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. 

Mount Saint Granier in the Savoie--the "bitter mountain" of Apremont

Click here to BUY NOW: 2009 Domaine Bernard Apremont Vieilles Vignes - $16.99

Of all the cool, crisp whites that the Savoie has to offer, Apremont is one of the most pure and refreshing.

On the edge of the Swiss alps, the 400 hectare Apremont appellation is nestled at the base of Mount Granier. In a region where vineyards are widely dispersed - mountains often get in the way - Apremont's existence is the result of a rather tragic event. In 1248, a sudden landslide destroyed the town of St. Adnr's, burying the town in stone. Over time, the sloping rubble was cultivated into the vineyards of Apremont.

Apremont is produced from Jacquère, a grape variety grown almost exclusively in the Savoie. A good Apremont should be light in body, not excessively fruity, with lemony acidity and flinty nuance weaving its way through the fruit. Most of all, Apremont is a wine for uncomplicated drinking, perfect for warm weather sipping and a superb match with Alpine cheeses.

2009 Domaine Bernard Apremont VV

René et Béatrice Bernard work their vines according to the practices of lutte raisonée keeping treatments to the absolute minimum while organically working the soil. The 2009 Domaine Bernard Apremont Vieilles Vignes shows classic flavors of lemon and apple but there's also notes of peach and apricot framed by bright acidity and salty minerality.

This wine makes for a light and crisp aperitif, and is also excellent at the table with trout, perch, smoked salmon, or mountain cheeses like tomme and raclette. The greatest pleasure of Apremont is it's freshness - drink it young and don't wait--it quenches your thirst when the mood is too happy for water.

Click here to BUY NOW: 2009 Domaine Bernard Apremont Vieilles Vignes - $16.99