PRODUCER: André et Michel Quenard
REGION: Jura, France
FOUNDER/WINEMAKER: André Quenard, Michel & Guillaume Quenard
The Savoie region must be one of the most beautiful wine regions in France, and sadly often overlooked. Sprawling across the snow-capped mountains, rolling hills, and wild streams of the French Alps near Switzerland are some of Europe’s most under-the-radar vineyards. Placed amongst this dramatic scenery lies the domaine A&M Quenard, where they farm 22ha of vines on the slopes of the Côteau de Torméry.
WINERY HISTORY
Andre’s grandfather started the domaine in 1930’s, slowly buying small vineyards to increase production. Most of the wine was sold off in bulk, to satisfy the thirsty drinkers in the nearby ski resorts. It was only when Michel’s father, André, realised the potential of the Savoie that the domaine started bottling the wines with their name on. Now joined by his son, Guillaume, the domaine continues to produce exceptional bottlings of regional varieties.
They are not the only Quenard family in the Savoie, but certainly the most famous. It’s not just the quality of the wines they can thank for this; Andrew Jefford waxed lyrical about them in his book 'The New France,' and they quickly became hot property.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING
André & Michel farm 22ha of very steep, terraced vineyards around Chignin, a commune in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region 1.5hrs east of Lyon. Planted in limestone scree formed over millions of years of erosion, the vines lie between 300-400m on slopes reaching gradients of seventy percent. One might suppose that this location, high up in the mountains, might be too cool to farm. However, the vineyard benefits from a unique micro-climate which keeps the estate warmer than surrounding regions. Southern sun exposure allows for the optimal ripening of Bergeron and Mondeuse Noir, hand-harvested and manually farmed to limit yields and ensure harvests of exceptional quality.
Bergeron is – perhaps – the most iconic grape of the Savoie, where its expert handling by Michel and Guillaume creates perfume-scented, dry whites that delight the senses. Mondeuse Noir is harvested late before undergoing 11 months ageing in 50% stainless steel and 50% foudre. This gives rise to a sapid wine of nonpareil spice and structure. The Jacquère is a dry white aged in stainless steel for 9 months with gentle lees stirring. Pinnacles of style, the wines of A&M Quenard express the alpine vitality and stoniness of the vineyards in which they’re grown. While much of the region’s wine may be best described as eclectic, the products of A&M Quenard are marked by a mastery which reveals the unique terroir of the Savoie.
DOMAINE COTEAU DE TORMÉRY
In 2020, Guillaume Quenard, the third-generation winemaker currently overseeing operations at the family domaine, launched his side project, Domaine Coteau de Torméry. A chance to branch out from familial traditions, this new project offers Guillaume an outlet for more creative, experimental winemaking. Working with a 2ha plot of his family’s vineyard on the steep hillsides around Chignin, Guillaume abides by the same organic and sustainable methodology of his family domaine. This plot benefits from the uniquely warm microclimate that makes the wines of A&M Quenard so alluring, protecting the grapes from the icy cold temperatures that would otherwise render viticulture all but impossible in this alpine environment.
The biggest divergence between the wines of Guillaume and his family domaine lie in his viticultural techniques. Rather than abide by firmly rooted traditions like exclusively stainless steel and oak foudre ageing, the offerings from Guillaume are atypical of the Savoie, vinous experimentation at its finest. His first cuvée is the Opus Orange, an orange wine crafted from Bergeron macerated and fermented in amphora. A call back to the ancient techniques of the Romans, Opus bursts with notes of ripe fruit and minerality alongside a delightful roundness The second is a playful take on the acclaimed Chignin Bergeron, 100% Roussanne fermented and aged in amphorae, cement egg, and Stockinger foudre. His iteration of Mondeuse – ‘La Voie Royale’ – is fermented and aged in 90% cement egg and 10% terracotta amphora. Little Arvine is a fascinating variation of Petite Arvine, a variety which fluently reveals the scree terroir of the Torméry hillside. Sapid and satisfying, these wines offer an interesting deviation from the resolutely traditional wines of the family domain.
GRAPE VARIETIES
Mondeuse Noir, Bergeron (Roussanne), Jacquère
