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SAVOY<br />
APPELLATION<br />
journey. In this felicitous wine region, they pooled<br />
both their vineyards and their skills to create<br />
the Cave des Vins Fins de Cruet in 1939. Savoy’s<br />
largest co-operative now boasts 240 hectares<br />
under vine and 70 member growers, producing<br />
15,000 hectolitres annually which equates to<br />
15% of total output for the two appellations Vin<br />
de Savoie and Roussette de Savoie. The vines are<br />
harvested by hand and the fruit is fermented<br />
separately as each varietal reaches peak ripeness,<br />
yielding award-winning wines. “Our Roussettes<br />
show distinctive fruity and floral characters”,<br />
explains David Henriquet, a winegrower and<br />
administrator of the winery. “They mirror their<br />
unique and outstanding vineyard sites with beautiful<br />
aromas of pear and hawthorn standing out<br />
amidst a varied bouquet. This native grape variety<br />
is successful because it is rare and that is definitely<br />
a bonus in export markets”. The Savoie Altesse<br />
label is produced on clay-limestone soils with a<br />
South-South-East aspect and temperate climate.<br />
Its flowery, honeyed notes delivering unforgettable<br />
perfumes and its mouth-filling, rich and<br />
harmonious palate make it popular. However, it<br />
isn’t all plain sailing – the variety is fragile, tricky<br />
to handle and sensitive to excessive heat and<br />
dampness. “Altesse requires constant attention”,<br />
adds Henriquet. “It is still fairly low-key due to<br />
its low volumes, but it benefits from a focus on<br />
quality. Communications and promotion on the<br />
variety will help us spread the word”.<br />
HARVESTING AT THE CAVE DE CRUET<br />
THE WINERY AT CAVE DE CRUET<br />
DOMAINE ADRIEN VEYRON:<br />
HIGH STANDARDS<br />
Admittedly, the old Apremont vines at Domaine<br />
Adrien Veyron honour Jacquère, but this traditional<br />
local variety also makes room for Altesse,<br />
mirroring the winery’s high standards and quality.<br />
The story began in 1955 when Jean-Baptiste Veyron<br />
and his wife Victoria established a farm in Apremont<br />
with a few vines and some livestock. In the<br />
1970s, the development of winter sports brought<br />
a new consumer audience that discovered local<br />
products. In 1975, their son Adrien Veyron took<br />
SPRING 2024 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE<br />
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