Domaine Dupasquier "Altesse de Roussette" Savoie, France 2019

FROM SELECTION MASSALE:

THE WINE: 6ha of Altesse total (5ha are in Marestel). They could technically release 5ha of Marestel if they wanted too, but instead they use about half and the remaining is picked parcels then declassify the rest to make the Savoie Altesse. 30-50% Roussette is fermented in big oak vs. Marestel is 100% clay-limestone soils, southwest facing hillsides, 45 years old vines, 11 months in lightning, gentle filtration, bottling at the estate in early September and then put on sale the following year.

THE PRODUCER: David Dupasquier is a fifth generation winemaker at this ultra-traditional domaine. He and his sister Veronique run the domaine, but their Father Noel is still very much involved in the vineyards and in the cellar. The Dupasquier vineyards are located in a southwestern lobe of the Savoie, close to the Rhône Valley. One drives through a large mountain called “Le Dent du Chat” to arrive at the domaine, and the terroir seems almost instantly to become more Rhône-ish on the western side of this tunnel. The town is called Aimavigne, and its most prestigious vineyard is the incredibly steep “Marestel” Cru (pronounced “mah-reh-tehl” no “s”). The vines benefit from steep, sun-drenched slopes, primarily limestone soil, and the cooling effects of Lake Bourget. David works these vineyards with a tractor and by hand – the Marestel vines entirely by hand, as a good percentage of the best sites are too steep to work with a tractor. Plowing is done once per year for every other row and David believes that the biodiversity these leaves in the vineyard is critical for the quality of wines. Harvest is by hand and clusters are hand selected.