Are Bugey wines in the ascendant?

ugey winegrowers recently brought wines that had spent three years in a cave back up to the surface for a comparative tasting. “These are two different wines by two different growers!” exclaimed a Lyon restaurateur. Around the table came laughter and agreement. Each taster was poured two glasses. On the left, they described a pale yellow nectar with silvery highlights, freshness and a sense of overriding minerality on the palate. On the right, golden hues, an oaky nose and honeyed notes. The two Roussette du Bugey were originally the same wine. The one on the left was recently removed from Cerdon cavern near the Alps, after spending three years underground, whilst the one on the right was matured in a cellar.

For each of the eight labels that are part of the Cav’âge Bugey programme, a hundred bottles were placed in a cave for three years. “The wines were chosen blind because we want to showcase the entire appellation”, stresses Jean-Luc Guillon, chairman of Bugey wines. “The goal for our small, 470-hectare wine region is to enhance our reputation but also to test the ageability of our wines. Generally speaking, our wines are very affordable, from €7-8 to €20-25, which is an advantage for reaching out to young consumers. But lengthy ageing can also help us move upmarket and reassure restaurateurs”.

The cave experience ultimately revealed that underground the wines’ development was slower, aromatic freshness was preserved and the carbon dioxide was more miscible – this produced “finer bubbles for the sparkling wine and a creamy mouthfeel and greater volume for some still wines”, says MOF sommelier Gaëtan Bouvier. However, the cave’s influence depended on grape variety and winemaking techniques – it was more pronounced for Roussette and the sparkling wine than for Chardonnay.

Bugey winegrowers will be using the valuable insight from the masterclass to host a number of events showcasing their ‘cave wines’.