Alpine fresh

IF YOU were skiing in the Alps this year, you may have come across the wines of Savoie. Sadly, most of the thin local wines sold off-piste in après-ski bars are not representative, as they are made and sold on price.

This is a shame. Savoie, between Lake Geneva and Grenoble, produces delicious wines. The best are snapped up by sommeliers for top restaurants in Chambery, Annecy and Thonon, and are rarely seen even in swish ski resorts. There's not much to go around anyway, as the region produces less than two per cent of France's production.

With a ready market at home, we see few Savoie and Haut Savoie wines in the UK. Only pioneers like Eric Narioo of Les Caves de Pyrene and Frederic Grappe of Dynamic Vines import them. To my surprise, Waitrose is now listing a quaffable Apremont de Savoie.

The lack of quality and promotion of Savoie wines is a contentious issue. "Improved controls are needed to raise the quality at the bottom and middle levels," says Wink Lorch, a Savoie wine expert based in the region. She's right.

I have always adored Savoie whites, probably because I discovered them over here, not après-ski; so if you are also a white wine fan with a sense of adventure, try these unique wines bursting with airy mountain freshness, minerally grip and vibrant acidity for this summer's drinking.

They are made from unusual grapes; like the prolific Jacquere, which produces mountain fresh, light, grapefruit-tinged whites for early drinking from vineyards which run parallel to southern Burgundy.

The second most prolific grape is Roussette, locally called Altesse. It's a pity this high quality variety is not wider grown, as it can be fabulous. Believed to be related to Hungary's Furmint, it's a late ripening, low yield, high acid grape with delicious mountain herb aromas. The best 100 per cent Roussette (not blended with Chardonnay as some are) come from 16 villages with special crus (such as Frangy, Marastel and Monthoux). Frangy, north of Seyssel, with limestone and glacial moraine south-facing slopes, is one of the best; Bruno Lupin's non-interventionist methods with minimal use of chemicals and low yields prove this.

I wasn't so taken with some of the Savoie reds. Mondeuse, said to be related to Gros Syrah or Friuli's Refosco, can be gutsy and rugged. The best by far is from Michel Grisard at arguably Savoie's best domaine, Prieure St Christophe.

taste test Savoie to savour

White

APREMONT DE SAVOIE 2007 Domaine des Rocailles

(£7.49, Waitrose)

Vin de Savoie from Apremont village where Pierre Boniface's high mountainous vineyards make crisp, dry, white- peach toned whites with grapefruity grip. Not too high in alcohol. Would suit Sauvignon Blanc lovers. 15/20

ROUSSETTE DE SAVOIE, CRU FRANGY 2006 Domaine Bruno Lupin

(£8.90, Les Caves de Pyrene, 01483 538820)

From one of Savoie's best crus. Light spicy gingerbread aromas, appley, creamy leesy nougat-toned palate, finishes dry. Would suit Chardonnay lovers. 16/20

ROUSSETTE DE SAVOIE 2004 Domaine Prieure St Christophe

(£22, Dynamic Vines, 0207 287 2179)

Aromatic, floral, leesy, spicy, sinewy fruits with underlying oak. Fresh and minerally, this nutty creamy white has higher alcohol than most. From Savoie's greatest winemaker Michel Grisard, it will improve further in bottle. Pricey, but very good. 17/20

LES ALPES CEPAGE GRINGET 2006 D & P Belluard

(£14, Les Caves de Pyrene)

Perhaps it was the name, but it had a spicy gingery note. A wonderful Alpine freshness, underlying tingle of spice, creamy, lovely length. 16.5/20

Red

MONDEUSE DE SAVOIE 2004 Domaine Prieure St Christophe

(£21, Dynamic Vines)

Plum, cassis and farmyard notes, sour cherries, lots of minerality, silky, edgy, fascinating. 16/20

MONDEUSE L'AUTHENTIQUE 2004 Domaine Genoux

(£10, Les Caves de Pyrene)

Dark plummy, bitter cherry fruit; slightly too shrill, too tannic, disappointing. 12/20

THE BEST DEALS THIS WEEKEND

Fizz TWO HANDS BRILLIANT DISGUISE MOSCATO 2007

(£8.99 for 50cl bottle, Oddbins)

Lightly spritzy, gently sweet, deliciously creamy low(ish) alcohol summer quaffer.

Red BUCKINGHAM SHIRAZ 2005

(£4.99, reduced from £7.99, until 11 May, Morrisons)

Excellent price for rich deep bramble-fruited velvet-smooth Aussie Shiraz.

Red ARA COMPOSITE PINOT NOIR 2006

(£10.95, Berry Bros & Rudd, 0207 396 9600)

Good value Marlborough Pinot; rich hedgerow fruits, deep velvety grainy palate.