2020 Domaine Marc Portaz Vin de Savoie ‘Apremont’ Tête de Cuvée

Responsibly Farmed
Hidden Gem

This crisp white from the French Alps is a true Apres Ski! France’s most mountainous region, the vines are 30 to 50-years-old and grown on the site of an ancient avalanche. It has similar fruit aromas to Sancerre and flavors as complex and mineral-driven as Chablis.

Sustainable farming practices, hand-harvested and native yeast fermentation.

White
  • Tasting Notes green apple, honeysuckle, crushed stones, white pepper, lime, pear, and fresh herbs
  • Variety Jacquère
  • Region France
  • Volume 750ml
  • Alcohol Volume 11.5%
  • Table Talk These vines are planted on the site of an ancient avalanche that started from the slopes of Mount Granier and swept down creating the valley below in 1248.

$19.00

Out of stock

On November 24, 1248, in the middle of the night, while residents slept, an enormous avalanche started from the slopes of Mount Granier and swept down to the valley below, burying small towns entirely with limestone rubble and changing the face of Savoie forever.

Centuries later, these fields at the foot of the mountain were turned into vineyards, as locals planted Jacquère vines, Savoie’s native white grape variety. It is these stony fields that represent Savoie’s finest terroirs, producing refreshing, high-altitude white wines with tangy flavors and lively aromas.

The Portaz family since the early 1980s have cared for Jacquère vines in their native Chapareillan, just south of Chambery, the capital of the ancient Duchy of Savoy and not far from the Italian border. (The regional flag/symbol of Savoie, a white cross on a red field, can be found on the family’s wine label. This crest was used by the House of Savoy, one of the oldest royal families in the world, who ruled these lands from 1416 to 1860.)

The family’s “tête de cuvée” or top selection is ‘Apremont.’ Translated from French as “rough mountain,” this wine is a tribute to the raw power of nature that dominates this breathtakingly beautiful corner of France. The combination of cheese fondue and white wine from Jacquère grapes is a Savoyard specialty.