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 This is a love story: the love of a man for his wine, of the wine for its native soil, and of the man for this region. The region is Jongieux, a little village in the Savoie, located at an altitude of 300 metres, between Lake Bourget and the Rhone, on the slopes of majestic Mont Charvaz (1158 metres). The man is Noel Dupasquier, known as « le Père Noël » to his friends! Simple, sincere, humble, aware, this is a man who resembles his region. The wine is the one produced by Noel Dupasquier on his native soil, a wine that resembles him: sincere, humble, precise, and remarkable.
And yet this perfect osmosis was not achieved in a day. Noel Duspasquier was born into a 4th generation wine-growing family on the estate. Over the course of time, he has developed and imposed his own vineyard philosophy, and drawn out a wine of a rare purity, always going to the essential, quietly, by sheer force of observation. The wines that Noel Dupasquier produces have the quiet strength, precision and aromatic definition which places them a cut above the rest. And therein lies the true signature of a great wine-producer.
If you are passing by Jongieux, don't hesitate to walk in to Aimavigne Estates. Noel Duspasquier, his lovely wife and their son David will receive you with open arms, because that's their nature: generous, like the wines they produce.
The estate offers a dozen vintages, all very interesting. Here are 3 that offer an unbeatable quality to price ratio:
Jacquère 2006: a good nose, sharp enough to evoke citrus fruit along with some vegetal and floral notes. A clean touch that is precise and incisive. An upright, honest dry wine, carried by its mineral content, which leaves you with a very agreeable sensation of freshness. Price: about 4 euros.
Roussette de Marestel 2005 : a nose of very great aromatic precision with the exquisite and generous aromas of cooked pears, of tarte Tamin, of mellifères flowers, of Corinthian grapes (raisin de corinthe). Full-bodied, elegant, and clean at the end. A very great aromatic persistence. Price: about 7 euros.
Mondeuse 2004: a nose that is very typical of the Mondeuse, a distant cousin of the Syrah, where black fruit (blackcurrants, mures and blueberries) contend with spices (black pepper). In the mouth, tannins are present but well integrated, conferring on this wine a certain volume while retaining a genuine freshness. To drink now and over the next 4 years. Price: about 6 euros.
Domaine Noël Dupasquier - Aimavigne - 73170 JONGIEUX. Tel : +33(0)479 440 223
by Laurent Turrel, © www.nuncbibendum.com 2008
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