Today, Savoie is one of France’s smaller but highly intriguing wine regions, shaped by its alpine climate, diverse soils, and indigenous grape varieties.
The wine-growing region of Savoie in the French Alps looks back on an impressively long history. As early as antiquity – in the 1st century BC – viticulture in this area was mentioned, including by authors such as Pliny the Elder and Columella. During the Middle Ages, monastic orders like the Cistercians and Benedictines took over large vineyard holdings. They introduced systematic viticultural and cellar techniques, acquired estates in the Alpine valleys, and contributed to significant improvements in quality.
In the Early Modern period, regulatory measures were introduced. For example, in 1559, Duke Emmanuel Philibert enacted a ban on harvesting grapes before they were fully ripe in order to promote quality. When the phylloxera epidemic reached the region around 1877, Savoie was also heavily affected and had to replant its vineyards using American rootstocks.
Today, Savoie is one of France’s smaller but highly intriguing wine regions, shaped by its alpine climate, diverse soils, and indigenous grape varieties. The AOC Vin de Savoie covers a widely dispersed area that includes the departments of Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Ain, and Isère.
Noteworthy are the local grape varieties—such as Jacquère and Altesse (also known as Roussette) for white wines, and Mondeuse for reds—which play a more prominent role here than almost anywhere else. The vineyards are often situated at high altitudes on steep slopes, requiring an intimate understanding of the terroir. The soils are complex: limestone scree, moraines, and marl—conditions that are relatively rare in alpine environments.
In recent years, Savoie has been experiencing a renaissance. Modern cellar technologies, rising quality expectations, and growing interest in wines with strong regional character have all contributed to the region being increasingly recognized as an exciting alternative.
