The Delicious (and Crazy) Whites from Nicolas Ferrand... featuring the only 36 bottles of '19 Armenaz Jacquere available in NYC!

Our first Savoie email of the year should be special, don't you think? But it should also link us up with where we left off, right? In December, we sent our last Alpine newsletter on Mondeuse, with a special focus on the Domaine des Côtes Rousses Coteau de la Morte. Today, we're sending an exciting offer on a trio of the domaine's newly arrived whites, produced with extreme care by the "paysans vigneron" himself, Nicolas Ferrand. It is important to note: we've secured the city's entire allocation of Ferrand's one-of-a-kind Armenaz bottling, a Jacquère that is more powerful than any I've tasted... rivaled only it's sibling, this talented winemaker's current release of La Pente, which you can also secure today.

If you're looking for refinement, I'll be honest, you might want to look somewhere else. The beautifully haunting Chablis-like qualities that many drinkers love to experience from top-notch Alpine whites isn't what these deliver. On the other hand, these wines are a rush of herbs and minerals, acidity and tender fruit, developing in strong waves over hours. The stunningly complex, often chaotic charm of Ferrand's whites keep them a few daring steps away from being perfect and, somehow, this is exactly what makes them... perfect.

The 2019 Armenaz Jacquère is a glimmering lemon-yellow in the glass. The nose is bold, with strong aromas of white flowers, orange oil and lemon peel. There is a fresh grassiness that develops first into a scent of green tea and then into a great display of fresh sea breeze and crushed oyster shells. On the palate, delicious flavors of raw almond and salt lead to zingy, sharp flash of lemon and candied ginger. High acid, with a tannic brush on the gums and a medium-rich swish. It is a shame so little exists to go around...

Ferrand's 2019 La Pente is a Jacquère just as high-toned as the Armenaz is. It is a fresh, dazzling yellow in color. Initially, the nose offers distinct aromas of crisp green pear with accents of woodsy pine and winter smoke, growing into something more floral. A deeper fruit develops as well, becoming semi-tropical though still firm and taught. The palate follows a similar course, beginning rather herbal, with bitter apple and salinity. With time, flavors of young mango appear, before a clean and peppery finish. Very high acidity and a medium-rich swish hold this awesome wine together.

Along with these two expressions of Jacquère, we're rounding out our Ferrand line-up with his a completely unique Altesse. It's an absolute must-try that could very well shatter your idea of what this grape can do.

The 2019 Ensemble Altesse is darker in color than Ferrand's Jacquère, showing a moodier, denser lemon-gold in the glass. On the nose, the wine is both floral and herbaceous, with hints of warm lavender and healthy basil, along with scents of lemon curd and flint. On the palate, dominant flavors of papaya and green herbs are accompanied by hints of salt and black tea. A distinct but faint finish ends each sip - a whisper of unripe banana. The wine is completed by a structure of great acidity at the core, but a supple texture on the sides. This is definitely not your mineral water style of Altesse... it is much, much more!

I'm very excited to taste all three of these wines again tonight. I have absolutely no doubt that they will have developed further - as they were only beginning to loosen up when I had the chance to taste them yesterday.

I hope that everyone out there can grab the limited Armenaz from Nicolas Ferrand, but there will be plenty of great wine to drink from our favorite producers in the Savoie and neighboring appelations this year. Stay tuned! David Hatzopoulos

**Also included here are two returning favorites: the Domaine des Ardoisères 2020 Silice Blanc and Romain Chamiot 2020 Apremont.**