Damien Bastian Goddard - Ça Boit Libre

History of Domaine Damien Bastian Goddard - Ça Boit Libre

The journey of Damien Bastian Goddard is far from ordinary. Coming from a horticultural background, he spent several years in Chad before changing direction entirely. Back in Geneva, he discovered wine through the restaurant industry, and his passion for nature quickly drew him towards natural wine. He trained as an apprentice under the renowned Dominique Lucas, then took flight in 2017 with 75 ares of Chasselas in the Marignan appellation, less than a kilometre from Lake Geneva. The name Ça Boit Libre is a play on words celebrating the freedom of his wines, as well as the independence of his region, Savoie Libre.

To perfect his experience with natural white wines, Damien made numerous back-and-forth trips to the Jura in 2018 and 2019, where he worked with the renowned Anne and Jean-François Ganevat. In 2020, he seized the opportunity to take over just over three hectares of vines from Jean-Marie Chappuis, a retiring winemaker, bringing his estate to approximately 4 hectares. The adoptive grandson of André Goddard, an agronomist who took part in the 1973 launch of the Vin de Savoie appellation, Damien then settled into a building over two hundred years old, the Domaine de Marsaz, right on the Swiss border, where he carried out his first harvests.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Damien Bastian Goddard - Ça Boit Libre

The vineyard spans approximately 4 hectares in Savoie, between the historic vines of Marignan, on the shores of Lake Geneva, and the plots taken over around the new cellar, near Ville-la-Grand in Haute-Savoie. This mosaic of alpine terroirs, bathed in the freshness of the lake and the mountains, gives the wines their characteristic tension and verticality. Whites and reds coexist here in the greatest respect for biodiversity.

For the white wines, Swiss Chasselas dialogues with Altesse, a grape variety typical of Savoie also known as Roussette, while the reds bring together Pinot Noir and Gamay, complemented by a few hybrid varieties in the new plantings. The estate is farmed using organic and biodynamic agriculture, in a demanding approach, with soil work carried out by horse and entirely hand-harvested harvests. This meticulous and living viticulture is the key to the purity that runs through every cuvée.

Winemaking at Domaine Damien Bastian Goddard - Ça Boit Libre

The winemaking follows the natural wine philosophy, with intervention reduced to the strict minimum. The whites are pressed directly, settled overnight, then barrelled the following day: all fermentation takes place in barrel for every wine. The reds ferment by semi-carbonic maceration for one to three weeks, without pigeage or pumping over, before being returned to tank and then barrelled as the sugars finish.

No intervention is carried out during ageing: the wines are racked at the end of spring, sometimes the following year, then assembled two months before bottling. True to his pursuit of purity, Damien Bastian handles his wines as little as possible and produces them without oenological additives, without fining, without filtration and without added sulphites. His guiding principle is clear: for whites, favour tension and minerality over roundness, in order to achieve lively wines; for reds, stay focused on fruit and roundness while preserving freshness.

The cuvées of Domaine Damien Bastian Goddard - Ça Boit Libre

Mon Blanc, Marignan: 100% Chasselas from the historic vines of Marignan, a stone's throw from Lake Geneva. Taut and pure, with lemon and white fruits and a beautiful sensation of rock water, it embodies the saline and vibrant signature of the estate.

Mon Blanc des Alpes: 100% Chasselas of incomparable freshness. Aged on lees, it unfolds notes of lime, pomelo and mint, in a zesty, taut and lingering palate, with a fine interplay of herbaceous notes.

Mon Blanc de la Haute: 100% Altesse, this white made from Savoie's great grape variety marries fruit, roundness and a frank acidity, in a profile that is both indulgent and taut. A beautiful expression of Roussette.

Mon Blanc Orangé: an orange wine born from skin maceration of white grape varieties. Textured and original, with ripe fruits, gentle spices and a delicate tannic structure, it wonderfully illustrates the free and creative spirit of the estate.

Ton Rouge d'Élevage: 100% Gamay, full of spice and fruit. After a brief aeration, it reveals a generous, fresh and flavourful juice, true to the fruit so dear to the winemaker. A little patience and it will reward you fully.

Ton Rouge de Table: a convivial and easy-drinking red, crafted for immediate pleasure, with crunchy red fruits and a supple, thirst-quenching palate. The ideal companion for meals with friends.

Ton Rouge du Lac: 100% Pinot Noir dressed in elegance, fermented in small barrels without battonage. Pure, taut and fleshy, with fresh red fruits and flowers, it unfolds a thoroughly velvety structure that rivals the finest Burgundian Pinots. Decant one hour before tasting.

Ton Rouge de Grosse Soif: the quintessential glou-glou cuvée, this light, fresh and fruity red goes down effortlessly, with vibrant fruit and irresistible drinkability. The very essence of a wine for sharing with friends.