Domaine des Ardoisières Argile Rouge 2023

The Argile Rouge cuvee from renowned biodynamic Savoie estate Domaine des Ardoisières is a blend of two grapes indigenous to the region: 30-50 year old Mondeuse from limestone-clay soil in the crus of Saint-Jean-de-La-Porte and Arbin, and 40 year old Persan on schisty marl hillsides in Saint-Pierre-de-Soucy. As of 2023 the blend no longer includes Gamay. 

Whole bunches are fermented in oak vats, with gentle infusion of the grape skins in the juice to minimise the extraction of tannin. The wine is bottled with light filtration after 9 months in fibreglass tanks. Argile Rouge offers an exciting aromatic range – violet, pomegranate, spicy red fruits and a very irony, stony mineral flecked palate.

Domaine des Ardoisières began as a collaboration between the village of Cévins in Savoie's remote Tarantaise Valley, and grower Michel Grisard. The project entailed creating a company to rent around 400 plots of land from villagers (including the town mayor), repair the terraces and stone walls, and plant vineyards in the abandoned Coteau de Cévins, a historic slope once renowned for its wines. The first plot of Altesse was planted in 1998, followed by another 5 hectares of local grapes in 2000-2002. Brice Omont joined the project in 2003, and has been at the helm since 2010. 

Domaine des Ardoisières is certified organic, and practising biodynamic. Farming the steep slopes is so labour intensive that the domaine employs fifteen people in the vineyards — essentially one person per hectare. Work in the cellar is minimal intervention, with fermentation taking place in fibreglass and older oak. The domaine stands at the forefront of Savoie's resurgence, crafting vibrant, terroir-driven cuvees that capture alpine energy, and meticulous craftsmanship.

Savoie is a tiny wine region in Eastern France, nestled West of Switzerland, and south of the Jura, in the French Alps. Planted to vine since pre-Roman times, the region fell out of favour following Phylloxera, due in part to the difficulty of growing grapes on its steep slopes. Vignerons like Domaine Des Ardoisières' Brice Omont are producing increasingly sought-after wines from the local grapes.

Despite the high elevation (often between 250 and 550 metres,) Savoie enjoys a surprisingly warm micro-climate, due to the moderating influence of nearby lakes and rivers. 70% of production is white — alpine and mineral driven — from indigenous grapes like Jacquère and Altesse. The remainder is long-lived reds made from Mondeuse and Persan.