to bring back to life the virtually left to waste hillside and re-instate the vineyards that used to grow there.

to produce the best Savoie vintages, along the lines of the “garage wine” concept developed in France and in the United States, by creating very small but outstanding micro-vintages, as one would in an experimental laboratory.

The grapes are grown to produce small yields (0.35-0.4 litres/ square metre) and are not harvested until perfectly ripe. Careful selecting and discarding of each individual grape, both on the stock and in the wine-store or “chai” means that the quality of the fruit that goes into the wine is perfect. During the harvest each bunch is cleansed of any damaged grape, as if it were meant to be eaten directly. Mineral fertilizers are banned in order to keep the specific chemical composition of the soil intact since this is precisely what gives a wine the characteristic aroma of its “terroir”. Using fertilizers is tantamount to hydroponic cultivation (see below).

The wine. The actual transformation of grapes into wine is made according to specific procedures that respect both the aromas and the structure of the varieties and soil (no residual sugars, no flavouring yeasts). The red grapes are first macerated and then allowed to ferment slowly in stainless steel vats at 28-32°C, the white grapes are kept at 18-20°C during fermentation. The grapes are allowed to ferment in stainless steel vats: the white are kept at 18-20°C and the red, which are first left to macerate (longue cuvaison), are kept at 28-32°C. The wines are matured on their sediments (lees) for at least seven months to build up their structure and balance. In principle the white wine is not subjected to malolactic fermentation which damages the characteristic aromas of the varieties and introduces buttery or milky flavours if it is not perfectly mastered.

Our wines are carefully nurtured, virtually without oxygenation, in order to preserve the grapes’ true aromas. Oxygenation is a dead end chemical reaction which causes oxidation and hastens the ageing of the initial aromatic value of the wine.

The research. The way we cultivate our vineyards and make our wines is constantly updated and honed thanks to regular contacts with institutes and cellars renowned for their know-how in the fields of wine-growing and production.

The profits All the profits from the sale of our wines are re-invested in the development of the estate and research into improving the quality of our wines.

Planting vineyards is no easy project in France, for a number of reasons. This is why we first chose to rent existing vineyards. At present, small land-owners who support our project have let us 2,400 sq m of vineyards planted with white Molette 60- to 80-year-old grape-vines, 665 sq m of 40-year-old Mondeuse noire and 828 sq m of red Gamay grapes, which we cultivate according to our techniques (see Our cultivation methods).
Mondeuse noire is Savoie’s most typical red variety. Given that red wine is enjoying great popularity these days, partly because of what has become known as the French paradox (see Wine and health), we have decided to specialize in the production of Mondeuse noire wines.
In addition, we have acquired vine-growing rights through friends who have either handed over or sold them to us at a very reasonable price. This has enabled us to extend our vineyards either by buying land or renting it.
In the spring of 2005 we planted some 3,500 sq m of Mondeuse noire and, in 2007, a further 2,800 sq m. We expect to harvest our first crops in four or six years’ time.