Famille Peillot Bugey Mondeuse

The Bugey is a small viticultural area whose fame doesn’t extend much farther than the city of Lyon, where its sparkling Cerdon and Montagnieu have long been staples in bistros. Located in the eastern part of the Ain department, which is better known for its poulet de Bresse (the only French poultry with its own AOC) and its freshwater fish, the Bugey is a series of low altitude hills forming the most southern tip of the Jura range. In distance, it is closer to Savoie than to viticultural Jura, so, if mentioned at all, it is often considered a part of Savoie. 100% Mondeuse. Peillot has a hectare of this singular, rustic Bugey variety. Much of it is vines planted in the early 2000's on the steep, rocky, clay-limestone scree of the village and cru of Montagnieu and trained in the local, traditional gobelet en echalas style; there are also vines up to around 100 years old still going strong. The farming is sustainable and the harvest by hand. The fruit is destemmed, partly foot-trodden and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel; the maceration is about 10 days. Aging takes place in tank as well. Mondeuse is a rustic grape, it's an ancestor, it's a Gaul with a big mustache.