The cultivation of the vine in Savoie has been developing since antiquity. Authors such as Pliny and Columella already mention it in the 1st century BC. The quality of the wines is already put forward at this time. It is explained by an inspiration of the Greek know-how.
In the Middle Ages, the church had one of the most important land holdings. The monks then proceeded to a work of naming of the surfaces of the Savoyard vineyard, but the quest for knowledge of the monks did not stop there. We witness the first experiments in viticulture and vinification. The result was a notable progression in the quality of the wines...
The transition between the Middle Ages and the Revolution brought about changes in the distribution of the vineyards. The gradual abolition of serfdom led to a fragmentation of the land and an extension of the vineyard areas. Between the XVIth and the XVIIIth century, the extent of the vineyards declined from the plains to the slopes of more than 1000 meters of altitude. In order to limit this progression and in a concern for quality, Duke Emmanuel Philibert instituted the ban of the grape harvest by an edict in 1559. This measure aimed to encourage the harvest of grapes at the right maturity.
Generally speaking, the revolution of 1789 had favorable repercussions on the development of the vine in Savoy. The accession of the farmers to the property by the repurchase of vineyards which had become national goods reduced the agricultural sharecropping and generalized the direct making. This evolution was translated by an increased care brought to the vineyard.1860, the attachment of Savoy to France, had lesser consequences. The wines entered directly into competition with the wines of the South. The arrival of phylloxera in Savoie in 1877 caused considerable devastation as in the whole of France. And for good reason, the technique of grafting on American rootstock, having been discovered at the end of the 1880s, was accompanied by a vast movement of replanting. The latter was motivated by the high prices following the reduction of the Mediterranean vineyard and thus compensated for the destruction due to phylloxera.
The reconstruction of the vineyard was accompanied by profound transformations. Notably on the land structure since the crisis contributed to the almost total elimination of the wine aristocracy. The deprivation of income from their vineyards for 10 years led to a massive resale to seek less risky investments elsewhere. In terms of vine cultivation, Mr. Fleury-Lacoste, then president of the Central Agricultural Society, published a practical guide to new vine pruning methods.
The XIXth Century ended with a real renaissance of the Savoyard vineyard due to the research on the development of the cultivation process.
In the XXth century, the first world war will have important repercussions on the viticulture, notably because of the lack of manpower. In the 1930's, the crisis hit the sector again, with a decline in the number of inhabitants and urbanization, and the Second World War led to a reduction in the area under vines, but the impact was more moderate than expected.
Until the beginning of the 90's, it was the "golden age" of Savoy wines. In 1992, the Olympic Games in Albertville shed additional light on the vineyard. The agricultural and viticultural competitions were in full swing and the awards fell for one of the smallest terroirs in France. Crowned with 3 AOCs, the wines of Savoie seemed to be at their peak, but this was without counting on a national consumption of wine in decline. In a short decade, the vineyard has experienced a decline in its reputation, which locks it into wines for quick consumption, not very concentrated and not cut for aging.
The years 2000, mark a decisive turning point towards the quest for quality and recognition of the wines of Savoy. The strategy of reconquest is put in place, thanks to the technical itineraries, the control and the follow-up of the production but also to the communication and to the search for new markets.the wine activity largely took part in the development of the Savoyard landscape. Today, it has a privileged place in the Savoyard agricultural economy. The vineyards are attracting attention and newcomers are arriving, proof if any were needed of a new attractiveness and a revival of the image of the new wines of Savoie.
Discover through two documents, the origins, the territories and the strategies of the Savoyard vineyard. How did the wines of Savoie reach their present-day fame?
