2022 ChevernyDomaine du Salvard
France | Loire
$22
Producers
When you think of Roussanne, the Rhône Valley’s white-wine blends might come to mind first, but this blanc from Savoie—where the grape is called Bergeron—could change that.Throughout much of the nineteenth century, Bergeron enjoyed an exalted status in the Savoie.Then, around the turn of the century, phylloxera decimated the region’s vines, leaving Bergeron to languish in relative obscurity until the 1970s, when André Quenard played a significant role in its resurrection. As Wink Lorch writes in her benchmark book, Wines of the French Alps, André “is remembered as one of those who fought for Chignin Bergeron to be the quality standard-bearer for Savoie, designated as a specific cru.” The Quenards farm the grapes for this bottling on near-vertical, white, limestone scree slopes—the best terroir for Bergeron, they argue, because of its drainage and sun exposure, allowing the grapes to fully ripen. Even though the grapes achieve full ripeness, Les Roches Blanches is racier than many of its regal, fuller-bodied Rhône cousins largely because Chignin offers a cooler, alpine climate. This medium-bodied white evokes peaches, honey, and pine resin. Perfect for winter nights and dishes like Chris Lee’s hearty, Savoie-inspired fish chowder, it is mouthwatering and refreshing on its own, too.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Bergeron (Roussanne) |
Appellation: | Vin de Savoie |
Country: | France |
Region: | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes |
Producer: | André & Michel Quenard |
Winemaker: | André & Michel Quenard |
Vineyard: | 20 to 80 years, 5 ha |
Soil: | Steep limestone scree slopes |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 13% |
André et Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Vin de Savoie
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Savoie
André et Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Savoie Chignin-Bergeron
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Savoie Chignin-Bergeron
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Savoie
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Roussette de Savoie
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.
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Roussette de Savoie
André et Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Savoie Chignin-Bergeron
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Savoie Chignin-Bergeron
Patrick Bottex France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Bugey
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Savoie
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Savoie Chignin
Lambert de Seyssel France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Seyssel
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Savoie
André & Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Savoie
Lambert de Seyssel France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Seyssel
Lambert de Seyssel France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Seyssel
André et Michel Quenard France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes | Vin de Savoie
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236
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