It makes such perfect sense for every domaine to have a pet nat. I'm sure there were a lot of exploding bottles while each domaine figured out the methode ancestrale style, but we love it and are so glad it's back in fashion here in the U.S. Giachino's is as fresh and bright and crisp as you would imagine - but not austere. It has some richness to balance it out.

A wine meant to reflect the old traditions of the region. It is picked early and comes in at very low alcohol, usually around 9%. Think fresh mountain air and alpine streams.

A delightful wine that is the go-to daily drinker for us from Giachino. It has lovely texture that reminds one a little of Chenin Blanc but the flavors and overall vibe are more alpine. The name comes from a traditional Piedmontese Folk Dance - the one you do with a bunch of people after drinking joyous wine...

This cuvée comes from a vineyard further down in the valley on soils that are sandy with more glacial moraine and less clay and limestone. The site sits beyond the area covered by the huge rockfall that came off of Mt. Granier in 770. This terroir produces a softer, more ethereal wine.

Aptly named, this wine really nails it for us. The surly monduese comes through clearly but the Gamay softens the edges and lends some brevity. If we had to choose just one wine from Giachino to drink on a regular basis, this would be it.

Mondeuse is having a moment. New bottlings from California are popping up and more vineyards here are being planted to the variety every year. This wine will elucidate the reason for the excitement. Mondeuse is a grape that does what only a few grapes out there can do - it combines power and delicacy in a savory, lithe frame. Kind of like Syrah (a relative) but totally different too.

If Monduese is having a moment now, look to the not-too-distant future for Persan to have its own moment. According to the fascinating tome 'Wine Grapes', Persan is a parent or sibling of Etraire de la Duy and a relative of Syrah and Monduese. It certainly feels like that is the case. The name comes from a locale in Savoie that has been known throughout history to be a great terroir and it was planted almost exclusively to Persan way back when. As usual, the old timers knew the score and planted this noble variety in the best spots. We can't wait to see what the future holds for Persan. Giachino is definitely doing their part to raise it back to its former place of glory.

Michel Grisard created Prieuré St. Christophe in the the late 1970's with one goal in mind: make a truly great wine from Mondeuse. His journey led him to Biodynamics decades before most and brought harsh judgement from many of his peers. But he succeeded. And along the way, he planted Altesse and made a truly great white wine to stand beside his Mondeuse. In 2015, Michel decided to retire. One gets the sense than no decision was made lightly by Michel, so it follows that his successor was carefully handpicked. The Giachino family now farms these old vines and makes the wines under the Prieuré St. Christophe label. The torch is in capable hands. These are benchmark wines that show the nobility of the varieties and the terroir. We think they would make Michel proud. Here we have the Altesse.

Michel Grisard created Prieuré St. Christophe in the late 1970's with one goal in mind: make a truly great wine from Mondeuse. His journey led him to Biodynamics decades before most and brought harsh judgement from many of his peers. But he succeeded. And along the way, he planted Altesse and made a truly great white wine to stand beside his Mondeuse. In 2015, Michel decided to retire. One gets the sense than no decision was made lightly by Michel, so it follows that his successor was carefully handpicked. The Giachino family now farms these old vines and makes the wines under the Prieuré St. Christophe label. The torch is in capable hands. These are benchmark wines that show the nobility of the varieties and the terroir. We think they would make Michel proud. Here we have the Mondeuse.