Variations on a theme of Gringet

Monday 31 March 2025 • 7 min read
Domaine du Gringet's Vincent Ruiz

This rare grape variety is attracting attention far outside its Haut-Savoie homeland, with followers from the Jura to Cornas and Burgundy to California.

In the roll call of resurrected grape varieties, Gringet – a super-rare white grape found almost entirely in Ayze in France’s Haute-Savoie region – deserves special mention. A comparative tasting in Hoxton, organised by Les Caves de Pyrène, provided ample evidence of Gringet’s singular character and quality; but more than this is the poignant story of individual tenacity, loss and camaraderie at the heart of Gringet’s revival.

The variety’s recent trajectory follows that of many other ‘rediscovered’ grapes...