Vin de Savoie (often written simply as "Savoie") is the main appellation of the Savoie region in the far east of France. This mountainous region located west of the Alps has distinctive wine styles that are rarely seen outside their territory of origin. Most are Dry white wines made from the Altesse, Jacquère and Chasselas grapes. Savoy wines are often described as distinctly "alpine", citing their fresh, Mineral characteristics.
The AOC Vin de Savoie was created in 1973, along with the appellation Roussette de Savoie, which covers the region's Altesse grape wines. Wines labelled simply as Savoie or Vin de Savoie, without an associated cru name, can be white, red, rosé and even Sparkling. White wines are dominated by the most common grape variety in Savoie, Jacquere, but may also contain Chardonnay, Aligote, Mondeuse Blanche, Veltliner Rouge Precoce, Chasselas, Gringet and Altesse. To complicate matters, Marsanne and Verdesse are also allowed, but only in the administrative department of Isère.
However, this represents only a tiny fraction of the appellation's surface area.
Roussane is a white grape variety, planted on an area of more than 700 ha. Originally from Montélimar, it is also found in Savoie, Languedoc and Roussillon, and grows very well in calcareous, poor, stony soil. It prefers to be pruned short. Roussane is also called fromenteau, barbin or bergeron. The young leaves are bubbled with fine down. When adult, they become thicker. It flowers in June and matures in mid-September. The grapes are cylindrical in shape, the berries are small and turn red when ripe, and the wine produced from pure Roussane is of extraordinary quality. It has a delicate aroma reminiscent of coffee, honeysuckle, iris and peony. The taste of this wine improves with age. It is part of the blend of the appellations Vin-de-Savoie, Côtes-du-Vallée du Rhône or Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
red wines from the region of Vin de Savoie go well with generally quite well with dishes of veal, pork or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of veal axoa (basque country), ham croquette with purée or rabbit with mustard, thyme and cream.
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