Grandes Jorasses - A chip off the old (Mont Blanc) glacier

2008 Grandes Jorasses, Domaine Belluard

Grandes Jorasses is a spectacular peak, located on the east ridge of the Mont Blanc Massif. Three thousand metres below are the vineyards of Domaine Belluard which consists of several parcels of vines in the commune of Ayze in the heart of the Valley of l’Arve between Geneva and Chamonix/ Mont Blanc.

The soil types in this area are various:  areas of stony soil from rock falls off the Massif du Chablais, giving small stones, and other areas containing sediments brought by ancient glaciers, giving a rich layer of clay-limestone, there are also sediments from glacial waterfalls and a red clay rich in iron ‘alumine’, called locally ‘ Feu’. The vineyard is run on biodynamic principles and the wine’s purer than pure if not holier than thou.

The Belluards specialise in a local grape called Gringet which may, or may not, be related to the Traminer of Alto-Adige or the Savagnin of Jura. The grape variety for this wine, however, is the more familiar Roussette de Savoie, otherwise known as Altesse. Our other example of this variety from Bruno Lupin is quite different in style, being a pale, crisp, apple and alpine-meadow-scented wine with a crunchy mineral bite. The Belluard version combines the aromatic definition of Riesling with the almost luscious mouthfeel of a Pinot Gris. It is yellow gold with notes of yellow-fleshed peaches, apricot nectar, honey, nougat, gingerbread, an almost oily texture (something of pine resin?) and mellow yet delineated acidity. For such a richly contoured wine Grandes Jorasses weighs in at an astonishingly modest 12%.  Traditionally, you would drink this with trout served with almonds or local cheeses such as Reblochon.