Domaine Girard is a family estate in Alaigne, at the heart of the Malepère appellation, now run by brothers Philippe and Jean-François Girard, who took over from four generations of winegrowers in the early 2000s. The estate farms nearly 30 hectares with a zero-herbicide approach, benefiting from altitude, a Mediterranean climate with oceanic influence, and clay-limestone slopes that give the wines their characteristic freshness.
This 2023 bottle carries the IGP Pays d'Oc designation, the broad protected geographical indication covering the Languedoc-Roussillon coast. Pinot Noir is a relatively unusual choice for this warmer, more southern part of France, better known for Mediterranean varietals, which makes this bottling a distinctive find. Grown at elevation to help preserve the freshness Pinot Noir needs, it's vinified to highlight brightness over weight, with red berry fruit, soft tannins, and a light, mineral-driven finish drawn from the estate's clay-limestone terroir.
The result is an approachable, food-friendly red that shows Pinot Noir can find a home well outside its traditional strongholds, from a family estate built on careful, low-intervention farming.