Wine Tours in Savoie

Savoie tour highlights

Visitors can of course enjoy hiking, mountain biking and skiing in the winter and summer months. For a tour with a more cultural slant, explore the historic town of Chambéry known for its medieval architecture. And don’t miss the Château des Ducs de Savoie.

Savoyard wines and appellations

Savoie produces wines from indigenous grape varieties that are rarely grown elsewhere. The dominant red grape is Mondeuse, which produces some titillating reds. The native grapes behind the fresh, crisp whites are Roussanne, Jacquère, Gringet and Altesse. The cool temperatures and mountainous terrain in the high-altitude vineyards contribute to the unique flavours of the region’s wines, with fresh acidity and aromatic complexity. In addition to its indigenous grape varieties, Gamay grapes are also grown in the Savoie region, along with Pinot Noir and Syrah in smaller quantities.

The region is home to several AOCs. There’s Vin de Savoie, covering a variety of styles, both red and white, from vineyards across the region. The AOC sub-regions of Chignin, Apremont and Abymes are known for their white wines. Roussette de Savoie is an AOC that specialises in wines made from Altesse grapes. Last but not least, there’s Savoie Cru, which is a recent designation for certain areas, such as Monterminod and Marignan, producing wines of outstanding quality from selected plots.

What’s on the menu in Savoie?

The regional cuisine features rich, hearty alpine flavours, which require a wine to stand up to them – meaning Savoie wines are a great match. Grilled meats, sausages, and tartiflette (a comforting dish made from potatoes, bacon, onions and Reblochon cheese) are nicely accompanied by local red wines, especially Mondeuse. White wines from Savoie, such as Jacquère or Roussette, are perfect with fondue savoyarde, made with local cheeses like Beaufort, Comté and Gruyère. They also pair well with raclette, another cheese dish often served with potatoes, cured meats and pickles.

Getting to Savoie

By plane: fly into Geneva, Switzerland or Lyon, France.

By train: traveling to the region is easy with train stations in Chambery and Aix-les-Bains, with both towns offering access by road to the surrounding vineyards.

By car: the Savoyard region is just about an hour’s drive from Geneva, Switzerland and approximately 2.5 hours from Lyon.