Domaine Jean Perrier - Abymes 2020
Domaine Jean Perrier traces its roots back to 1853, when Chatherin Perrier bought a cellar in St. André les Marches and began growing vines next to Mount Granier. In 1911, his son, Claude, had to replant the vines and build a new cellar after the devastation of phylloxera. Today, the Perrier estate has grown to 59 hectares. Three brothers — Philippe, Christophe, and Gilles — oversee all aspects of production, and Christophe is the man behind the wine. Their goal is to keep up with the times while always respecting the land; to that end, the vineyards — planted on clay-limestone soil — are farmed naturally, harvesting is done manually and fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks, which are used to ensure freshness in every bottle.
Abymes is one of sixteen named Crus in Savoie, the mountainous region in eastern France, right on the borders of Switzerland and Italy. In the glass, the Perrier Abymes — made from 100% Jacquère — pours almost water white, with light lemon highlights. Aromas of hawthorn flowers, green almonds and citrus fruits plume from the glass. On the palate, the wine is soft and silky with an energetic acidity that refreshes wonderfully. Flavors of spring herbs dot the palate to compliment an underlying minerality which leads into a long and subtle finish. The wine is crisp, invigorating and very easy to drink. Jean Perrier Abymes is wonderful on its own as an aperitif, but it also perfect with any alpine cheeses like Raclette or with a cheese fondue.
