Notify me
2016 Chignin-Bergeron “Les Terrasses”
André et Michel QuenardWith all due respect to the northern Rhône and its gorgeous expressions of Roussanne, it is very tempting to say that the variety’s future lies in Savoie. Known here as Bergeron, it grows on well-exposed slopes of limestone scree, sucking up mineral essence from the stone that has crumbled down these precipitous mountainsides. Bergeron enjoys an Alpine-influenced climate significantly cooler than that along the baking banks of the Rhône, fifty miles or so to the west—a welcome chill in a time when each vintage seems hotter and drier than the last.
While Alpine Roussanne may be a novelty to most, the grape has been cultivated in these parts just as long as it has thrived in the Rhône Valley. In fact, the Romans arrived here from across the Alps in the second century AD, planting some of Savoie’s first vineyards, records indicate, on a steep slope known today as the Coteau de Torméry.
Nowadays, the Quenard family of nearby Chignin carries on the tradition of growing grapes on the near-vertical heap of rocky rubble that is the Coteau de Torméry. The highest and steepest section of the vineyard has even been terraced to enable viticulture.
This beautifully refined, tenderly floral, and succulently peachy wine, born from pure stone, is the outcome—a product of centuries of tradition, one chosen site, and a family’s laborious dedication to eking out a most genuine elixir from Savoie’s towering mountain facades.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Roussanne |
Appellation: | Vin de Savoie |
Country: | France |
Region: | Savoie |
Producer: | André & Michel Quenard |
Winemaker: | André & Michel Quenard |
Vineyard: | 25 years, 3 ha |
Soil: | Terraced steep limestone scree slopes |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2021 Savoie Chignin Mondeuse “Voie Royale”
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
The 2021 Voie Royale was aged entirely in foudre, and the result is an utterly distinctive, perfumed, and stony rouge evoking freshly pressed grapes, tart fruit, and violets.
Crémant de Savoie Brut Nature
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
A wonderfully dry, fresh, sparkling wine from one of the most beautiful regions of France.
2021 Chignin-Bergeron “Les Terrasses”
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
April Club Gourmand ~ Grown on near-vertical limestone scree slopes, Bergeron reaches incredible heights here, yielding a blanc full of character and flavors of peach, tangerine, and pine resin.
2022 Savoie Chignin-Bergeron “Les Roches Blanches”
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
This medium-bodied white evokes peaches, honey, and pine resin. Perfect for winter nights and dishes like hearty, Savoie-inspired fish chowder.
2022 Chignin Blanc
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
This Jacquère grown on Savoie’s limestone mountainsides may be the crispest beverage to ever grace your palate.
2022 Chignin Blanc “Vieilles Vignes”
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
Few things are more satisfying as an apéritif than a chilled glass of this Alpine elixir made from 70-year-old vines.
2021 Savoie Arbin Mondeuse “Terres Brunes”
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
This red conveys loads of juicy, brambly berries with floral and gamey nuances.
2021 Savoie Chignin-Bergeron “Le Grand Rebossan”
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
Travel no further than Chignin, where the Quenard family bottles a Roussanne (dubbed Bergeron in these parts) that will exceed your wildest expectations.
2022 Savoie Chignin Pinot Noir
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
If any Pinot Noir on these pages is built for the Parisian bistro or Lyonnais bouchon, it is this one from the hills of Chignin, in Savoie.
2022 Savoie Les Abymes
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
You’ve just found a new everyday white—at only 12% alcohol—well within your budget.
About The Producer
André & Michel Quenard
The Savoie is a picture of fairy-tale perfection: snow-capped peaks, rolling hills, and sparkling mountain streams. This idyllic region is where Michel Quenard farms twenty-two hectares of vineyards along the steep slopes around Chignin. His grandfather started the domaine in the 1930s. Though he slowly increased his vineyard holdings, he mostly sold off his wine. It wasn’t until 1960 that Michel’s father, André, began bottling under their own label. Michel joined the domaine in 1976. Today, he is joined by his sons, Guillaume and Romain. Their cuvées go beyond the simple “eclectic” that categorizes wines from Savoie; they are unique revelations that reflect the complexity of their terroir and the artistry of this master.
More from Savoie or France
2021 Bordeaux Blanc “Définition”
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
2022 Collines Rhodaniennes Syrah “Les Hautes Ribaudes”
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise HALF BOTTLE
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
2022 Languedoc Blanc “Cuvée Sainte Agnès”
Héritage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Savoie Arbin Mondeuse “Terres Brunes”
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
2016 Pinot Gris Grand Cru “Florimont”
Kuentz-Bas France | Alsace
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée du Silex”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Vin de Corse “Le Rosé de Pauline”
Domaine de Marquiliani France | Corsica
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges Blanc
Domaine Robert Chevillon France | Burgundy
2020 Bandol Rouge
“La Tourtine”
Domaine Tempier France | Provence
2021 Bordeaux Blanc “Définition”
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
2022 Collines Rhodaniennes Syrah “Les Hautes Ribaudes”
Lionel Faury France | Northern Rhône
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
Château La Roque France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2020 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise HALF BOTTLE
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
2022 Languedoc Blanc “Cuvée Sainte Agnès”
Héritage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Savoie Arbin Mondeuse “Terres Brunes”
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
2016 Pinot Gris Grand Cru “Florimont”
Kuentz-Bas France | Alsace
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée du Silex”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Vin de Corse “Le Rosé de Pauline”
Domaine de Marquiliani France | Corsica
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges Blanc
Domaine Robert Chevillon France | Burgundy
2020 Bandol Rouge
“La Tourtine”
Domaine Tempier France | Provence
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
If you're looking for value, look where no one else is looking.
Inspiring Thirst, page 211