The land and the vine

Our decision to adopt organic methods of wine production allows us to appreciate the true nature of our region. Our vineyards are located in the foothills of Mount Granier, whose geological formation and history are what make our organic wines so unique.

Situated on glacial moraines, on the night of 24 November 1248, Mount Granier experienced a massive rockslide of some 500 million m3, engulfing five parishes in its wake. This terrible event is what resulted in our area’s craggy relief and the mixture of clay and limestone soils and the original rock. According to the Inter-professional Committee of Savoyard Wines, vines are the only kind of vegetation that will grow in such conditions.

The essence of the land – the ‘terroir’

The soil is a living organism: its aeration, its trace elements, its insect life and microbes are all part of the biological activity that imparts its particular character.

Using organic agricultural methods is the best way to respect the land so that it can express its essential qualities. In so doing, we are helping to preserve the uniqueness of our region – our ‘terroir’.

Wine production in Savoie

With an average altitude of 1500m and 36 peaks of over 3500m and 107 of over 3000m, the highly mountainous Department of Savoie may not seem like the most hospitable environment for vineyards and wine production. The land is rugged, the plots of land are small, and the climate is harsh.

But the glaciers also carved out huge valleys and, as they retreated, left moraines, large rocky outcrops on the mountainsides and valley floors. In the foothills of Mount Granier, the combination of its geology, the massive rockslide in the 13th century and a favourable altitude and situation has created an environment that is uniquely favourable for the cultivation of vines. (Source: Inter-professional Committee of Savoyard Wines)