It’s no wonder Savoie has been turning more and more heads recently: given the fine wine drinking public’s growing taste for fresh, bright wines that do not leave one’s palate in tatters, this Alpine region has loads to offer. The terroir is breathtaking for the sightseer and wine taster alike, with impossibly steep vineyards planted at high altitudes on the rockiest soil imaginable, and a backdrop of colossal mountains setting the stage for some of France’s most unique wines, often crafted from distinctive grape varieties exclusive to the region.
          Mondeuse is among these, and this local red reaches truly great heights in the hands of the Quenard family of Chignin. One might place it somewhere in between fine cru Beaujolais and classic northern Rhône Syrah from an appellation like Saint Joseph—lively, juicy, floral, low in alcohol, and supremely elegant with a touch of meatiness you can chew on. Given the means of production, it comes as no surprise this Mondeuse should share traits with such staples of French wine. After all, it is the fruit of seventy year-old vines vinified with native yeast, including a portion of whole-cluster fermentation, which is then aged in foudres and bottled unfiltered—a winning formula proven time and time again by the likes of Lapierre, Clape, and many others.
         Above all, this mountain red represents a great value for a wine of such caliber that provides this sort of genuine pleasure. Next time you want to be dazzled and refreshed, look to Savoie.