France Gonzalvez Le Grand Bain Gamay Pét-Nat 2023

France Gonzalvez began her winemaking career in 2008 with just half a hectare of vines in Beaujolais, learning alongside some of the region's most respected natural wine producers. Xavier Bénier and Jean-Claude Lapalu became her mentors, and their influence shaped her commitment to organic viticulture and zero-input winemaking from the very beginning. She also spent time with Marcel Lapierre and Jean-Marc Métras, giving her a foundational education in traditional Beaujolais methods.

By 2014, France Gonzalvez had expanded to six hectares, managing the vineyards and cellar work largely on her own with help from her husband Olivier. Her Beaujolais cuvées—including Point G., Cueillette, and Escapade—earned recognition on wine lists across Montreal, Copenhagen, San Francisco, and Tokyo.

In 2020, France Gonzalvez returned to Savoie, her native region in the French Alps. She now works from the village of Trevignin, operating as a négociante and sourcing grapes from trusted organic growers, including parcels from fellow Savoyard vigneron Gilles Berlioz. Her vineyards are in conversion to organic certification.

The alpine terroir of Savoie differs dramatically from Beaujolais. Steep limestone slopes, glacial moraines, and significant diurnal temperature variation produce wines with pronounced freshness and mineral character. France Gonzalvez works with indigenous Savoyard varieties—Jacquère, Mondeuse, Roussanne (known locally as Bergeron), and Altesse—alongside Gamay and Pinot Noir.

In the cellar, France Gonzalvez ferments with indigenous yeasts, often using whole-bunch maceration in concrete tanks. Some cuvées see brief aging in older oak. Wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal or no added sulfites. The resulting bottles are light in alcohol—often between 9.5% and 11%—with pure fruit expression and vibrant acidity that reflects both winemaker and place.

Savoie occupies the western foothills of the French Alps, stretching across four departments in eastern France: Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Isère, and Ain. The region borders Switzerland to the east and the Jura to the north. With fewer than 5,000 acres under vine, Savoie accounts for just 0.5% of French wine production, making it one of the country's smallest and most distinctive wine regions.

Vineyards cling to steep, south-facing slopes at elevations that would typically be too cold for viticulture. However, the moderating influence of Lake Geneva, Lake Bourget, and the upper Rhône River creates microclimates warm enough for grapes to ripen fully. Apricot, fig, and almond trees grow alongside vines in some areas. The soils are predominantly limestone-based glacial material—moraines, scree slopes, and alluvial deposits left behind as ancient glaciers retreated. This geological diversity contributes to the region's varied wine styles.

The Vin de Savoie AOC, established in 1973, encompasses 15 named crus including Apremont, Chignin, Chignin-Bergeron, Arbin, and Jongieux. White wines dominate production, representing roughly 70% of output. Jacquère is the most widely planted variety, producing crisp, mineral-driven whites. Altesse (also called Roussette) and Roussanne (known locally as Bergeron) yield richer, age-worthy wines. Chasselas appears near Lake Geneva.

Red wines come primarily from Mondeuse, the region's indigenous dark-skinned grape, alongside Gamay and Pinot Noir. Mondeuse produces deeply colored, structured wines with violet and pepper notes, thriving particularly in the cru of Arbin.

A growing number of natural wine producers have drawn attention to Savoie in recent years. The cool alpine climate and pristine mountain environment suit low-intervention winemaking, and vignerons working organically have demonstrated that these high-altitude terroirs can yield wines of remarkable purity, freshness, and mineral intensity.