Domaine des Côtes Rousses

Nicolas Ferrand, the winemaker

After graduating with a Masters in Rural Land Use Planning, Nicolas Ferrand 's path already seems clear. Then several seasons in the mountain pastures will be spent as a cowherd boy and, after having worked with Jean-Pierre Grisard then Pascal Quenard, Nicolas will discover another passion which is linked to the land.
The birth of a peasant winegrower is then noticed. Indeed, Nicolas will take the plunge and open his own domain. Always in a good mood, humility and passion, Nicolas Ferrand and his wife today offer Savoyard wines that have a bright future ahead of them!

The beautiful story of Nicolas Ferrand

From now on, Nicolas Ferrand experiments with agricultural landscapes as a young winemaker on his estate of Côtes Rousses, in Savoy. Located in the Combe de Savoie, on the slopes of the Bauges mountain, since 2013, around 5 hectares of vines have been cultivated in the place of Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte where we find grape varieties specific to Savoy such as as the Jacquère, the Altesse, the Bergeron or even the Mondeuse. For his beginnings, he was helped by Matthieu Goury, the Chevillard estate, who left him 2 hectares of vines. It was then that a new winegrower was born.
Subsequently, Nicolas Ferrand also recovers parcels of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir perched between 350 and 580 meters above sea level. Then, the estate expanded to Montmélian in 2014 with 15 ares of Bergeron and 20 ares of Roussette sur Monthoux in 2015. Marielle Ferrand, his wife, who has always been by his side, joined him full time in 2020 and follow this adventure on a daily basis.

The Savoy soil, and its natural wines!

Respecting natural processes, such is the approach applied by the winegrower to cultivate his vines. His working methods are as natural as possible, even “peasant ”. Indeed, Nicolas Ferrand strives to intervene as little as possible on the work of his soil and uses natural methods for the maintenance of his vines by applying herbal tea or nettles for example in order to strengthen the vineyards.
To go further in respecting nature, Nicolas is inspired by biodynamics in order to guarantee the health of his soils and vineyards. A natural method that appeals to more and more winegrowers thanks to its values for the interest of living soils and healthy vines. At the Côtes Rousses estate, everything is done by hand, always with respect for the land for a better final quality. Part of the work in the vineyard is also carried out on horseback, allowing complete weeding of the soil without using chemicals. For the winemaker, knowledge of the soil and peasant practices are essential in order to master the properties of the wine and to let the soil shine through in each of its bottles.
As far as possible, the vinification is made without sulfur in order to allow the wine to be as close as possible to its soil. Still in the same vein, the winemaker does not carry out filtration for bottling. His vines and his work are practiced in organic farming, a work that will be rewarded in 2016. Nicolas Ferrand then obtains organic certification. For him, it is essential to promote local and organic viticulture in order to support enthusiasts, like him, who proudly respect their soil. With the intimate conviction of the mysteries of nature and what it brings every day to the winegrower, Nicolas considers his work each season, each vintage while sharing his passion for wine and agriculture with those who taste and bring its wines to life.

The wines of the Côtes Rousses estate

Like their soils, the majority of grape varieties are typically from Savoy, we find Jacquère, Altesse, Bergeron for the whites and Mondeuse, Pinot Noir and Gamay for the reds. The whites are vinified on total lees, while the reds are vinified in whole bunches with light macerations.
The style of the Côtes Rousses estate reveals fresh, slender and mineral wines. The La Pente 2020 bottle, in reference to the vines planted on marl-limestone hillsides with steep slopes, gives the Jacquère the mineral and fresh side of its soil.
A nod to his family with a mountain and peasant past, Nicolas has produced a Jacquère l'Armenaz 2020. The name is linked to the mountain pasture of his grandparents surrounded by their herds of Tarines. A bottle of character, mineral with a hint of salinity! Also to be discovered in Magnum Armenaz 2018.
To pay tribute to all those who helped Marielle and Nicolas during their first harvest in 2014, the Côtes Rousse estate presents a 100% Altesse bottle, Ensemble 2020, an aromatic and digestible wine.
Mon Blanc 2020 is a wine mainly based on Chardonnay with a mountainous climate bringing freshness and minerality specific to Savoy.
Verre-tige 2020, a 100% Roussanne wine from the Chignin-Bergeron appellation, delivers the freshness and richness of its soil as well as the power of the grape variety in the mouth.
The Montagnes Rousses 2020 bottle, designating the hillsides of red clay where the vines grow in Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte, reveals a typical Savoy red wine, a fresh Mondeuse, with supple and fruity tannins.
Always with the symbolic grape variety of the region, the Mondeuse, Nicolas Ferrand creates Coteau de la Mort 2019 which, once in the mouth, reveals a beautiful image of the soil thanks to its finesse, its concentration and its aging capacity.
Nicolas Ferrand is one of those winegrowers who are revolutionizing and energizing the Savoy vineyard by highlighting a magnificent terroir, all of which can be discovered on Epi-curieux.com.