Vin de Savoie (often written simply as 'Savoie') is the core appellation of the Savoie region in far eastern France. This mountainous region on the western edge of the Alps has a distinctive – if little-seen – style of wine: mostly dry white wines based on the Altesse, Jacquere and Chasselas grape varieties. Vin de Savoie wines are often described as being distinctly 'alpine', invoking their fresh, mineral characteristics.
The Vin de Savoie AOC was created in 1973, along with the Roussette de Savoie appellation that covers varietal Altesse wines in the region. The title may be followed with the name of one of 16 individual crus, named for villages in both the Savoie and Haute-Savoie departments. These villages form an arc through the mountains, stretching from Ripaille and Crepy on the shores of Lake Geneva down to Jongieux on the edges of the Mont du Chat, and through to the cluster of winegrowing villages along the banks of the Isere river. This part of Savoie, called the Combe de Savoie, is the densest with vineyards: seven of the 16 crus can be found here, including Chignin-Bergeron and Apremont.
Unlike the crus of the nearby Beaujolais wine region, the Vin de Savoie crus all have an individual set of rules regarding permitted grape varieties and winemaking. Along the edge of Lake Geneva in the north of the region, most wines are required to be made predominantly from the Chasselas grape variety. Jacquere is more commonly found in the crus south of Chambery, along with several crus that permit the production of red wine from Mondeuse, Gamay and Pinot Noir. Chignin-Bergeron and Ayze are the only exceptions, making Roussanne-based whites and Gringet-based sparkling wines respectively.
The light, fresh style of the wine is directly related to the alpine terroir of Savoie. Most of the vineyards that are included in the appellation are planted on steep, south-facing slopes, where favorable sunlight exposure and excellent drainage make for perfect ripening conditions despite the cold continental climate. The region's myriad mountain ranges offer protection from northwesterly weather systems, and the presence of lakes Bourget and Geneva, as well as the upper Rhone river, further moderate the climate.
Most Vin de Savoie vineyards can be found on limestone-based soils, which are adept at storing heat during the day and reflecting it back onto the vines at night. Characteristically, the loose scree soils are thin with little water-holding capacity, an important consideration given the relatively high rainfall levels in Savoie. This stresses the vines, which leads to a reduction in vigor and yield, increasing the quality of the grapes that are produced. The subsequent wines have excellent flavor intensity as a result.
Wines labeled simply as Savoie or Vin de Savoie, without an accompanying cru name, may be white, red, rosé and even sparkling. The white wines are dominated by Savoie's most widely planted vine, Jacquere, but may also contain Chardonnay, Aligote, Mondeuse Blanche, Veltliner Rouge Precoce, Chasselas, Gringet, Altesse, Marsanne and Verdesse. A further complexity in the local wine laws means that the last two varieties are permitted only in the Isere administrative department, which accounts for a minute fraction of the appellation's surface area.
If a wine is made from a single grape variety, Vin de Savoie labels are permitted to state its name; this is increasingly the practice amongst France's less prestigious appellations. Mondeuse, Gamay and Altesse are the most commonly cited grapes, being higher-status varieties than the less-exclusive Jacquere or Chasselas.
Despite the Vin de Savoie appellation's complex set of rules and the varied styles it covers, there has been very little sign of the crus gaining independence as appellations in their own right. Only Crepy and Seyssel have ever had independent status – since 1948 and 1942 respectively – with Crepy being voluntarily 'demoted' to cru status in 2009.
