Lambert de Seyssel Petit Royal Brut

Long before most of us had heard of Seyssel, the wines from this tiny corner of the French Alps had already earned quite a following. Vineyards here appear in records going back to at least the 11th century, and by the 1800s the region had developed a reputation for sparkling wine. Queen Victoria is even said to have enjoyed the local bubbles while visiting nearby Alpine spa towns.

Today, Lambert de Seyssel keeps that tradition alive with Petit Royal, a sparkling wine made from two grapes you probably won’t encounter very often: 70% Molette and 30% Altesse. Both are native to this mountainous part of eastern France, where limestone and clay soils and the cool Alpine climate give the wines their distinctive freshness.

Petit Royal is made using the same traditional method associated with Champagne, with the second fermentation taking place in the bottle, followed by two years of aging on the lees. That time gives the wine more than just bubbles. There’s a lovely combination of Alpine flowers, dried fruit and wildflower honey, along with a subtle yeasty, toasted character underneath. At just 12% alcohol, it remains bright and refreshing despite all that aromatic richness.

This is one of those bottles that reminds us how much great sparkling wine exists beyond Champagne. It has history, unusual grapes and enough personality to make you wonder why Seyssel isn’t better known. Open it as an aperitif with salty snacks, soft cheeses or charcuterie, or take Kermit Lynch’s wonderfully unpretentious suggestion and drink it with a bowl of mac and cheese.