Roussette de Savoie Zulime 2025 Domaine Adrien Berlioz

The Roussette de Savoie Zulime 2025 from Domaine Adrien Berlioz is the domaine's most elegant and accessible white cuvée, rated 92/100 by Revue du Vin de France on the 2018 vintage. Zulime opens the movement of this sublime trio of whites interpreted by the virtuoso Adrien Berlioz. Imbued with softness and purity, this Roussette de Savoie enchants with its elegant, slender palate. All the precision work carried out by Adrien Berlioz shines through in this fine bottle. A white of absolute finesse, born from Altesse, the presiding grape variety of the Roussette de Savoie appellation.

The grape and terroir

The Zulime cuvée comes from the Altesse variety, also called Roussette in Savoy, an emblematic and historic grape of the region, sometimes described as the queen of Savoyard varieties for its natural aromatic complexity and remarkable ageing potential. The vines, around fifteen years old, are planted on clay-limestone and clay-silty soils with full southern exposure, a favourable position that ensures the variety slow, harmonious ripening whilst preserving its natural freshness and characteristic acidity. The soils are regularly worked and grassed so that the vines draw abundant resources from depth. The grapes, always hand harvested at perfect ripeness, never lack acidity and the wines' balance is remarkable. Vinification is precise and minimalist: soft pneumatic pressing, fermentation with indigenous yeasts and no additives, natural malolactic fermentation, ageing in stainless steel with light stirring to preserve the variety's purity and tension. The domaine has been certified organic since 2009 and biodynamic Demeter since 2020.

Tasting profile

The robe is pale straw yellow with green glints, limpid and crystalline. The nose shows fine intensity around quince, apricot and floral notes, with real complexity that pairs with a slender palate. Delicate white flower and citrus notes complete this bouquet of remarkable freshness and clarity. On the 2025 vintage, the natural freshness and characteristic acid tension of Altesse express themselves with particularly striking liveliness and precision. On the palate, the wine is all finesse and elegance: fine minerality perfectly expresses the terroir, supported by fresh, well-integrated acidity that structures light, precise matter. The finish is iodine-tinged and persistent, with that characteristic salty tension of Altesse which evokes the alpine and lacustrine landscapes of Savoy. An aperitif and food white of absolute drinkability and sincerity.

The domaine

Adrien Berlioz, young cousin and neighbour of Gilles Berlioz, established himself in 2006 at Chignin, in Savoy. This true Savoyard is suffused with talent and drive. Determined, meticulous and attentive, this self-taught vigneron has built, since 2006, a human-scale domaine of 5.5 hectares spread across 13 parcels, all situated on Chignin. Certified organic since 2009 and biodynamic Demeter since 2020.

Food pairings

This wine is perfect as an aperitif but pairs beautifully with fish or Savoyard cheeses such as Tomme de Savoie or Emmental. Stuffed courgettes with brousse, goose rillettes, raclette with quality cheeses are delicious traditional Savoyard pairings. It also works well with altitude trout with almonds, pike quenelles with Nantua sauce, scallops in chive cream or risotto with wild mushrooms. Served between 10 and 12°C, it will reveal all the mineral freshness, floral sweetness and purity of a Savoy Altesse vinified with the precision and conviction of a passionate vigneron.