand interspersed in the zone. The climate ranges from mild to quite cold in the zone. Many years grape maturity comes quite late in the season.

The grapes are harvested by hand and undergo a selection process before the crush. The wines are always fermented at cool temperatures to maintain the wine's primary fruit characters and aromas. More richness is imparted into the wines by being aged on their fine lees during the winter with some stirring.

The grape used here is Jacquere, which is the most common white grape variety in the Savoie. Jacquere tends to produce lightly scented, minerally and fresh dry white wines. Fresh, crisp and subtle. Refreshing for a warm summer day.

Frederic Giachino ‘Abymes’ Savoie 2005, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $9.99

As an extra option for your Savoie curiosities, some stores may still have a few bottles of another Savoie Jacquere white wine grown that is grown on 50 year old vines. Described by importer Kermit Lynch as: 'so expressive with plenty of fruit, some of it verging on the exotic, and the combination of minerality and fruit flavors is balanced just right. There is also a neat little sparkle barely tickling the palate, a lovely touch that you don’t realize was needed until you notice it.’

Quenard Les Abymes 2005, Retail $15.99, Warehouse $12.99


Bugey on down to your local WW today.