Dominique Belluard Les Perles du Mont Blanc Ayze Method Traditionnelle 2018

Dominique Belluard Les Perles du Mont Blanc Ayze Method Traditionnelle 2018

Dominique Belluard
$42.00

Grape: Gringet
Vintage: 2018
Type: Sparkling

This alpine sparkling white wine is a pure varietal expression of the rare native gringet grape from the steep slopes of Savoie. Hand-harvested from certified biodynamic vineyards, the 2018 harvest captures the penultimate sparkling release produced by the late Dominique Belluard. The winemaking utilizes an old-school protocol, allowing a spontaneous primary fermentation driven by native vineyard wild yeasts in neutral concrete vessels. It undergoes traditional secondary fermentation and extended aging inside deep chalk cellars to allow the structural components to settle.

It pours a pale straw color with silver highlights and a persistent stream of bubbles. The nose opens with aromas of fresh apple, summer hay, and a savory nutty edge. A lightweight and crisp frame balances a bruised apple fruit profile with an underlying vein of mineral salinity. A sharp wave of natural acidity runs through the mousse, keeping the fluid mouthfeel thoroughly refreshed.

Dominique Belluard, Dom to his friends, worked his family’s domaine in Ayse from 1988 until his death in 2021.

When Dom took over, the domaine was in polyculture, with dairy cows, apples, and other crops in addition to grapes.  Dom was very much a farmer, but he wanted to focus his energies on being a vigneron, so he increased the vineyard plantings.  He was particularly drawn to Gringet, a white variety found only in Ayse that was nearly extinct.  A few local growers sold grapes to the co-op for sparkling wine, but there were no efforts to make fine wine or vins de garde from Gringet.   Dom become the master of Gringet showing the world its potential in Ayze’s terroir.

Ayze is a Cru of the Vin de Savoie appellation that covers the mountainous landscape south of Lake Geneva in far-eastern France.

Ayze is only about 30 miles from Mont Blanc, but the Belluard vineyards are planted relatively lower to allow ripening. Make no mistake, these are mountain wines.  All are farmed biodynamically and were planted by selection massale.

Domaine Belluard had about half of the Gringet planted in the world. The varietal was almost extinct outside of his family's land.

Dom’s cellar practices were as careful and thoughtful as his farming.  All fermentations are native and elevage typically occurs in cement eggs or stainless steel.