DOMAINE ÇA BOIT LIBRE

Damien Bastian's natural wines

Ça Boit Libre is the name of the winery founded by Damien Bastian in Savoy a few years ago.

Damien's story did not begin immediately among the vines but nevertheless close to the land; he spent several years growing vegetables in Africa, in the Republic of Chad. Upon his return to Europe, he took a break from the land to work in a restaurant in Geneva, an experience during a short time because of the strong call of nature, prompted also by meeting several producers.

He then began practicing in different wineries to learn the secrets of cultivation and winemaking, among the many experiences, the one that marked him most was at Jean-François Ganevat's in Jura. Here, under the guidance of "FanFan," he learned respect for terroir and sustainable cultivation. He stays in Jura a few years before deciding to strike out on his own.

In 2017, Damien bought 0.75 hectares of Chasselas vines in Savoie, in the Marignan appellation, less than a kilometer from Lake Geneva, and founded his Domaine "Ça boit libre," a play on words to talk about freedom but also about the independence of his region ("Savoie Libre"). Obviously, such an area does not allow him to make a living, and Damien continued to work in 2018 and 2019 as a farm worker for Anne & Jean-François Ganevat, two years of working back and forth to work his vineyards in parallel and especially to enrich his experience in making natural white wines, interspersing visits from Dominique Lucas, of Domaine Les Vignes du Paradis, to learn more about the climate and terroir characteristics of the area. 

In 2020, he took over the vineyards from Jean-Marie Chappuis (Les Vins de Carra), who retired in 2019, convinced by Damien's project and also by the fact that he is the grandson of André Goddard, an agricultural engineer well known in the region (in 1973 he was one of those who launched the "Vin de Savoie" appellation), expanding his vineyards to 4 hectares, flanking the Chasselas with Altesse, Gamay and Pinot Noir.

Not far from his vineyards, he found a place to live in a very old building (Winery de Marsaz), more than 200 years old, and located a few meters from the Swiss border, far from the city. It is in this old winery, abandoned since 1967, that Damien Bastien is vinifying his first vintage, the 2020.

At "Ça Boit Libre," the wines are made with the utmost respect for the environment. The grapes are harvested by hand. For the whites, a direct pressing is carried out, which is then allowed to rest overnight. The next day, the wine is put into barrels. Fermentation takes place in barrels for all wines. The reds undergo semi-carbonic maceration (1 to 3 weeks), without punching down or pumping over. They are then put back in the vat before being put in barrel for sugar content.

For whites, as for reds, there is no intervention during wine maturation. Damien Bastian comes to racking them in late spring, even a year later for some vintages. Blending takes place two months before bottling.

Damien Bastian looks for a beautiful minerality in his white wines, he tries to transcribe the tension of his terroirs. As for the reds, he looks for fruit, a nice roundness, all enhanced by freshness.

You really cannot miss these wines: vinified without sulfur, they are crystal clear, pure, precise and delicate. They are already amazing wines and will develop even more with some time in the cellar. Savoie Libre!