2021 Franck Peillot Bugey Mondeuse

This remarkable Bugey Mondeuse is a medium-bodied, bright red wine with a lifted core of black raspberry and cherry, framed by violet floral notes and subtle herbal spice. On the nose, there’s fresh red fruit and a hint of licorice or mineral graphite, tones that indicate its distinctly alpine signature. On the palate, the fruit remains clean and direct, with crisp acidity lifting tart red berries alongside savory herbal undertones that mirror its aromatics. Tannins are moderate and refined, more about texture than grip, keeping the wine lively and approachable. Perfectly balanced and crystalline. 

Founded in the early 1970s and now led by fourth-generation vigneron Franck Peillot, this small family estate in Montagnieu is one of the benchmark producers of Bugey. Farming roughly 8 hectares on steep limestone slopes, Peillot is renowned for preserving and championing the region’s historic varieties—especially Altesse (Roussette du Bugey) and Mondeuse—alongside a celebrated traditional-method sparkling wine. The vineyards are tended sustainably with an emphasis on low yields and precise handwork, while fermentations rely on native yeasts to highlight the purity and alpine minerality of Bugey’s limestone terroir.