Story
Domaine du Gringet (Belluard)
Ayze · Savoie · France
Dominique Belluard dedicated his life to working his family's domain in Ayse since 1988. Initially, the estate was a farm with cows, apples, and various crops alongside grapes. However, Dominique, with his deep-rooted passion for viticulture, decided to focus exclusively on winemaking, expanding the vineyard plantings significantly. He was particularly captivated by Gringet, a rare white variety native to Ayse that was on the brink of extinction. While a few local farmers sold Gringet grapes to cooperatives for sparkling wine, no one was exploring its potential for fine or age-worthy wines.
“Dominique changed that, expanding his family's Gringet plantings and spending decades mastering the grape and demonstrating its unique qualities in Ayse’s terroir.”
The Belluard vineyards, located around 30 miles from Mont Blanc are farmed biodynamically, with vine ages ranging from ten to sixty years. Remarkably, Domaine Belluard cultivates about half of the world's Gringet. Tragically, Dominique passed away during the Covid epidemic. However, his legacy lives on. His wife, Valérie, has arranged for a talented young winemaker to take over the Gringet vineyards and continue producing future cuvées.
