Altesse or Roussette is a white

French wine French wine is produced all throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France is one of the largest wine producers in the world, along with Italian, Spanish, and Ameri ...

grape variety This list of grape varieties includes cultivated grapes, whether used for wine, or eating as a table grape, fresh or dried ( raisin, currant, sultana). For a complete list of all grape species including those unimportant to agriculture, see ...

found primarily in the

Savoy wine Savoy () is a wine region situated in the Savoy region in eastern France, and is sometimes referred to as the country of the Allobroges. It is the only alpine wine region in France, and is known for grape varieties rarely grown elsewhere, including ...

region of

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. It yields small harvests and ripens late but is resistant to

grey rot ''Botrytis cinerea'' is a necrotrophic fungus that affects many plant species, although its most notable hosts may be wine grapes. In viticulture, it is commonly known as "botrytis bunch rot"; in horticulture, it is usually called "grey mould" o ...

. Wines made from Altesse have exotic aromas, often together with citrus and herbs, and have good acidity. They are considered to age well. In the vineyard, Altesse is said to be very similar to the Furmint variety of Hungary. The origin of Altesse is subject to various claims, including an origin in

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, but a French origin seems more probable.Vitis International Variety Catalogue: Altesse
, accessed on June 8, 2008 Roussette De Savoie, Altesse, 2008

Wine regions

Altesse is the variety used for the

appellation An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical bo ...

Roussette de Savoie as well as Roussette du Bugey in the neighbouring tiny wine region of

Bugey The Bugey (, ; Arpitan: ''Bugê'') is a historical region in the department of Ain, eastern France, located between Lyon and Geneva. It is located in a loop of the Rhône River in the southeast of the department. It includes the foothills of the ...

. For wines which only display the appellation name, rather than the appellation name together with that of a village, it has previously been allowed to blend in up to 50% of

Chardonnay Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new ...

. This practice has recently been phased out from Savoy and is being phased out from Bugey. From the 2001 vintage all Roussette de Savoie must be made from 100% Altesse, and from the 2009 vintage the same applies to all Roussette de Bugey.AOVDQS Bugey Arrêté du 13/01/2004 - Version du 18/03/2004
/ref> There were of Altesse in France in 2000.

Wine styles

The "Roussette" wines of Savoy and Bugey are produced both with and without the influence of oak. The Altesse grape may also be blended into "plain" white Savoy and Bugey wine as well as the

sparkling wine Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it, making it fizzy. While the phrase commonly refers to champagne, European Union countries legally reserve that term for products exclusively produced in the Champagne regi ...

s of the regions.

Synonyms

Synonyms include Altesse Blanche, Altesse Verte, Arin, Fusette, Fusette d'Amberieu, Fusette de Montagnieu, Ignam, Ignan Blanc, Maconnais, Petit Maconnais, Prin Blanc, Rousette Haute, Roussette, Roussette Basse, Roussette de Montagnieu, Roussette Grosse, Roussette Haute, Roussette Petite, Serene Blanche.

References

{{Reflist White wine grape varieties