Pictured above: Raclette!

One of the great differences between the wine-growing regions of the New World and those of Europe is that in Europe local wines play an essential role in everyday life. 

The humble red Schiava grape, for example, is an indispensable partner to Bolzano's bread dumplings flavored with speck, but its pale pink color and high acidity make it an unlikely candidate for "international" status. 

Lambrusco, the simple and frothy red wine from Emilia-Romagna, will never be taken seriously, and yet its specific purpose is to wash down rich plates of lasagna and Prosciutto di Parma, and the locals wouldn't have it any other way. 

The mountainous Savoie region in eastern France produces similarly overlooked but locally important wines. Overlooked but not unsold, that is. The Savoie is tiny and winegrowers in the region have no trouble selling most of their wine to thirsty tourists aprés-ski. But the Savoie's dry white wines are full of sap, minerals, flavors of pine nuts and orchard fruits, and I can't imagine having boiled potatoes and melted cheese or fresh boudin blanc without some. 

I recently wrote a few words about the Savoie on our website. Click here and scroll down to read more about all the diversity and pleasure that the Savoie has to offer.