Domaine Giachino ‘Frères Giac’ Rouge 2021

Location: France, Savoie

Winemaker: Frédéric, David, and Clément Giachino

Grapes: Gamay

Soil: limestone, clay, chalk

Winemaking: destemmed, naturally fermented in stainless steel. Macerated 10 days, gently handled to minimize extraction. Elevage for 6 months in stainless steel.

From us at M&L: Frédéric Giachino and his brothers, David and Clement, work among the limestone scree that used to be attached to Mt. Granier - before it came crashing down in the 13th century. The uniqueness of the soils and the glacial valleys here provide an uncannily optimal environment for viticulture; albeit small and hard to get to!

In this Alpine wonderland they produce wines of great texture and subtle herbal qualities that feel invigorating and playful. The area is famous for Jacquère, and the brothers offer some of the most nuanced and beguiling examples in the Savoie. They also craft some of the more purely drinkable Mondeuse we’ve encountered.

The signature of the wines seems to be an effortless, bottle-a-day wholesomeness coupled with a serious sense of crunchy terroir.

From the Importer Jeffrey Alpert Selections: After completing a course in Beaune, Frédéric Giachino took over his grandfather’s 1.5ha mixed farm a stone’s throw from Col du Granier in 1988. Frédéric’s childhood summers are imprinted with the memory of the Jacquère that grew alongside grazing animals; it only felt natural to Frédéric to begin his work on this very farm, even dismissing his own grandfather’s concern for starting a domaine due to Jacquère’s second-rate reputation at the time. The years that followed saw Frédéric slowly add to his holdings in the area while working for Jean-François Thomassin. Beginning to question some of the farming and cellar practices he was taught in school, Frédéric shifted his philosophy to lutte raisonnée in 2004. While the wines themselves were awarded various accolades and scores, Frédéric nevertheless felt an urgency to evolve his farming practices even further and committed to organics. He received certification (AB) in 2006. He also brought in his brother David—who was working as an oenologist for Oeno Conseil at the time—on to work with him during this important chapter of Domaine Giachino’s history. Frédéric’s son Clément joined the domaine in 2015 and has been closely overseeing biodynamic conversation in the vineyards. Spanning 15ha in all, the Giachinos’ holdings span from all over the Savoie (Apremont, Les Marches, Chaptareillan) and include many grape varieties. In addition to the Jacquère that David first started working with in 1989, the domaine now works with Altesse, Verdesse, Mondeuse Blanche, Persan, Gamay, Etraire de la Dui, among other varieties. All grapes are picked by hand, only native yeasts are used during fermentation, and SO2 additions are only used when deemed absolutely necessary. Demeter certified.