2022 Vin de Savoie, Etraz, Domaine du Gringet

The Domaine du Gringet, nestled in Ayse, Savoie, was once under the care of Dominique Belluard. But since 2022, it’s been taken over by an exciting team: Franck Balthazar (a winemaker from Cornas), Vincent Ruiz (a rising star from Ardèche), along with Miguel Sarzier and Raphaël Bennour. The vineyard now spans 9.5 hectares and is treated with a meticulous plot-by-plot approach. It’s predominantly planted with the Gringet grape (a whopping 90%), while the remainder is split equally between Mondeuse and Altesse. Winemaking here is all about gentle, hands-off techniques, using wild yeasts, minimal sulphur, and ageing the wine in neutral concrete & stainless steel.

Etraz is crafted from Gringet grapes grown in a plot known as Vers Etraz, where the soil is rich in limestone scree. This very plot once produced Dominique Belluard’s famous Mont Blanc sparkling wine. After a delicate 7-hour pressing, the juice ferments naturally with native yeasts. The wine then spends 9 months on fine lees in egg-shaped concrete vats, followed by 10 months resting peacefully in the bottle, ready to be enjoyed!