2019 Domaine Dupasquier Vin de Savoie Pinot Noir

Region: France, Savoie 
Viticulture: Sustainable
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir

Dry light-bodied red | Aromatic, plump mushrooms (e.g. porcini)

The Dupasquiers farm this variety on mountain vineyards at high altitudes, where there is immense amounts of sunlight, resulting in phenolic ripeness without excessive sugar ripeness – a holy grail so to speak for viticulture all over the world.

There is intensity to the flavours here sans the extraction, with only old foudres’ (old large oak vats) being used so only a pure expression of the fruit and terroir is present. With just the right amount of strawberries and light tannin, the splash of acidity allows this Pinot to pair with some creamed mushrooms, or fantastic on its own.

We count ourselves very lucky to represent the fifth generation of Dupasquiers to work the western slopes of Lake Bourget as siblings David and Véronique are gradually taking over from their father Noël. 

This little-known region is less than 10km east of the Rhône River, and clinging to the shadow of the Alps. It boasts a fascinating geology, with streaks of Kimmeridigian chalk screes on the Mont du Chat, and cappucino swirls of marl and dark limestone on the Cluse de Chambéry. To mitigate the cooling effects of altitude, Dupasquier sites are on the West slopes of Lake Bourget, where their vines can soak up sunlight reflecting picturesquely off the surface of the serene water. Due to the steep gradient of the banks, many sites across the Dupasquiers' 14 hectares of vines can only be harvested by hand. Additionally, in order to encourage biodiversity in the vineyards, only every other row of vines is ploughed.