Few combinations capture the attention of wine-lovers better than limestone soils and sloping vineyards. From Montrachet to the Tuscan hills, it’s a union proven to elicit scintillating results. Savoie, nestled in the foothills of the Alps in eastern France, is one such region—and Paul Gadenne is one of its brightest rising stars. Gadenne is a dynamic first-generation vigneron based in the small town of Chignin, a Savoie subregion at the south-eastern edge of the Alps, in the foothills of the Massif des Bauges. This small Alpine village is one of great renown, sheltered by towering peaks in a deep valley with well-drained soils rich in limestone. Gadenne farms five hectares of vines across 15 small, high-elevation plots planted to local varieties. Chief among these are Jacquère—described by Andrew Jefford as a grape of “aerial lightness… It whispers stone rather than singing fruit… Above all, it’s mouthwatering”—and Roussanne, which in Savoie gives a very different expression from its Rhône relatives; lighter, more mineral and tensile. For the reds, Gadenne favours Mondeuse—charming, bright, fresh and savoury—and Gamay. Gadenne’s touch in the cellar is lighter than light, a guiding hand to wonderfully focused wines, full of precision and crystalline clarity. Ferments are wild, cool and mostly in tank, ensuring every drop of Alpine freshness is captured and retained. Born from towering, rugged mountainous terrain, Gadenne’s wines are a bracingly delicious breath of fresh air. True reflections of their terroir, they’re bright, digestible, and deep in flavour. In no time at all, Gadenne has gone from unknown entity to red-hot property in the French wine scene, and now, faraway eyes are firmly trained on this exciting young vigneron. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Please get in touch with Paul to find out more about the Gadenne wines. pmedder@ifw.com.au