TASTE THE TERROIR ❘ BUGEY WINE TASTE THE TERROIR


From a largely undisovered wine region to scientific developments in Bordeaux, we bring you the latest food and drink news from France


Clockwise from this image: Caves Sylvain Bois in Bugey; Domaine Renardat- Fache; at work in the vineyards; inset, enjoying a glass of wine at Domaine Renardat-Fache


WILD MOUNTAIN CHARM In the first foothills of the Alps, Dominic Rippon discovers the varied and wonderful wines of Bugey


Among France’s many overlooked and hidden vineyard regions, few have quite the idiosyncratic charm of Bugey, in the east of the country. Sandwiched between Lyon to the west, and the mountain vines of Savoie to the east, Bugey’s vineyards perch high up within a giant meander of the Rhône river, at the southernmost tip of the Ain département. The range of wines produced is extraordinarily diverse. Some 60% of Bugey is made into fizz, either by the méthode traditionnelle, as in Champagne; or the méthode ancestrale, as in Die, further south in the Rhône Valley, and Gaillac, in Occitanie. The former are fresh, excellent value approximations of crémant, in both white and rosé; while the latter are generally (although not always) medium-sweet and fairly low in alcohol.


STRAWBERRY SCENTS The most distinctive méthode ancestrale bubblies come from Bugey Cerdon, in the north of the region. Gamay and Poulsard grapes are grown on sheer, south-facing limestone slopes at altitudes of up to 550m, giving bracing, strawberry-scented pink brews. Once a local curiosity, made by winemakers for personal


62 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Aug/Sep 2022


consumption, these are now at the heart of Bugey’s identity. South of Cerdon are the growing zones of Montagnieu and Belley, the former of which is particularly reputed for its méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines. Nearly half of still wines are rosé, made from Gamay grapes and/or Pinot noir, which can be blended with Pinot gris, and the thin-skinned Poulsard and powerful Mondeuse, both of which are shared with neighbouring Savoie.


CHARDONNAY CHIC


Chardonnay forms the backbone of Bugey’s white wines, giving particularly pure, poised wines from the gravelly limestone terraces of Bugey Manicle. Chardonnay can be blended with Burgundy’s Aligoté; Pinot gris; or Savoie’s Altesse, Jacquère and Mondeuse blanche varieties. There is a separate appellation, Roussette du Bugey, for exotically perfumed whites made only from the Altesse grape. The red wines of Bugey must be single varietals. Refreshing reds are made from the Gamay grape of Beaujolais, while Mondeuse gives more deeply-coloured wines with berry fruit and crushed pepper aromas. The Pinot noir variety, at its best, can make surprisingly fleshy


alternatives to lighter red burgundies. Although Bugey covers a relatively large geographical area, it only received appellation d’origine status in 2009, and fewer than 500 hectares of vines are worked by only 80 vignerons. The region’s relative obscurity ensures that its wines remain good value: rare treats for tourists who wander off the beaten path into this mountain paradise.


DOMINIC’S CHOICE Domaine Trichon Tel: +33 (0)4 74 39 83 77, domaine-trichon.com CHOICE WINE: Bugey Blanc Chardonnay 2019 €10 / bottle


Domaine Renardat-Fache Tel: +33 (0)4 74 39 97 19, renardat-fache.com CHOICE WINE: Bugey Cerdon Méthode Ancestrale A vivacious, deeply-coloured €13 / bottle.


Buy in the UK from thegoodwineshop.co.uk


Domaine Yves Duport Tel: +33 (0)4 74 39 74 33, yvesduport.fr CHOICE WINE: Bugey Altesse de Montagnieu ‘En Chinvre’ 2020. €13 / bottle


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