Varichon & Clerc Privilège Blanc de Blancs

Varichon & Clerc was founded in 1901 in the town of Seyssel, in the region of Savoie (or Savoy), pronounced "sav-wah". Savoie is located in the east, very close to the border of Switzerland and not too far from the Italian border. This may be why the wines of Savoie haven't made it far out of the ski chalets, until recently. Vermouth is actually well known from the area, maybe more so than the wine!

In comparison to other French regions, Savoie is almost directly east of Burgundy and quite a bit south of Alsace. The region is mountainous and the majority of land is not well-suited to viticulture, the few vineyards are found on the banks of the Rhône. Although planted on rolling hills at the base of mountains, the climate is warm and continental. Influences from large bodies of water, and southern exposure, give ideal ripening conditions. Grape varietals in Savoie are predominately white and many are native and obscure, such as Jacquère, Altesse, Chasselas and Gringet. Enjoy within the next year, a great bottle to start an evening, chill to 6C.