📍 Savoie

Savoie is a historical region in eastern France in the foothills of the Alps. Its vineyards run in an arc from Thonon-les-Bains on Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) through Frangy, the Lac du Bourget and the area south of Chambéry to the Combe de Savoie west of Albertville. The AOC zone covers 56 communes in the departments of Savoie, Haute-Savoie and Ain.

The soils are molasse, moraines and glacial deposits; the Abymes vineyards lie on debris from Mont Granier, which collapsed in 1248. The climate is oceanic with continental and southern influences: rainfall always exceeds 1,000 mm a year, there are about 1,600 hours of sunshine, and late autumn is warm. Vines grow at 250–500 m.

In 1884 there were 21,143 ha of vineyards here; phylloxera then cut them back. AOC Savoie was created in 1973 and has been protected in the EU since 1976; alongside it are Roussette de Savoie, Seyssel and the regional wine IGP Vin des Allobroges. AOC Savoie has 16 additional geographical names, among them Apremont, Abymes, Chignin, Chignin-Bergeron, Crépy and Ripaille.

The main white grapes are Jacquère, Altesse, Roussanne, Chasselas on the shores of Lake Geneva and Gringet in the Arve valley; the reds are Mondeuse, Persan, Gamay and Pinot Noir. Roussette de Savoie is made solely from Altesse. Since 2026 the Crémant designation has been part of AOC Savoie for white sparkling wines that spend at least 12 months between tirage and sale.

Why it matters to you. A cru name on the label (Apremont, Chignin, Crépy) is part of AOC Savoie, not a separate appellation. Bergeron is not a grape but a wine made from Roussanne; Roussette is a wine made from Altesse. Whites are served at 4–10 °C, reds at 15–18 °C.