INSIDER'S PICK: 2018 DOMAINE DE l'IDYLLE ROUSSETTE DE SAVOIE $18.99

Even though we will not be doing the public tasting portion of the Insider's Pick until further notice, we will still be offering the wine for purchase with the usual 10% discount. The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We will be returning to doing just the one wine on Thursdays and Fridays until further notice. We hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.

The most iconic wines in the Savoie region are the ones from Abymes and Apremont featuring the Jacquere grape. These delicate and finely tuned wines are emblematic of the Alpine region, but may not be their 'best' wines made here. That honor often goes to the Roussette in many taster's minds, including the legendary author Jancis Robinson who calls it 'Savoie's most exciting white grape'. Often confabulated with the Rhone variety Roussanne (which is a rabbit hole that would triple the length of this email if we went down it), Roussette delivers the same clarity but with a more distinctive perfume and a bit more natural weight. Jacquere wines seem to revel in their lightness, while Roussette just chooses to up the volume a little bit. Beautiful white fruits and distinctive flowers on the nose, almost juicy pears in the background but lots of cool minerality that gives the fruits more mineral tones. The palate is pure crystalline white fruits with a dry but fleshy mouthfeel, fresh and lengthy on the finish. The aromas and palate get more flavorful with some time open, but there is a delightful briskness to the fruit and acidity popping it right out of the fridge on a humid day. Great to pair with delicate fish with creamier sauces, lightly spiced Asian dishes or Indian curries, and aged creamy cheeses that need a little more texture to stand up.

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