Like the Jura, the Savoie has some grapes that aren’t usually grown elsewhere. Though the region also grows varietals such as Gringet, Altesse and Roussanne, wines in Apremont are exclusively whites made from Jacquère. Ted prefers the Jacquère from Apremont, citing its “electric charge,” a descriptor he uses often and one that really drives his selections. Jacquère is not known to be a great aging wine, but the producer we were going to see makes some that does so surprisingly well.
Jean Claude Masson came stomping down the stone steps of his contemporary two-story house that would have been at home in any Midwestern suburb. He let Andrea know where the facilities were and when I indicated that I could use them as well, he pointed up the hillside toward his vineyards. Ted translated his rapid-fire French: “that’s where the men go.”
He’s big and barrel-chested (and bellied) from years of playing rugby and drinking beer—not your usual wine snob. His face is deeply tanned and lined from spending decades in his fields and pursuing myriad other activities outside. He had a constant smile on his big round face, with its thin graying beard and a mischievous look in eyes.
