Domaine Girard

The origins of Domaine Girard go back to the mid-1940s when the family worked a mixed farm at La Rebourgère. In the 1960s, they gave up the cereals and cattle to concentrate on vine growing and pioneered selling direct to the consumer. In the mid-1980s, Patrick joined his parents after studying winemaking, fully taking over in 1991. He married Martine in that same year, but hard times followed when the crop was totally destroyed by frosts. However, they overcame this setback and, over the years, have grown the estate to 40 ha, situated in the heart of the Muscadet region. Unsurprisingly, they have developed frost protection methods which cover most of the estate.

The Girards’ son Guillaume joined them in 2013, after studying winemaking and marketing and has been instrumental in growing their sales and developing their sustainable credentials, achieving HVE3 certification in 2020.

The vines, mainly Melon de Bourgogne, are planted on schist and gneiss under silt and clay on gentle slopes and are 15 to 40 years-old. Winemaking is in underground thermo-regulated vats and the wines are left on the lees with one or two bâtonages or stirring of the lees, for 6-8 months for the ‘Tradition’ and up to two years for their top wines. The resulting wines have excellent fruit and richness, with lovely mineral hints.