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2017 Chignin “Vieilles Vignes”
A. & M. QuenardSavoie is an excellent region to consider when looking for crisp summer whites: its Alpine vineyards, hugging imposing mountain façades along the France-Switzerland border, are home to local grapes like Jacquère that deliver unparalleled refreshment with low alcohol content. The village of Chignin represents one of the top sites for Jacquère, which takes on an intensely mineral expression in these “soils” of limestone scree—rocks that have broken off the mountain over millions of years of erosion. This is particularly true for this cuvée from seventy-year-old vines that have set their roots deep into this stony pile of rubble. The nose is delightfully fruity with nectarine, peach, and citrus, along with a talc-like dusting of minerals. On the palate, you’ll find the same succulent fruit backed by bright acidity and a cool-climate snappiness as pure as melted snow. Few things are more satisfying as an apéritif as a chilled glass of this Alpine elixir.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Jacquère |
Appellation: | Vin de Savoie |
Country: | France |
Region: | Savoie |
Producer: | André & Michel Quenard |
Vineyard: | 4 ha, 70+ years |
Soil: | Limestone scree |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 11% |
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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.
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171