Mondeuse Noire, one of the oldest and most distinctive red grape varieties of savoie, bringing an Italianate depth of colour and bite to the region in contrast to the softer reds produced by the Gamay imported only after phylloxera. The juicy, peppery wines are powerfully flavoured and are some of Savoie’s few to respond well to careful oak ageing (although when grown prolifically on Savoie’s more fertile, lower sites Mondeuse can easily be a dull wine too, which may explain why the variety has been underrated).
