Caveau du Mont July
Bugey Cerdon (Savoie)

The Estate
We visited the winery in January 2007 for the first time and met Jean-Louis Ronger who organized a very nice reception for us. We enjoyed tasting his wines together with the local "tarte au sucre" (sugar pie). The owner Jean Louis Ronger has been producing wine from Bugey for thirteen years. He represents the first generation of his family to make wine. The Caveau is located in the tiny village of Bohas, a 40 minute drive from the city of Bourg-en-Bresse, famous for its "Bresse" chicken.

The Vineyard
The region is located on the lower slopes of the Jura mountains made of calcareous or siliceous clay. Because of the topography, the vineyard is divided into 10 small parcels where 80 wine producers make Bugey wines. Production includes traditional red, rosé, white, sparkling wines or marc brandy. The Bugey Cerdon area is very small, covering only 150 hectares of vines. Wines from Bugey Cerdon are not A.O.C. wines but V.D.Q.S. (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure).
Caveau du Mont July's vineyard measures 4 hectares (9.8 acres) but only 1.8 hectare is under vines. The yield is 72-75 hectoliters/hectare.

The Wines

shelf talker

#F4EE66500
UPC code: 7 84585 00899 5
N.V. Caveau du Mont July, Le Petillant du Cavet 6/750ml
"Cavet" was the nickname for the inhabitant of the region.
Made from 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Gamay (local grape), 20% Gamay (from Touraine area).
Fresh, clean and fruity wine.

National Retail Price: $16.99 / bottle

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#F4EE66501
UPC code: 7 84585 00900 8
N.V Caveau du Mont July, Bugey Cerdon, Méthode Ancestrale 6/750ml
Produced from the "Ancestral method" (also used to produce Clairette de Die): Low temperature fermentation starting in the tank, light filtration that leaves active yeast in the wine, bottling of the wine with fermentation continuing in the bottle ("spontaneous fermentation in the bottle"), retaining some sugar (40 gr/liter at the end).
Made from 95% Gamay, 5% Poulsard (a local grape from Jura).

Refreshing, fruity, juicy, slightly sweet, this pink bubbly is excellent as an aperitif and a perfect companion to dessert, especially chocolate cakes.

National Retail Price: $23.99 / bottle