Marestel and Monthoux

The Marestel and Monthoux wines come from a small area squeezed between the Rhône and the Lake Le Bourget/Aix les Bains. The name Marestel (to be pronounced Marêtel, without the s) comes from the early owners of the land, the Comtes de Mareste. In decline since the late 1800s, the vineyard started to grow again around 1970. Both the red and white wines are simply elegant, the whites being in some instances very sweet and liquorous. Sixty percent of the production is in reds made from Pinot, Gamay, and Mondeuse grapes, some of it also vinified in rosés; both the reds and rosés are perfect for saucissons, hams, and terrines. The Roussette de Savoie here is wonderful, says one eighteenth-century expert: “with mixed nuances of hazelnuts, violets, honey, and almonds.” I can vouch only for the honey and a hint of violet once in a while. I recommend that, to drink these wines, you have lunch in a pleasant little restaurant.