Quenard 2022 Chignin-Bergeron "Les Terrasses", Vin de Savoie France

“It is fitting that such a regal expression of Bergeron is made by Guillaume Quenard, the grandson of the man who helped resurrect the grape’s status in the 1970s, André Quenard. Grown on near-vertical limestone scree slopes, Bergeron reaches incredible heights here, yielding a blanc full of character and flavors of peach, tangerine, and pine resin. Pair it with crabmeat risotto, shrimp and grits, or wild mushrooms on toast for a memorable summertime feast.”—Tom Wolf, Kermit Lynch Imports

"The Quenard family’s long history in the Savoie doesn’t begin with André, but his arrival at the domaine in 1944 marks a turning point in the family’s legacy. When André took over their polyculture farm in the village of Chignin, the wines were still sold only by the barrel to café owners. Around 1960, with a deep-seated belief in the quality of his terroir—before Chignin’s AOC designation in 1976—he began bottling his own wines, championing the steep scree slopes of Torméry, and helping to establish the reputation of an entire winegrowing region along the way. By 1976, his son Michel arrived, and as a duo they were unstoppable, finessing their vineyard work, expanding their holdings, and fine-tuning every detail to produce perfumed and textured whites, robust and nuanced reds. Thirty years later, Michel’s son Guillaume joined the adventure, and for fifteen years the three men worked side-by-side, in whichever ways their various skills permitted. In March of this year, André passed away at the age of ninety-eight. Looking at photos of him harvesting his beloved Bergeron vines well into his silver years, it’s easy to see joy radiating from behind his kind gaze and to glean a sense of fulfillment due, at least in part, to a métier he was so passionate about."--Jane Augustine, Kermit Lynch Imports