Jacquère
The Alpine Refresher
Jacquère is grown in Savoie, Apremont and Abymes.
- Tastes of
- citrus, green apple, flint and mineral
- Goes with
- fondue, raclette and tartiflette
The story
Jacquère is Savoie's everyday white—light, crisp, mineral, meant for fondue and raclette. It's the Alps' house wine, perfect for après-ski, impossible to find elsewhere.
Insider story
Jacquère dominates Savoie—80% of white wine plantings. It's the grape behind Apremont, Abymes, and most 'Vin de Savoie Blanc.' Everyone in the French Alps drinks it; almost nobody outside knows it.
The grape's character suits alpine life: light, refreshing, high-acid, low-alcohol. It's designed for fondue—the acidity cuts melted cheese. Serving chilled, it refreshes after skiing.
Abymes and Apremont are the key appellations—named for landslides that created the vineyards in 1248 (Granier mountain collapse). The limestone debris produces mineral, flinty Jacquère.
The grape rarely travels. Jacquère wines are drunk locally, mostly in ski resorts and Savoyard restaurants. Finding them abroad requires specialty importers.
Price is absurdly low—$10-15 in Savoie, $15-25 exported. It's among Europe's best wine values.
Technical deep dive
Jacquère produces light whites with high acidity (7-8 g/L), delicate aromatics, and low alcohol (10.5-12%). The wines are deliberately light—alpine refreshment, not intensity.
Flavor profile: citrus, green apple, flint, mineral, white flowers, almond. The flinty/mineral character is Jacquère's signature.
The grape ripens early (late August/September), unusual for mountain vineyards. This allows production at high altitude (300-500m) where other grapes struggle.
Winemaking: stainless steel, cold fermentation, early bottling. The goal is freshness—no oak, no malolactic, no complexity. Some producers try skin contact, but it's not traditional.
The grape's neutrality is deliberate. Jacquère doesn't compete with food—it complements it.
Industry secrets
Jacquère is the fondue grape. Its high acidity prevents the heaviness that comes with rich melted cheese. The pairing is legendary and functional.
Apremont and Abymes are the quality markers. Generic 'Vin de Savoie' can be dilute. The cru names indicate better terroir.
The wine doesn't age. Drink within 1-2 years. There's no point cellaring.
Jacquère's lightness makes it a perfect aperitif. At 11% alcohol, it's sessionable—unlike bigger whites.
For collectors
Investment grade D
- Auction records
- No auction presence
- Blue-chip producers
-
- Domaine Dupasquier
- Domaine Giachino
- Domaine Lupin
- Château de Ripaille
- Value picks
- Apremont ($12-18), Abymes ($12-18)
- Price trend
- Stable. Limited export market.
- Collector’s tip
- Drink immediately. No aging potential. Buy for fondue season—the ultimate Savoyard pairing.