Blog
Savoie Savior: Prieure Saint-Christophe
"The world of Savoie wine would be much poorer without him and owes him a bigger debt of gratitude than is evidenced today. I salute you, Michel." — Wink Lorch, Wines of the French Alps
Last week, I wrote about Les Mémoires, Thierry Germain’s soulful, old-vine Cabernet Franc. I’m switching gears today and heading to the French Alps. If you enjoy white wines from the Jura but haven’t dipped into Savoie, you're missing out. One of the most important names to know is Michel Grisard.
This vigneron started Prieuré Saint-Christophe in the late 1970s, after running his family's domaine for a decade. His new sole intention was to produce high-quality, ageable Mondeuse, a powerfully deep red grape variety native to the area. Grisard succeeded but didn’t stop there: He was the Savoie’s first vigneron to adopt Biodynamics, played a key role in the local movement to revive the region’s many abandoned vineyards, by replanting them with indigenous varieties, and he also founded Domaine des Ardoisières.
Grisard devoted his career to championing Savoie, and the wine region is as popular as ever, largely thanks to his pioneering work. He retired after the 2014 vintage and gave his vineyards to the Giachino brothers (Currently my favorite producer in the Savoie). They have carried on Grisard's legacy and continue to produce wines from his former estate under the Prieuré Saint-Christophe label.
In addition to Mondeuse, Grisard also planted 1.4 hectares of Altesse—the finest indigenous white grape variety of Savoie, according to Wink Lorch, author of Wines of the French Alps. (If you don’t know about Lorch, she is a leading expert on this alpine region). Comparable to Burgundy’s Aligoté or Italy’s Trebbiano, Altesse offers an intriguing concentration of fruit with floral and nutty tones.
From the foothills of the Massif des Bauges, on clay and limestone soils, this estate produces one of the most linear examples of Altesse we’ve encountered. It interplays succulent pear with striking minerality, and a slight texture of fresh almond—a pleasing combination that’s compelling and delicious. The wine spontaneously ferments and ages in large oak casks to avoid any oak flavors.
Shop Prieuré Saint-Christophe
Recent Articles
-
Pinot Meunier Whisperer: Laherte Freres September 15, 2023
-
Giovanna's Chianti: Le Boncie September 14, 2023
-
The Epitome of Montalcino: Gianfranco Soldera September 13, 2023
-
Fleurie Rising: 2021 Yann Bertrand Beaujolais September 12, 2023
-
Stéphane Tissot's Jurassic Bubbles September 11, 2023
Tags
- Abruzzo
- Albarino
- Albillo
- Aligote
- Alpine
- Alsace
- Altesse
- Alto Piemonte
- Amarone
- American Oak
- Anjou
- Antonio Galloni
- Arbois
- Arbois Pupillin
- Argentina
- Austria
- Avize
- Baden
- Bandol
- Barbaresco
- Barolo
- Beaujolais
- Beaune
- Beer
- Belgium
- Bierzo
- Biodynamic
- Blanc de Blancs
- Bordeaux
- Botti
- Bourgogne
- Bourgueil
- Breze
- Brouilly
- Brunello di Montalcino
- Brut
- Burgundian
- Burgundy
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- California
- Campania
- Canary Islands
- Carbonic
- Carema
- Carignan
- Carricante
- Central Coast
- Cerasuolo
- Chablis
- Chambolle Musigny
- Champagne
- Chardonnay
- Charly Foucault
- Chateauneuf du Pape
- Chehalem Mountains
- Chenin Blanc
- Chianti Classico
- Chinon
- Chiroubles
- Cider
- Cinsault
- Clairette
- Clos
- Coastal
- Columbia Gorge
- Coombsville
- Cornas
- Corsica
- Cortese
- Cote Chalonnaise
- Cote de Beaune
- Cote de Brouilly
- Cote de Nuits
- Cote Rotie
- Coteaux de Dijon
- Cotes des Blancs
- Cotes du Jura
- Cotes du Rhone
- Cremant
- Crozes Hermitage
- Dauvissat
- Destemmed
- Dijon
- Dominique Lafon
- Dry Riesling
- Ecueil
- Eola Amity Hills
- Eric Asimov
- Etna
- Extra Brut
- Fiano di Avellino
- Fleurie
- Flor
- Fort Ross Seaview
- France
- Frappato
- French Alps
- Friuli
- Galicia
- Gamay
- Gang of Four
- Garnacha
- Germany
- Gevrey Chambertin
- Giachino
- Gigondas
- Glou Glou
- Grand Cru
- Granite
- Gravel
- Grenache
- Grosser Ring
- Grosses Gewachs
- Grower Champagne
- Haut Medoc
- Hermitage
- Italy
- Jacquere
- Jancis Robinson
- Jon Bonne
- Jura
- Kermit Lynch
- Kimmeridgian
- Kupp
- Lambic
- Langhe
- Languedoc
- Le Mesnil
- Left Bank
- Limestone
- Loire Valley
- Louis/Dressner
- Macon
- Madrid
- Malvasia
- Margaux
- Marsannay
- Mediterranean
- Mencia
- Mendocino
- Merlot
- Meursault
- Minerality
- Mondeuse
- Monopole
- Mont Blanc
- Montagne de Reims
- Montefalco
- Montepulciano
- Montlouis sur Loire
- Morey Saint Denis
- Morgon
- Mosel
- Mourvedre
- Muller Thurgau
- Nahe
- Napa Valley
- Natural Wine
- Neal Rosenthal
- Nebbiolo
- Nerello Mascalese
- New California
- New Oak
- New York Times
- Next Generation
- No Sulfur
- Noble Reduction
- Non Vintage
- Northern Italy
- northern rhone
- Nuits Saint Georges
- Oak Knoll District
- Oakville
- Old Vines
- Old World
- Orange
- Oregon
- Organic
- Patagonia
- Penedes
- Pfalz
- Piedmont
- Pineau d'Aunis
- Pinot Noir
- Ploussard
- Portugal
- Poulsard
- Premier Cru
- Priorat
- Provence
- Puligny Montrachet
- Radda
- Red
- Regnie
- Rhone
- Rias Baixas
- Ribeira Sacra
- Riesling
- Right Bank
- Rioja
- Riserva
- Rose
- Rully
- Ruwer Valley
- Saar
- Sagrantino
- Saint Aubin
- Saint Bris
- Saint Esteph
- Saint Joseph
- Sancerre
- Sangiovese
- Sans Soufre
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Barbara County
- Santa Cruz Mountains
- Santa Maria Valley
- Saumur
- Saumur Champigny
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Savagnin
- Savigny les Beaune
- Savoie
- Serine
- Sicily
- Sierra de Gredos
- Skin Contact
- Sonoma
- Sous Voile
- Southern France
- Southern Rhone
- Spain
- Sparkling
- St. Helena
- Sta. Rita Hills
- Stainless Steel
- Styria
- syrah
- Tempranillo
- Teroldego
- Touriga Nacional
- Trebbiano
- Trentino
- Trousseau
- Tucany
- Tuscany
- Umbria
- USA
- Valle D'Aosta
- Valpolicella
- Value
- Veneto
- Verduno
- Vermentino
- Vermouth
- Vieilles Vignes
- Villages
- Vinho Verde
- Vinous
- Vintage
- Vittoria
- Volcanic
- Volnay
- Vom Boden
- Vosne Romanee
- Vouvray
- White
- Whole Cluster
- Willamette Valley
- Wine Advocate
- Wink Lorch
- Woman Winemaker
- Zev Rovine