DISCOVER THIS LIVELY ALPINE WHITE: JEAN VULLIEN & FILS VIN DE SAVOIE JACQUERE

I swear, Jose Andres has me in a constant puddling position. His food, his herculean humanitarian efforts, his whole-hearted delight in the tiniest of things. He has much to teach us all and I don’t know about you but, this wine nerd right here is buckling in and listening up.  I know I sure as heck, (filter strongly in use there) could use a whole lot more delight these days.

I was in the middle of writing up our latest French Alpine gem, when I read this line from Jose Andres, “Every time I open a bottle of wine it is an amazing trip to somewhere” and I couldn’t help but feel my lips separate a little, crack into something I feel like we have all been needing more of, a smile of familiarity and a nod of agreement.

Exhale.

I thought about the way it felt to taste the Domaine Jean Vullien & Fils Jacqeyre Vin De Savoie $14.99). That’s right, not how it smelled or tasted, the features I had been typing, and dispassionately, been back-spacing about. The way it actually felt, and it reminded me of crunching around in deep, fresh snow, or having my lungs retreat into my chest after taking a chest expanding breath on a very cold day. A feeling that was thousands of miles away from where I was sitting at my laptop on a late June afternoon, complaining about being sweaty. Just as the great chef, the great human had said, I was transported, through aromas and flavors, back to a memory of a place, or at least the feeling of being somewhere invigorating and it made this simple wine so much more than a simple wine.

Damn, I love that. Now, about that, “simple little wine”.

Domaine Jean Vullien is owned and operated by Jean and his two sons, David and Olivier, the two sons are beginning to make themselves a reputation for making some really impressive sparkling wines from their region of Savoie. The Vullien family have been making wine for about 40 years, but the family has been best known for viticole, or as a wine grape nursery. So important to the industry that they are responsible for 25% of the post phylloxera Chardonnay planted in Chablis. How stinking grateful are we to them for that?! Lookie there, another wine, another trip.

This Vin De Savoie is made from 100% Jacquere, a local variety often referred to as, “mountain Muscadet” because of its racy acidity and mouthwatering capabilities. It gives you less sharp, green notes than Sauvignon Blanc with a little more crunch than Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay. No oak, achingly refreshing and so damn food friendly. I would find it harder to think of something this wine wouldn’t go with than listing the things it could. Fish, goat cheese, veggies, salads, shellfish, grilled chicken or turkey, laughter, late afternoon gatherings, and opening of another bottle. Sniff, sip, smile, repeat.

We bought the last 25 cases they had, so get your summer sipper now, it won’t last long.