Alpine Whites
by Anthony Lynch
2022 Hautes Alpes Blanc “Grand Pic”
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
In 2019, mountain sports enthusiast Mickaël Olivon settled in the remote Hautes-Alpes region to pursue his other passion, wine. He recovered some of France’s highest vineyards, perched at 3,000 feet elevation beneath some of the tallest summits in the Alps, and got to work producing unlikely field blends such as this white featuring Marsanne, Jacquère, Altesse, Müller Thurgau, and Chasan. It doesn’t taste like anything we’ve ever imported before, so I like to open it to stump my guests, confuse sommeliers, and ultimately savor a cool glass of something delicious and unusual.
2023 Savoie Les Abymes
France | Savoie, Bugey, Hautes-Alpes
Who would have thought that a tragic natural disaster could one day lead to such delight? Grown on a literal pile of limestone rubble from a catastrophic landslide in the year 1248, Les Abymes is the epitome of an Alpine white—an invigorating mineral lick of Jacquère, crackling with freshness and crystalline purity. Thanks to low alcohol and one of the crispest finishes you’ll experience, quaffing a bottle offers a carefree gaiety that belies the vineyard’s somber origins.
2019 Alto Adige Sauvignon “Voglar”
Italy | Alto Adige
The Alto Adige wine region is set in a wide north–south valley that channels warm air currents up into the Dolomites, creating a melting pot of Mediterranean and Alpine climates without equal in the world of wine. Peter Dipoli chose a site high on the western flank of this valley to plant Sauvignon Blanc, which he further distinguishes from the masses by aging it in big casks made of acacia wood. The uncommon location and treatment capture a different face of this very familiar variety, deep and mouth-filling yet carrying a bracing jolt of limey acidity. An excellent candidate for further cellaring, it pairs perfectly with Chez Panisse’s salad of shaved fennel and seasonal citrus.
More from the December 2024 Newsletter
