Wines made from Mondeuse blanche grapes of Vin de Pays
Discover the best wines made with Mondeuse blanche as a single variety or as a blend of Vin de Pays.
Haute-Savoie finds in Mondeuse blanche one of the oldest grape varieties planted in its vineyards. It can be found throughout Savoie and Ain, although its cultivation is not very well developed. Barely 5 hectares of vineyards are planted with this variety. It is known by other names such as savouette, dongine, couilleri or aigre blanc. Mondeuse blanche can be recognized by the downy appearance of its young shoots bearing very tan leaves, reminiscent of spider webs. The leaf blade tends to lose its tan appearance as it ages, while the 5 lobes are clearly defined. Mondeuse blanche produces bunches of grapes that give a wine with good acidity and a long shelf life, which can be kept for up to thirty years. They appear compact, cylindrical and winged. The juicy, sweet and crunchy berries ripen in the second late season. The golden yellow or green skin is quite strong, covering an ovoid or spherical fruit of medium size.
Vin de Pays (VDP), the French national equivalent of PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) at the European level, is a quality category of French wines, positioned between Vin de Table (VDT) and Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC). This layer of the French appellation system was initially introduced in September 1968 by the INAO, the official appellation authority. It underwent several early revisions in the 1970s, followed by substantial changes in September 2000 and again in 2009, when all existing VDT titles were automatically registered with the European Union as PGI. Producers retain the choice of using either the VDP or PGI titles on their labels, or both - in the form "IGP-Vin de Pays".
While some people prefer to avoid restaurants altogether on Valentine’s Day, for others it’s the perfect excuse to enjoy a romantic evening out. For wine lovers, finding venues with a great selection of bottles is an added bonus. Whether you’re after prestige Bordeaux and classic vintages or interesting and quirky bottles from less well-known producers, the selection below gives you plenty of options. We also tell you what to expect from the wine list in each venue. From Michel ...
Philippe Schaus, chairman and chief executive of the Moët Hennessy division of LVMH, called Joseph Phelps Vineyards ‘an iconic name and an iconic winery’. Joseph Phelps founded his eponymous winery on a 260ha former cattle ranch in Napa Valley in 1973. He turned it into one of California’s most prominent producers, famed for its flagship Insignia – a Bordeaux-style blend – and its pioneering use of Rhône varieties, which kick-started the ‘Rhône Rangers’ movement in the Golden State. The founder’ ...
Daily power cuts are wreaking havoc on South African wine producers as they struggle to irrigate and press grapes during the harvest. Electricity from state-run power company Eskom has gone down every day so far this year, and the rolling blackouts have left some producers on the brink. Christo Conradie, manager of wine business at trade body Vinpro, said: ‘This is challenging for us. In fact, this is a crisis for us.’ The power cuts – known as load shedding – have impacted most sectors of the S ...