Very successful with our guests our wines are sourced locally in Savoie. We visited quite a few vineyards in the area, walked amongst the vines, tasted the grapes, saw how the grapes are picked, pressed and stored for fermentation. We invested a lot of time and money last year into bringing you wines which are local and direct from the vineyard, ensuring a consistently high standard throughout the season. Feedback from last season´s guests was excellent. We hope you will enjoy them as much as we do. We´ll even point out where the vineyards are on the way from the airport to the chalet! We also serve some of the classic French favourites, hand selected of course!
A little bit about Domaine Saint-Germain:
Domaine Saint-Germain is located between Chambéry and Albertville in the Bauges regional park (Parc Naturel des Bauges). At the foot of the steep Bauges mountains, facing the Alps, the domaine has around ten hectares of vineyards on the south-facing slopes of the village, Saint-Pierre d´Albigny, where vines have been grown since ancient times. From a family of vine growers, brothers Etienne and Raphaël Saint-Germain established their domaine in 1999. Etienne had achieved a diploma (BTS) in viticulture and winemaking, and Raphaël had completed studies in plant biology, and the two decided to dedicate themselves to building up a traditional Savoyard family vineyard and domaine.
The brothers, now in their thirties, are passionate about grape growing and wines, and their method of working in both the vineyard and the winery has been inspired by their respect for the environment, their love of the grape and their quest to produce honest and expressive wines. In the vineyards, they avoid the use of herbicides, use protective sprays only when strictly needed, practice careful selection of young vineyard parcels and grape varieties, limit the yields and hand harvest. In the winery, they work traditionally using minimum intervention between harvest and maturation of the wine, allowing the characteristics of each vintage to show through. Using these guiding principals, wines are produced that bring out the best from the terroir and each grape variety.
Domaine Saint-Germain produces Appelation D´Origine Controlé Vins de Savoie wines from Jacquère, Chardonnay and Altesse (Roussette) grapes for whites, and from Gamay, Pinot Noir and Mondeuse for reds. The range of grape varieties provides wines for different occasions: some that should be drunk young to retain all their freshness of fruit, and others that need ageing for several years to bring out the true potential of their vintage.
A little bit about Savoie wines:
The steep, sunny slopes of the mountains of the Alps are perfect for growing grapes. Some vineyards are above 500m but most are not at high altitudes so there is little risk of damage from snow. The majority of connoisseurs think Savoie wines are rather neutral and lacking in character. For 2/3 of the wine this is true, however there are some delightful wines which are a revelation!
If you are a fan of obscure grape varieties, then Savoie is a must. White wines account for 70% of production and of that, more than two-thirds are from Jacquère, a low sugar grape, ideal to produce those delicate, ethereal whites.
For reds, Gamay is widely planted and Pinot Noir less so, but the real interest is in wines from the potentially spicy and rich Mondeuse (possibly related to Syrah).
Incredibly (or not, if you know French wine laws) there are 17 crus that may be tagged onto the general Vin de Savoie appellation, covering the whole region. Roussette de Savoie is a separate appellation for 100% Altesse wines and has four further crus. Crépy and Seyssel have their own appellations (the former best forgotten, the latter good for sparkling, and fairly good Altesse whites).
The largest crus, planted mainly with Jacquère, are Apremont and Abymes, but the wine quality varies widely.
Roussette de Savoie wines have a structure not unlike a light Chardonnay. They should be dry, light to medium weight, and a very few are oak fermented or matured. Aromas can include yellow stone fruit and a delicate floral character.
The red Mondeuse grape also excels in the Combe de Savoie, especially in the Arbin cru, near Montmélian and parts of Chignin. Debates continue as to the best way to handle Mondeuse. For many years, to suit the thirst of skiers, the only style made was a light fruity one to be drunk within the year. Many producers are now working more seriously with Mondeuse and achieving good results. With careful vineyard management and better control of yields they are able to produce a fruit quality and structure that can take either oak ageing, or sometimes micro-oxygenation, to give a rich fruit-cakey style, with moderate but silky tannins. These are undoubtedly food wines.
