Jambon de Savoie & Mondeuse
They know how to salt and dry meat in the French mountains better than anyone. And smoking over beechwood is their secret. Jambon de Savoie may not be Europe’s best-known cured ham, but it is one of the tastiest. Together with a glass of local red Mondeuse and other charcuterie from Haute-Savoie, it’s positively heavenly on a drinks platter.
On the slopes of the northwestern French foothills of the Alps, vineyards, mountain cattle and sturdy pigs alternate.
In the past, the presence of pigs in Savoie was an almost logical consequence of local cheese production. They were fed on the whey left over. Nowadays, the link with dairy cattle has all but disappeared, but the pigs remained. So did the good mountain feed, altitude and wind, incidentally. Today’s mountain pigs happily nibble on, among other things, rejected grape bunches. And the altitude and wind still prove to be valuable allies when drying their meat.
Beechwood fire with juniper
The isolated mountain existence once made preserving meat essential. The Savoyards decided to use every method available for this purpose: salting, drying and smoking. Even today, all dry-cured hams – including the Spanish, Italian and Portuguese varieties – are salted and then air-dried. Their names often refer to this. The French jambon sec simply means dry ham. Prosciutto derives from the Latin pro (before) and exsuctus (drawing out moisture), as does the Portuguese presunto, incidentally. Serrano comes from de la sierra (from the mountains) and refers to drying in cool mountain air.
The true finesse of the charcuterie only emerges when it is smoked over beechwood with juniper
But everywhere, the process is just a little different. In Haute-Savoie, the hams are rubbed generously with salt and then hung in large barns, surrounded by fresh Alpine air. They are subsequently left undisturbed for at least 12 months so they can develop their refined flavor. The true finesse of the authentic charcuterie , however, only emerges when it is smoked over a gentle beechwood fire with juniper.
Mondeuse, the robust mountain red
The wine to drink with those slices of Jambon de Savoie that melt on your tongue is the local Mondeuse. The ancient local mondeuse noir is a grape with a character of its own and a beautiful red color. Amid all the whites, this mountain red is particularly intriguing and unique.
Perfect, then, with a little ham smoked over juniper. And both originate at the summits of the Alps
Most local reds are smooth and light; the (preferably chilled) Pinot Noir and Gamay from Savoie are even vibrantly fruity. Mondeuse is a little more robust and best compared to a fresh version of Syrah, with a generous splash of Pinot Noir added. You smell blackberries, berries and raspberries. Relatively low in alcohol, yet with pleasant tannins. You taste something rustic, black fruit and a spicy, bitter cherry at the finish.
Perfect, then, with a little ham smoked over juniper. And both originate at the summits of the Alps: truly a match made in heaven.
Buy Mondeuse?
Domaine Jean Vullien – Mondeuse | Het Wijnmagazijn | € 9,95
Mondeuse, Cellier De Sordan | Wijnkoperij de Hermitage | € 10,65
Château de la Violette, Sous Les Cèdres | Ton Overmars | € 10,95
Dubreuil Bugey Mondeuse 2015 | Jos Beeres | € 12,25
Mondeuse La Sauvage 2014 | AndereWijn | € 18,00
