André et Michel Quenard – Les Roches Blanches Chignin-Bergeron 2022 (750ml) Sale

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André et Michel Quenard – Les Roches Blanches Chignin-Bergeron 2022 (750ml)

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 its drainage and sun exposure allow 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.