A native of Annecy, Charlotte Sonjon launched her eponymous project in 2021 with a parcel of Altesse in Brison-Saint-Innocent and another of Jacquère in Chautagne, about 20 minutes up the road in this stunning northern swath of the Savoie. 

Today she has amassed four hectares, which include Altesse, Jacquère, Chardonnay, Aligoté, Pinot noir, Gamay and Mondeuse, as well as a view she never tires of—Lac du Bourget, where the light is changing all the time. 

Sandwiched between the right bank near Aix-les-Bains and the foothills of the French Alps, Charlotte's vines benefit from the heatsink created by the lake. It's a microclimate that makes this stretch of land one of the warmest in the region and has earned it the nickname "the Nice of the Savoie."

This is a stunning landscape of contrasts, shot through with constant reminders that the Mediterranean influence lies just within reach. A stand of citrus trees Charlotte has planted alongside her vines — cédrat, yuzu, Corsican clementines — has withstood frosts, when temperatures have dipped down into the teens. A town we pass en route to her Mondeuse vines is named for the olive trees which grow there, in the shadow of snow-covered slopes frequented by cross-country skiers. It's a lesson in the hardiness of Provençal character and the welcoming nature of the Savoie to new arrivals prepared to brave the alpine climate.

Charlotte herself got her start in the South, learning to make wine in the Var then returning home to work at Domaine de Chevillard and Les Côtes Rousses. It's thanks to them that she found her footing in the Savoie, a succinct region with only 2,200 hectares under vine. Now five years in, Charlotte has carved out her own throughline. Her wines are delicate yet quietly powerful, demure yet defined by finesse. "I've never made exuberant wines. It's not my identity. I'm more discreet," Charlotte admits. The wines reflect the person. "Just like the dog resembles its owner. Although I don't have a moustache," Charlotte says with a twinkle in her eye, gazing down at Doug, her adorable mud-covered terrier.

CHARLOTTE SONJON

Country: France

Region: Savoie

Sub-region or Appellation: Brison Saint Innocent

Viticulture: Certified Organic, practicing biodynamic

Terroir: clay, limestone, gravel, marl, sandstone, silt

Size: ~3 ha

Instagram: @charlottesonjon

CHARLOTTE SONJON :: Complices

AOP Vin de Savoie Blanc. A blend of the four white varieties of the domaine: 45% Jacquère, 30% Altesse, 15% Chardonnay, 10% Aligoté. Direct-pressed, and aged sur lie in steel tanks for 9 months. Thirst- inducing, bright and precise.

Vintage: 2024
Varieties: Jacquere (45%), Altesse (30%), Chardonnay (15%), Aligoté (10%)
Style: White Wine
ABV: 11%
Region: Savoie
Sub-Region or Appellation: Brison Saint Innocent & Chautagne
Viticulture: Organic
Age of Vines:
Soils: clay, limestone, gravel, marl, sandstone, silt
Yeasts: Indigenous yeasts
Vinification: Direct-pressed
Aging: 9 months in stainless steel, sur lie
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: Minimal at bottling

CHARLOTTE SONJON :: La Traverse

AOP Vin de Savoie Rouge. A 50/50 assemblage of Pinot Noir and Gamay. Grapes are macerated separately for 8-9 days before blending, then pressed together before aging in 70% stainless steel tanks and 30% barriques. A supremely terroir-driven wine with notes of rosewater.

Vintage: 2024
Varieties: Pinot Noir (50%), Gamay (50%)
Style: Red Wine
ABV: 11%
Region: Savoie
Sub-Region or Appellation: Brison Saint Innocent
Viticulture: Organic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay, Gravel, Limestone, Marl
Yeasts: Indigenous yeasts
Vinification: Fermented separately, whole cluster for 8-9 days
Aging: Stainless steel and used barrels
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: Minimal at bottling

CHARLOTTE SONJON :: Haut Les Coeurs

AOP Vin de Savoie Blanc Chautagne. 100% direct-pressed Jacquère from a higher altitude parcel near Chautagne. Aged sur lie in a 50/50 mix of stainless steel tanks and barriques. Charlotte's favorite cépage takes center stage with a mellow creaminess punctuated by lemon zest.

Vintage: 2024
Varieties: Jacquere
Style: White Wine
ABV: 10.5%
Region: Savoie
Sub-Region or Appellation: Chautagne
Viticulture: Organic
Age of Vines:
Soils: clay, limestone, sandstone, silt, bedrock
Yeasts: Indigenous yeasts
Vinification: Direct-pressed
Aging: Stainless steel/barriques
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: Minimal at bottling

CHARLOTTE SONJON :: L’Innocente

AOP Roussette de Savoie. 100% direct- pressed Altesse. Aged sur lie in a 50/50 mix of demi-muids and barriques. A delicate finesse that will only grow more complex with time. Crisp alpine orchard fruits.

Vintage: 2023
Varieties: Altesse (Roussette de Savoie)
Style: White Wine
ABV: 11.5%
Region: Savoie
Sub-Region or Appellation: Brison Saint Innocent
Viticulture: Organic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay, Gravel, Limestone, Marl
Yeasts: Indigenous yeasts
Vinification: Direct-pressed
Aging: Barriques and demi-muids
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: Minimal at bottling

CHARLOTTE SONJON :: A Tire d’Aile

AOP Vin de Savoie Rouge. 100% Mondeuse, macerated whole cluster for 10 days. Aged in blend of 50% demi-muid, 25% clay jar, and 25% stainless steel. Named for the birds which love to populate this remote parcel and the ethereal cherry-coded nature of Mondeuse itself.

Vintage: 2024
Varieties: Mondeuse
Style: Red Wine
ABV: 11.5%
Region: Savoie
Sub-Region or Appellation: Brison Saint Innocent
Viticulture: Organic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay, Gravel, Limestone, Marl
Yeasts: Indigenous yeasts
Vinification: 10 days of whole-cluster maceration
Aging: Demi-muids, stainless steel, and terracotta
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: Minimal at bottling