Manuel Girard

Manuel Girard spent 22 years working with medical devices before a trip to Bandol in 2019 changed his fortune - he met a doctor there who said he'd changed careers to pursue winemaking. Manuel thought that was a grand old idea, and decided to do the same. He now holds 1.8 hectares in Fleurie and Morgon, and counts Dutraive and Lapierre among his neighbours - so safe to say, he's on some pretty decent terroir, with vines between 35 and 50 years old. He began the conversion to organic as soon as he took over the land, and will be certified by 2025. He treats the vines with copper and sulphur as well as orange and oregano oils, and currently adds sulphur only at pressing, though he's looking to phase that out as well in future cuvées. Manuel's scientific background is evident in these incredibly precise, gastronomic wines - and with a devoted following already in Japan, the USA and Europe with only a few vintages under his belt, we have a feeling he's just getting started.