Cork & Quill Log No.12

Jul 15

Whispers from the Mountains: Mondeuse in Bugey

Wine: Mondeuse Rouge – Vin de Table
Region: Bugey, Savoie, France
Vintage: 2022
Grape: 100% Mondeuse
Vibe: Alpine shadow | Black spice | Cool-climate seduction
Mood Pairing: Reading old love letters, rainy night meals, playlist looping at low volume

🍷 Tasting Notes

This red from the misty slopes of Bugey feels like velvet shadows.
Mondeuse brings dark red fruit—black cherry, pomegranate, tart plum—layered with violet, cracked pepper, and a mineral grip that speaks to the Alpine soil. The body is light to medium, but don’t let it fool you—this wine’s structure is precise, its finish long, earthy, and herbal like steeped bay leaf or thyme.

It’s a wine that lingers. That holds you. That leaves space for reflection.

It doesn’t shout—it hums like a late-night drumline in the distance.

Technical Sheet

Appellation: Vin de Table (Bugey, France)

Farming: Organic or Sustainable (confirm producer if known)

Fermentation: Native yeast

Aging: Likely in stainless or used oak

Alcohol: ~12–12.5%

Body: Light to medium

Tannins: Fine, herbal

Acidity: Fresh and lifted

Sweetness: Dry

Serving Temp: 58–62°F

Vibe: Natural / Old World / Alpine energy

🍽️ Food Pairing

This wine craves spice, smoke, and herbs:

Smoked turkey leg stew + red beans
Oxtail with gremolata over parsnip mash
Blackened eggplant + couscous with dried fruits
Lentil patties + tamarind chutney
Grilled duck breast + pickled blueberries

At S.X. House, we served it with:
🌶️ Roasted squash + thyme fritters with charred tomato jam

🎶 Sonic Seasoning

Cool-toned and emotionally layered. Match it with:

Moses Sumney – “Doomed”
Nao – “Orbit”
Cleotrapa – “No More Parties in BX”
Arlo Parks – “Eugene”
Marvin Gaye – “I Want You”

For the moments when you let the wine speak louder than the room.

🪶 Reflection (Quill Section)

Mondeuse is a grape of quiet power. It doesn’t always make headlines, but in the glass—it’s unforgettable. Like the matriarchs of our kitchens, its strength is in its restraint.

This Bugey red reminds me of mountain mornings and southern porch nights—chilly, grounding, soul-stirring. It’s the kind of wine you bring to a dinner where feelings show up, where nothing needs to be said but everything is understood.

🍇 Let this bottle remind you: some things don’t have to explain themselves to be memorable. They just show up full of soul.

Jessica Khouri