Famille Montessuit "Grande Réserve" Ayze, NV

At the base of the mountain La Môle in the Chablais Alps in Savoie, you'll found the tiny commune of Ayze, just South of Lake Geneva and but a handful of producers vinifying the white grape Gringet (rarely seen outside this scenic stretch of the Arve Valley).

Relatively new on the scene is Famille Montessuit, formed in 2011, after Jacky Montessuit asked his sons Nicolas and Fabrice for help tending his tiny 0.5 hectare vineyard parcel. Since that unassuming day, the holdings have expanded to 8 hectares, and Nicolas and Fabrice have turned the vineyard into an agroforestry project that (of course) follows organic vineyard management - oregano essential oils to combat fungal growth, sheep and chickens for the weeding, weather stations for preventative climate management - the whole nine.

For this traditional method sparkler, the Montessuit brothers emphasize the expression of their 3 terroir blend: limestone, as well as red and yellow marl, with an aim to keep the winemaking invisible. All the juice for the Grande Réserve" is first press, and spends around 2 years in bottle on the lees. The result is vibrantly citric, with abundant mandarin notes, and a slightly spiced fruit edge that recalls quince, with a touch of minerality underscoring. An incredibly fresh bubble that works brilliantly as an aperitif.