Drink

At Fish&Pips we are firm believers that delicious food and delicious wine go hand in hand. For this reason we spend a great deal of time carefully selecting quality tipples for your stay.

FISH AND PIPS WINES 2010/2011

Fish & Pips works closely with Le Verre Gourmand, a wholesale wine supplier based in the Alps. La Verre Gourmand (LVG) has developed partnerships with producers throughout France and they spend a great deal of time travelling the country carefully handpicking their wines by choosing only what they like. They use mostly independent producers but also work with a few wine cooperatives and merchants who produce and sell their wines with an independent spirit. With the assistance of Sam from Le Verre Gourmand and after trying 46 different wines Holly and Philippa have put together this wine list, trying to get a variety of wines, which we hope you will enjoy trying.

Le Verre Gourmand - www.chaletpt.com

WHITE

Andre et Michel Quenard Chignin Vielles Vignes 2009
This wine is made with older vines of the widespread Jacquere grape, grown on the steep west and southwest-facing hillsides south of Chambery. The result is a fresh, charming, elegant wine - something to disprove most people's negative experiences of Savoyard wines. The appley/lemony flavours offer a perfect counter-balance to the acidity you need to cut through the robust local cuisine. It's relatively low in alcohol, too, so not too many headaches from this one...

Domaine Guenault AOP Sauvignon de Touraine 2009
A bright and crisp Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley's famous Touraine region, with depth, elegance and a grassy, lemony, elderflower-like freshness. The grapes for this vibrant wine are drawn from some of the best vineyards situated on the hallowed tufa soils, contributing to its pure, mineral character. It can rightly be called a 'baby Sancerre'. Match it up with goat's cheese.

Cave de Saumur AOP Cuvee Signee Eric Laurent 2009
A beautifully balanced, medium-weight white wine from the Loire Valley, made with the Chenin Blanc grape, with aromas of crushed white fruits, white flowers and a light honeyed freshness. It's remarkably versatile with food - fresh enough not to overpower a light fish dish, yet with enough body to stand up to a creamy chicken recipe.

Hauts de Median Chardonnay Viognier 2009
Chardonnay and Viognier make great bedfellows: the peachy aromatics of the Viognier sit perfectly beside the creamy freshness of Chardonnay. This middle-weight example show why.

ROSE

Petit Pont Rose 2009/10
A delicious Grenache/Cinsault blend from the South of France, with an attractive pale pink colour, a lovely nose of red fruits and a crisp, dry palate. Thirst-quenching stuff - all you need is bowl of olives.

RED

Rare Vineyards Malbec 2009
The Argentines have made the Malbec grape a world star, producing soft, supple, velvety wines - a world away from the old-fashioned reds of France's Cahors where the grape traditionally hails from. This Malbec wine is very much in the New World style - lashings of juicy berry fruit with a lovely enveloping smoothness.

Domaine Aujoux AOP Beaujolais-Villages 2009
Forget all notions of thin Beaujolais Nouveau. Proper Beaujolais is one of the yummiest wines in the world and 2009 is the vintage they're all going nuts about. This light to medium-bodied wine (from a producer who works with the Wine Society in the UK) is gloriously feminine - soft, charming, seductive strawberry fruit both on the nose and palate. You don't need any food to enjoy this wine, but it will go beautifully with salads, poultry and even fish.

Monestier Shiraz 2009
A lightly oaked Syrah/Shiraz from the Languedoc, made in a modern, almost 'New World' style. It has a lovely vanilla-like point from the oak, marrying beautifully with the soft dark fruit in the wine. A real crowd-pleaser.

Les Rocs Nobles Bordeaux 2007
Classic red Bordeaux, hard to fault. Blended from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it has typical notes of red peppers and tobacco.

CHAMPAGNE

We source our white and pink champagne from a small, family-run supplier called Mathieu-Gandon. It is simply delicious. You are welcomed to the chalet on your first night with a champagne reception, and should you be celebrating during your holiday the bubbles will flow again.

www.mathieu-gandon.com

BEER & SOFT DRINKS

For those who prefer the hops, beer is on tap whenever you feel like it. We also have a selection of soft drinks - Perrier, Orangina, Coca Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Tonic.

SPIRITS

We have a supply of Vodka and Gin which you can take off our hands at cost price. If you have any other spirits in mind for your stay, do let us know in advance and we can buy these in for you.

GENEPI

If you like your digestifs then the local Savoie tipple Genepi is definitely worth a try. It will be produced by your host at some point over the course of the week, luckily or unluckily some might say!