Château de Mérande: great wines in Savoy
Daniel, André, and Yann are the owners of Château de Mérande , Domaine Genoux, in the Savoie AOC. These winemakers are dedicated to producing natural wines using grape varieties emblematic of the region, wines that express the unique terroirs of the Combe de Savoie. We spoke with Pierre, Daniel's son who works on the estate, to introduce you to these winemakers, who are mindful of nature and exacting in their work and respect for tradition.
The Genoux family, on the estate for generations
The Genoux estate is a family business: brothers Daniel and André took over the business from their father. In the 2000s, they expanded the property from 3 to 12 hectares. Unable to manage all the work themselves, they opened the GAEC (Groupement Agricole d'Exploitation en Commun - a type of French agricultural cooperative) to a new partner in 2009: Yann Pernuit.
Today, Pierre, Daniel's son, works with them on the estate. It would seem that the fourth generation is ready to take up the family mantle. It is on the limestone and clay-limestone soils composed of scree, on the slopes of Savoy at the foot of the Bauges mountains, that the Genoux family has cultivated vines for generations. Planted in the commune of Arbin in the Combe de Savoie, the wines benefit from the prestigious "Cru Arbin" appellation.
Mondeuse: the flagship grape variety of the Cru
Mondeuse is the emblematic grape variety of the Arbin Cru and the Genoux estate: it is planted on 7 of the estate's 12 hectares. Robust, it is the preferred grape variety for this terroir because it is very resistant to cold. "Mondeuse expresses itself in the wine with aromas of fruit, berries, small red fruits (blueberries, redcurrants) and a very characteristic spicy and peppery bouquet," explains Pierre. Tannic, the wines soften after a few years of aging and mature with more animal notes. The Genoux estate offers four great Mondeuse cuvées, each with a different profile, including the château's two top-of-the-range wines: Latitude and La Noire .
The Genoux estate cultivates only local grape varieties from the Savoie appellation: Apremont, Altesse (which produces Roussette de Savoie) , and Roussanne, which is expressed here in the exclusive Cru de Chignin-Bergeron . These white wines, typical of Savoie, reflect the terroir and winemaking tradition of the region.
Natural wines that express the terroir
“ Taking care of the land .” Wine is, above all, about working the land and the vines. For a long time, the Genoux family has sought to work naturally, freeing themselves as much as possible from chemical and synthetic products. “ We felt like we were working against common sense. We wanted to respect the land much more. We went back to the basics of being a farmer, not just an agricultural operator, ” explains Pierre. In 2009, with Yann’s arrival, the estate was converted to organic farming with Ecocert certification. In 2015, the winemakers decided to take a further step by obtaining the Biodivin label for biodynamic practices.
Each of the winemakers at Domaine Genoux is convinced that chemical-based viticultural practices mask the natural aromas of wine. They strive to produce wines that express the true taste of the land and the terroir, the unique terroir of the Savoy mountains. They therefore favor gentle mechanization in the vineyards: manual plowing and animal traction. They follow the lunar calendar, which allows them to adapt their viticultural practices to the vine's growth cycle. They limit inputs in the vineyards and cellars as much as possible, favoring herbal teas and decoctions. It is with this philosophy that the estate approaches its agricultural practices: through reflection and observation, each vintage, different from the last, teaches the winemakers something new.
Our favorite wines from the estate:
The 2016 vintage promises to be of high quality.
The year got off to a bad start: heavy rain in the spring, severe mildew pressure, and hail. 2016 was a very difficult year for many winegrowers. Domaine Genoux is facing a significant drop in production this year.
However, the quality is there ! " We are very happy ," says Pierre: the whites are supported by very good acidity, the grapes were able to be harvested at good ripeness and the wines have very good balances.
A tip ? Don't hesitate to discover the wines of Domaine Genoux, available on Les Grappes here !
Manon Mouly (For Les Grappes )
Les dernières nouveautés
Les cuvées fraîchement arrivées en cave
