Renardât-Fache VDF Blanc "En Blanc Aussi" Brut Nature
The Bugey, halfway between Lyons and Geneva, is one of the tiniest and most obscure wine areas in France. Although the altitude is modest, the terrain is very mountainous, the roads are steep and winding as in the Alps and the villages are built for cold winters. The vineyards are hard to detect, little patches here and there on steep slopes looking southeast or southwest, lost in the midst of fields with grazing cows and dense forests. The total surface of vineyards in the Bugey covers about 170 hectares and the varietals are borrowed from all the surrounding areas: Gamay, Poulsard (a grape from Northern Jura), Roussette, Mondeuse (both from Savoie) and Chardonnay. Alain Renardat is a respected vigneron in Cerdon, one of three sub appellations in the Bugey, and was a long-time supplier of Alain Chapel's restaurant in the Dombes. Chapel, who died several years ago, was a chef beloved among chefs, and famous for his love of wine and winemakers. A vigneron selected by Chapel was guaranteed to have great personality and wines. Alain, though technically retired for years, is active as ever. Along with his son Elie, they make this Brut Nature from 100% Chardonnay following the technique of méthode ancestrale (as opposed to Méthode Champenoise plain old carbonation, the preferred method used for supermarket wines). The grapes are picked by hand, pressed and fermented in cold vats until it reaches about 6% alcohol. This wine remains on the lees for a year before bottling, finishing at 10.5% alcohol with no residual sugar. It is straw colored and super fresh on the palate with fine bubbles and aromas of white flowers. Drink as an apéritif or with dessert.
The Bugey, halfway between Lyons and Geneva, is one of the tiniest and most obscure wine areas in France. Although the altitude is modest, the terrain is very mountainous, the roads are steep and winding as in the Alps and the villages are built for cold winters. The vineyards are hard to detect, little patches here and there on steep slopes looking southeast or southwest, lost in the midst of fields with grazing cows and dense forests. The total surface of vineyards in the Bugey covers about 170 hectares and the varietals are borrowed from all the surrounding areas: Gamay, Poulsard (a grape from Northern Jura), Roussette, Mondeuse (both from Savoie) and Chardonnay. Alain Renardat is a respected vigneron in Cerdon, one of three sub appellations in the Bugey, and was a long-time supplier of Alain Chapel's restaurant in the Dombes. Chapel, who died several years ago, was a chef beloved among chefs, and famous for his love of wine and winemakers. A vigneron selected by Chapel was guaranteed to have great personality and wines. Alain, though technically retired for years, is active as ever. Along with his son Elie, they make this Brut Nature from 100% Chardonnay following the technique of méthode ancestrale (as opposed to Méthode Champenoise plain old carbonation, the preferred method used for supermarket wines). The grapes are picked by hand, pressed and fermented in cold vats until it reaches about 6% alcohol. This wine remains on the lees for a year before bottling, finishing at 10.5% alcohol with no residual sugar. It is straw colored and super fresh on the palate with fine bubbles and aromas of white flowers. Drink as an apéritif or with dessert.
The Bugey, halfway between Lyons and Geneva, is one of the tiniest and most obscure wine areas in France. Although the altitude is modest, the terrain is very mountainous, the roads are steep and winding as in the Alps and the villages are built for cold winters. The vineyards are hard to detect, little patches here and there on steep slopes looking southeast or southwest, lost in the midst of fields with grazing cows and dense forests. The total surface of vineyards in the Bugey covers about 170 hectares and the varietals are borrowed from all the surrounding areas: Gamay, Poulsard (a grape from Northern Jura), Roussette, Mondeuse (both from Savoie) and Chardonnay. Alain Renardat is a respected vigneron in Cerdon, one of three sub appellations in the Bugey, and was a long-time supplier of Alain Chapel's restaurant in the Dombes. Chapel, who died several years ago, was a chef beloved among chefs, and famous for his love of wine and winemakers. A vigneron selected by Chapel was guaranteed to have great personality and wines. Alain, though technically retired for years, is active as ever. Along with his son Elie, they make this Brut Nature from 100% Chardonnay following the technique of méthode ancestrale (as opposed to Méthode Champenoise plain old carbonation, the preferred method used for supermarket wines). The grapes are picked by hand, pressed and fermented in cold vats until it reaches about 6% alcohol. This wine remains on the lees for a year before bottling, finishing at 10.5% alcohol with no residual sugar. It is straw colored and super fresh on the palate with fine bubbles and aromas of white flowers. Drink as an apéritif or with dessert.