A Most Interesting Red Wine From Bugey

The wine club to which I belong is run by a guy whose opinions I respect and whose tastes lie on the adventurous side of "what was that again?" He says, "Mondeuse is a wine that sits at the crossroads of gamay (fresh, rarely dense), cabernet franc (savory, earthy), and Rhône syrah (brambly), and I often also pick up a unique, nearly camphoraceous dimension that distinguishes it from any other grape." Sounds interesting, doesn't it?

The Quinard family has farmed in the Bugey region of France since the mid-19th century. In the 1970s they altered their focus specifically to grapes, leaving out all the other food and animal interests they had been associated with for more than a hundred years. Their organic certification came in 2009.

The Caveau Quinard Grand Hautins 2023 is made from the Mondeuse grape, which may send you scurrying to your Century Club notes. It is a unique grape, and not one to be taken lightly. Alcohol tips 13% and it is usually available for less than $25. 

This wine is a medium-dark ruby color in the glass. The nose is fully dark, showing plum, blackberry, sour cherry, and anise aromas. The palate is a shocker. I had never had a wine made from the Mondeuse grape, and I was taken aback. Those dark fruits are noticeable, but they appear alongside a massive minerality. The earthy tone of this wine takes no prisoners. I would say it's like a brawny Pinot Noir, but that description doesn't do it justice. Maybe a Pinot Noir blended with Syrah, except we know that never happens. Right? This wine is an experience, one for which you should brace yourself. 

Follow Randy Fuller on X and BlueSky