Dominique Belluard Les Perles du Mont Blanc Ayze 2019

Dominique Belluard Les Perles du Mont Blanc Ayze 2019

Dominique Belluard
$44.00

Grape: Gringet
Vintage: 2019
Type: Sparkling

This sparkling white wine is a traditional method bottling of the rare native gringet grape, grown on the alpine slopes of Ayze. Hand-harvested from certified biodynamic vineyards, this historical cuvée represents the final sparkling vintage produced before Dominique Belluard’s passing. Primary fermentation occurs spontaneously with native wild yeasts in neutral vessels, avoiding modern sugar or chemical corrections. It undergoes secondary bottle fermentation and extended aging on its lees in deep cellars to protect site- transparency.

It pours a pale gold color with a fine, lively mousse, opening with fresh aromatics of green apples, summer hay, and alpine meadows. A light-to-medium-bodied frame balances a clean fruit presentation with a chiseled vein of mineral salinity. A sharp wave of mountain acidity cuts directly through the mousse, keeping the mouthfeel thoroughly refreshed. Notes of citrus rind add a savory depth across the textured center without introduction of heavy weight.

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.