Savoie
Wedged between France, Switzerland and Italy, Savoie is a landscape of soaring peaks, glacial lakes and impossibly steep vineyards. The wines are every bit as refreshing as the scenery suggests—bright and mineral, with crisp acidity and delicate perfume. From racy alpine whites to fragrant, peppery reds, traditional mountain estates to the new generation of growers championing its rare local varieties. This is mountain wine at its purest. Pack a bag. We're heading up.
Built on a Tilt
Although Savoie officially became French in 1860, it spent centuries looking towards Italy rather than Paris, and has never really shaken its independent streak. Vines cling to glacial scree and limestone above Lac du Bourget, France's largest natural lake, on gradients that can hit fifty percent. That high, cold light is the whole trick: it keeps the wines tense, saline and bright. The grapes are locals you'll struggle to find anywhere else—zippy Jacquère, perfumed Altesse, dark-berried Mondeuse. Barely five percent of France's output, and most of it never leaves the valley. Exactly why it's worth chasing.