From Savoie, White Wines That Refresh Like Mountain Air

This Alpine region in eastern France was little known until recently. Its gorgeous wines are distinctive and immediately appealing.

Places like Savoie exist all over historic wine areas, little-known cul-de-sacs that are suddenly embraced by the outside world, though the residents have been making wine there for centuries. Then again, there’s only one Savoie. This small, hilly protrusion in the Alpine foothills of eastern France juts into the mountainous region where Switzerland meets Italy. It produces some excellent red wines, but mostly whites that are as cool, crystalline and refreshing as a mountain stream.