The only wine shop in the world specializing in Alpine wines

Le Vin des Alpes in Grenoble is where Eric Esnault stores 150 wines from mountains most sommeliers can't find on a map - France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia. His discovery workshops run 27 different themes. Book "Les vins de l'Isère" and you'll taste 6 wines from grapes that have fewer acres than your neighborhood: Verdesse, Persan, Étraire de la Dhuy. An hour from Alpe d'Huez, this is the Alpine wine master class you didn't know existed.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Find the only shop in the world specializing in Alpine wines Adventure · Free

   This is the wine shop that shouldn't exist but does. Eric Esnault curates 150 wines from the Alps - France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia at Le Vin des Alpes in Grenoble (60-75 min drive from Alpe d'Huez). Most sommeliers can't find these regions on a map. Most wine shops don't stock them. Eric built an entire business around mountains. Walk in during business hours and browse the shelves: Valtellina, Valle d'Aosta, Valais, Styria, Friuli. Even just browsing is education.

   Backup: If you can't visit in person, check their website for online orders or contact info. Ask if they ship internationally. The selection is worth long-distance sourcing.

   Log Memory
2. 2 Book the "Les vins de l'Isère" discovery workshop Wine · Price: moderate

   Email or call Le Vin des Alpes at least 1 week before your trip to book the "Les vins de l'Isère" workshop (they run 27 different discovery themes). This workshop focuses on 6 wines from the Isère department - the valleys around Alpe d'Huez. You'll taste Verdesse (5ha worldwide), Persan (25 acres worldwide), Étraire de la Dhuy (40 acres worldwide). Workshops cost €20-40 per person and run 60-90 minutes. Book ahead—these fill up fast.

   Backup: If no Isère workshop during your dates, ask what Alpine workshop IS running. Any of the 27 themes will blow your mind - Savoie, Valle d'Aosta, Jura. Or book a private tasting/consultation with Eric (€40-60).

   Log Memory
3. 3 Taste grapes that have fewer acres than a parking lot Wine · Price: moderate

   Focus on the endangered varieties during the workshop. Verdesse (white): crisp, mineral, only 5 hectares planted worldwide. Persan (red): structured, age-worthy, only 25 acres exist. Étraire de la Dhuy (red): rare traditional grape, fewer than 40 acres in the world. Taste them blind if possible, then reveal the acreage—the shock is part of the experience. Ask Eric to name the producers and compare styles.

   Backup: If the workshop doesn't include all three grapes, ask Eric to pour a vertical (multiple vintages of same wine) or a horizontal (multiple producers of same grape). Any format works - the goal is to taste rarity.

   Log Memory
4. 4 Buy bottles you'll never find anywhere else Wine · Price: moderate · Optional

   Buy Isère wines (Persan, Verdesse, Étraire de la Dhuy) to take home after the workshop. Also grab Alpine wines from other regions: Valtellina Nebbiolo from Italy, Petite Arvine from Valais Switzerland, Trousseau from Jura. Budget €60-120 for 3-4 bottles. Ask Eric for recommendations based on what you liked: "I want wines I can't get in the US/UK/wherever you're from." These are the wines that make dinner party guests say "Where did you FIND this?"

   Backup: If budget is tight, buy just 1-2 bottles of Isère wines (Persan or Verdesse) and ask Eric for his import/export contacts. Or join their mailing list for future releases and workshops.

   Log Memory