From: Savoie, France
Varietal: Mondeuse
Tasting Notes: This is a gorgeous example of what wine made from Mondeuse can achieve. It presents a range of juicy aromas including dark cherry, ripe wild strawberry, and plum, along with hints of white pepper and minerality. These flavors sweep across the palate elegantly, bringing out a bright, elegant energy.
Pairing: We'd like to share Sommelier Austin Ferrari's pairing suggestion from an article published in Imbibe magazine: "The Mondeuse varietal comes from the French Alps, and when I think of wine pairing I tend to look at what the locals are eating and how the food that surrounds them compares to the grapes that grow best around them. Rabbit, veal, sausages and stews are some of the most common dishes eaten food in that region. French cheeses are also a good choice since Savoie is known for the quality of their cow milk. My favorites include Reblochon, Tomme, Comte and Beaufort. They also have a dish called tartiflette—a gratin made with bacon—that pairs well thanks to the wine’s deep red fruit flavors." This Tartiflette recipe is by Melissa Clark for the NYT.
About. Comprised of 10 hectares of vines, Domaine Labbé is located 15 km south of Chambéry, a village famous for its Vermouth and cheese. Domaine Labbé was founded by the fathers of cousins Alexandra and Jérome Labbe in 1975. At the time, their parents were subsistence farmers cultivating a little bit of everything, including milk, cows, beef, hay, wheat, and some table grapes. To survive economically, one brother, a charcutier (pork butcher), and the other, a construction entrepreneur, worked with the vines on the weekends and planted Jacquère in their spare time. Alexandra inherited the domaine in 2004.
