Hand-harvested, organically-farmed Jacquere and Altesse grapes from southwest-facing vineyard ‘Les Chateaux’ in Chignin. Old vines (50 years), densely planted on silty limestone soils worked with horse-plow. Carefully sorted whole clusters, delicately pressed and fermented in the tank without additions. Natural malolactic fermentation, 4 months aging in the tank.
100% Gringet from the estate's Alpine hillside vineyards, aged 18 months in ovoid concrete. A powerful, lemon zest-tinged, rich white with a lot of character.
MW Clive Coates notes that Mondeuse sometimes has difficulties fully ripening in the cool alpine climates of Savoie and eastern France which can lead to some examples of the wine being very acidic, tart and lacking fruit. Such as it is, Gamay finds it's soulmate, and as fate has it, this is destined for a very soapy opera, one involving vampires.
Dreamy alpine Jacquère grown a days hike from Switzerland. Fruit mixes with esters, spices and rustic accents: flint, chives, breadcrumbs, caramel, narcissus, peach pit and lemon balm. Empyreumatic aromas (burnt, cooked or smoked qualities) with subtle oxidation and a slight fermentation note.
"Mountain wine regions are complex for a reason: their topographical challenges have meant, through most of history, that they were a series of little kingdoms and fiefdoms, clinging on to specialities and traditions which reflect, with some fidelity, precise and highly contrastive local conditions."
Delicate vinification in fiberglass teases out pulpy fruit with pepper and flowers. "spicy and rustic notes, such as bay leaf, pepper, cocoa, chili pepper, grape and sap." The name is a play on 'la déesse' meaning 'the goddess'
Roussane's one of the only 2 white grapes allowed in the Crozes-Hermitage AOC, Hermitage AOC and Saint-Joseph AOC. The grape develops a unique russet color when ripe, and is is often reminiscent of a flowery herbal tea. "buttery and brioche aromas, followed by honeyed floral, spicy and smoky notes: gingerbread, iris, dried apricots, candied citrus fruits, cardamom and graphite."
