Domaine Yves Girard-Madoux

Winegrower in Chignin - Savoie Wines

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The Estate

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A Family Story

While the love story between Chignin and wine began during the Antiquity, our story starts with René Girard-Madoux in the 1960s.

Dairy farmer, René Girard-Madoux was one of the firsts to replant plots on Tormery’s hillside. The parcels had been left abandoned for decades due to phylloxera and the lack of labour force. This time was beneficial for the terroir that was able to regenerate to grow wine again.

Thanks to his farming activities, René Girard-Madoux developed his clientele during cattle markets in the region. His fellow dairy farmers were also hoteliers and restaurateurs in ski resorts.

Proud of the work done, René Girard-Madoux retired in 1988 and handed over the vineyard to his son, Yves Girard-Madoux.

Since the passing of baton, Yves Girard-Madoux has kept developing the estate, growing it from 4 hectares to 11 hectares. True to his father’s pioneer mindset, Yves Girard-Madoux innovates with new grape varieties and new vinification techniques to offer his consumer fantastic tastings.

An Alpine Vineyard

The Vignoble de la Pierre is an 11-hectare (= 27-acre) vineyard in Tormery, one of the seven hamlets of the village of Chignin in Savoie.

All of our vines are located on Tormery’s hillside, on the slopes of the « Savoyarde » mountain which peaks at 1 135 meters above sea level.

The Savoyarde’s profile paints the portrait of a woman dressed in traditional costume and headdress. Tormery’s Rock – its official name – is the limestone foothills of the Bauges mountains.

We cultivate seven grape varieties:

  • Five white grape varieties: Jacquère, Roussanne, Altesse, Velteliner, Verdesse
  • Two red varieties: Mondeuse, Pinot Noir

80% of our production is composed of white wines, 20% of red wines.

All of our wines are classified with the French Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) since 1973 and for each of them, we claim the Chignin geographic mention, an added token of quality.

An Exceptional Terroir

Our vines are located on a terroir of fallen debris and limestone soil with a relative proportion of clays, thin and rough silts.

Our hillside, with slopes varying from 20% to 60% inclination, is facing South-West, exposed to the setting sun. Part of the heat accumulated through the day by the rocky ground is returned by night which produces, in our alpine lands, a Mediterranean climate that perfectly suits our vines.

High Environmental Value

Sustainable Agriculture

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Crops

Hand Picking

Sustainable and Responsible Winemaking

We consider ourselves as true gardeners of nature, as René Girard-Madoux used to say.

True to our convictions, we manage our vineyard in a sustainable and responsible way since the beginning.

We decided more than a decade ago to banish herbicides, insecticides and all products classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic.

Since 2019, the Vignoble de la Pierre is labelled with the level 3 HVE certification for its High Environmental Value.

This French certification rewards our efforts in:

  • the respect of the whole vineyard ecosystem; in the vineyard, in the winery, for our deliveries…
  • the preservation and development of biodiversity: For instance, by building birdhouses and bathouses to be able to fight the insects day and night.
  • a technical approach in the vines and in the winery adapted to environmental requirements

We do not only take into account the vines but also the surrounding wilderness, wildlife and soil life.

We advocate a winegrowing that is more environment-friendly in its whole with one purpose: A LIVING SOIL!

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT HVE

The Vineyard Team

A team of wine enthusasts who will be happy and proud to welcome you at the estate for a Savoie wine tasting.

 

Yves Girard-Madoux

Owner

Sandra GirArd-Madoux

Welcome to the Vignoble de la Pierre !

Passionate winegrowers for generations in Chignin at the heart of Savoie, we are proud to show you our estate and our delicious wines from the Savoie wine area. 

Please drink responsibly.

©2024 – EARL Vignoble de la Pierre
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