Rousette de Savoie Cru Frangy Domaine Lupin 2016/17

Rousette de Savoie Cru Frangy Domaine Lupin, mellow, fleshy, honeyed, Savoy white wine. Not a name that is going to resonate with many UK wine drinkers, but this is fine white from the hills of France. The cake sounding 'Frangy' part of this name refers to the village from whence it came, one of 16 villages in the Savoie given cru staus under the AOC. The environment and cold winter temperatures make more natural production the norm in these climes and at Domaine Lupin, they adopt a lutte raisonnee approach (minimal use of chemicals, hand harvested, low yields of around 49hl/ha). Rousette (otherwise known as Altesse) can make exceptional wine and at this very modest price, this glass is very enjoyable indeed. The flavours are reminiscent of pear, gingerbread, spice and honey with a touch of nougat and the mouthfeel is soft, mellow and off dry. This would be splendid with river fish such as pike or perch, or veal escalope, and is particularly good with the local Beaufort cheese!

Bruno Lupin has extensive experience in winemaking, having run the Cave de Geneve for a number of years before settling down with his own estate. The soils here are argillaceous limestone and glacial moraines and the exposure of the vines is south facing. As with many of the vineyards in this region the viticulture is lutte raisonnée. (Minimal use of chemicals, low yields, hand harvested) and the yields moderate (49hl/ha). In the winery some skin contact is allowed for richness of aroma with fermentation at 18-20c, followed by a natural settling of the must, lees contact, and eventual bottling in April the following year. Most of the vines are about 25 years old. He always ferments with natural yeasts, and, unusually for the area, never de-acidifies his wines.