From Elephants to Elegance: The Wines of Savoy
Savoie, sometimes spelled Savoy: Two different pronunciations have surfaced, perhaps as a regional thing. The first is “Sav-wa,” and the second is “Sav-oi.” It’s kind of like the difference between saying cow or bovine. This tiny little pimple of France has been endowed with viticulture for at least 2,000 years. What is the viticultural history of Savoy? Where is it exactly? What grapes are grown here? What bottle of wine would you expect City Vino to have on the shelf? Let us dive in.
Early inhabitants were the Celtic Allobroges, part of the territory of Gallia Transalpina. At first, they resisted Roman penetration but were finally conquered in 121 BCE, and their territory was later called Gallia Narbonensis.
This was the first Roman province north of the Alps, which included Languedoc and Provence. It was established in the late 2nd century BCE. The Allobroges had already been cultivating the ancient vine Vitis allobrogica long before the Roman conquest.
We can’t go to this region without mentioning Hannibal. Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps in 218 BCE, with his elephants, was one of the major events of the Second Punic War and remains one of the most celebrated military achievements in history. It proves how strategic the Savoy region was to both Italy and France.
The region went through several changes in ownership, from the Burgundians in 437 to the Frankish kingdom of Burgundy in 534. Somewhere in there, the name “Savoy” was assigned to the area south of Lake Geneva.
Fast forward to the 11th century, when feudal lord Humbert “the Whitehanded,” founder of the House of Savoy, came into control. Humbert and his successors built a considerable state for themselves during the Middle Ages. Their control extended east across the Alps into Piedmont and Lombardy.
By the 14th century, the House of Savoy, now under Amadeus VIII, had expanded gradually. Amadeus was elevated to Duke of Savoy by Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund in 1416.
The 17th century brought economic development to the Turin area, and the House of Savoy benefitted greatly. Charles Emmanuel II developed the port of Nice and built a road through the Alps toward France. Through skillful political maneuvering, territorial expansion continued. In the early 18th century, during the War of the Spanish Succession, Victor Amadeus switched sides to assist the Habsburgs. By the Treaty of Utrecht, he was rewarded with large pieces of land in northeastern Italy and a crown in Sicily. Savoy rule over Sicily lasted only seven years (1713–1720).
Annexed by France in 1792 during the French Revolutionary Wars, Savoy was restored to its traditional rulers in 1815. The Treaty of Turin, concluded between France and Piedmont-Sardinia on March 24, 1860, resulted in the Duchy of Savoy and the County of Nice being annexed to France.
Modern-day Savoy is a rather isolated region. It sits on the eastern side of France where Switzerland and Italy border. To the northeast lies Lake Geneva in Switzerland. From the western side of Lake Geneva, the Rhône River begins its journey, flowing west into France. Along its path, it is joined by the Ain River near the Jura wine region and the Saône River near Burgundy, eventually reaching the city of Lyon. From there, the Rhône flows south through the famous valley to the Mediterranean. Savoy lies on the western side of the Italian Alps, neighboring Piedmont. Out of Italy flows the Isère River, which joins the Rhône south of Lyon. Chambéry is the capital city, with Lake du Bourget just to its north. Savoy is oddly fragmented, spread across four departments—Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Isère, and Ain—many of which take their names from the rivers that flow through them.
On the southern side is Mont Blanc, at 4,810 meters (Europe’s highest peak). Tourists often come more to ski than to drink wine, but that is changing thanks to modernized winemaking techniques and the enthusiasm of local vintners. So, drunk skiers? Why not? Germany’s Mosel probably deals with the same thing.
The Savoy wine region covers just 2,000 hectares under vine, producing only 0.5 percent of France’s total wine. About 70 percent of production is white, reflecting the higher elevation that favors ripening of white grapes over most red varietals.
The region is nearly all Alpine in landscape. Much of the farmland is devoted to cattle raising and dairying, with cereals, vines, and fruit (apples) also cultivated. Forests, cheesemaking, and sawmilling are important to the local economy. Traditional chalets vary—wood in the northwest, stone in the high Alps. Farms tend to be highly fragmented. The population is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic.
Climatically, Savoy is Alpine, with continental and Mediterranean influences. The high peaks, including Mont Blanc, create rain shadows that provide sunny, dry conditions for vines. Steep slopes add extra hours of sunlight, lengthening the growing season. Lakes and rivers help moderate the cold by storing daytime heat and reducing frost risk.
The soils are equally diverse, ranging from glacial moraines and alluvial deposits to stony river terraces over clay.
One of the most important grapes from the Savoy region is Altesse. Its first recorded mention was in 1774, though it likely arrived centuries earlier. Stories claimed it was brought from Cyprus by a local prince, though DNA studies suggest it is more closely related to Chasselas, a grape indigenous to nearby Lake Geneva. The name Altesse means “highness,” perhaps referring more to vineyard altitude than to royal origins.
Altesse thrives in Savoy’s high elevations, long sunny days, cool climate, and alluvial soils. It requires the entire growing season to ripen and is the sole variety allowed in the appellation Roussette de Savoie. The grapes have a faint reddish tint, reminiscent of Pinot Grigio.
The wines are known for high acidity, minerality, and aromatics of violets, mountain herbs, bergamot, honey, and hazelnut. To soften the acidity, some winemakers leave a touch of residual sugar. In youth, the wines show citrus, almond-skin bitterness, and similarities to Marsanne, Roussanne, Chasselas, or Muscadet (minus the salinity). With age, Altesse gains viscosity and tropical fruit notes of mango, papaya, apricot preserves, while remaining brightly acidic. Three years of aging is recommended to achieve its full elegance.
Since 1999, Roussette de Savoie has been an AOC, mandating 100 percent Altesse wines, with residual sugar not exceeding 8 g/L. Only four cru vineyards, Frangy, Marestel, Monterminod, and Monthoux, can append their names to the appellation. These sites, located on alluvial soils at the edges of the Bauges and Bornes Massifs, feature steep slopes with excellent drainage and maximum sun exposure in the cool alpine climate. Wines from these crus are produced to stricter standards than basic Roussette de Savoie.
While Savoy may be small in scale and overshadowed by its more famous neighbors, its wines, especially those made from Altesse, offer a unique expression of Alpine terroir. The combination of history, geography, and climate has shaped a region that produces wines both refreshing in youth and elegant with age. For adventurous drinkers, discovering a bottle of Roussette de Savoie on the shelf is like uncovering one of France’s best-kept secrets.
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