When a leading businessman decides to inject his talent and passion into a terroir to make his family-run estate one of the most surprising, unique and innovative châteaux in the Bordeaux region... Let’s just say that he went far beyond originality, or communication so cherished in this day and age, to such an extent that many a conservative mind baulked at his eccentric approach... an approach that now stands as a benchmark in the industry. Dominique Vacher is above all a committed and passionate estate owner, driven by his profound love of nature and constant quest for authenticity Here we are on the northern stretches of Libourne, an ancient land in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region that has witnessed great changes over the years. It was in fact during a turbulent period in the High Middle Ages, at the end of the Hundred Years’ War, that one of Dominique’s great ancestors conquered and acquired the surname Grand Français ... And that’s how this little family tale made its mark on history with a capital H! At the turn of the 21stcentury, Dominique drew on his industry experience to permanently withdraw from all chemical products of whatever nature, in order to protect this 15-hectare haven planted atop a gravelly-clay plateau and surrounded by woodland, but above all to protect those that work here, aware of the consequences and dangers that plant protection products pose on people’s health. The estate has been 100% organic since 2002. We can clearly see that for Dominique, organic winegrowing is not just a pipe dream – he had understood the harmful impacts of chemical treatments well before today’s do-gooders. There were few people in the Bordeaux region and even less in Libourne who were thinking this way in 2002. Dominique convinced Guy, his Cellarmaster, of the need to change. Dominique went on to share his vision with all of his colleagues while Guy put all his energy into pursuing this bid for high-quality authenticity by implementing extremely precise production processes, planting with horse beans, oats and barley, introducing manual harvesting with systematic sorting using crates, ensuring impeccable sanitary conditions with advanced gas and temperature control, etc. In their constant quest for high-quality innovation and desire for authenticity, Dominique and Guy decided to ferment Cabernet Franc in earthenware jars... Just imagine making a cuvée from a single grape variety and ageing it in Italian amphora, in the Libourne region...[CO1] This specific process offers clay-led micro-oxygenation and thus preserve the fruit, resulting in unique aromas and an equally unusual deep-purple colour... This example perfectly illustrates Dominique’s entrepreneurial vision: to ensure that his values form the basis of Château Grand Français, that nature, in all its glory, is central to the company’s concerns and that quality – whether agronomic, mechanical, olfactory, visual, or gustatory – is the driving force of each and everyone who works at the estate. "It’s because I like a wine that feels alive that we decided to age it naturally…For me, ageing is about educating the wine. We teach it good manners, paying attention to it at all times, in a spirit of sharing and discussions. This wine is my life vision. It’s a family tale, shaped by women and men!" Dominique has taken this concept and brought it to life!