REVUE DES VINS DE FRANCE: 2** STARS “The domaine confirms year after year its rank as the elite of the region, a reference point both for the wine lovers and young winemakers that are starting in the Alpine vineyards, with always higher ambitions."

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Located at the foothills of the Bauges massif, and bordering neighbouring Switzerland and Valle d’Aosta in Italy, the organically farmed vineyards of Domaine Adrien Berlioz in the Savoie region are as picturesque as you might imagine.

 

Berlioz took over the family vineyards in 2006, two hectares located near a small village called Chignin at 390m above sea level. With plenty of hard work alongside the pursuit of purity and a certified biodynamic approach to farming, he has grown the vineyard to 5 hectares, transforming it into one of the region’s most prestigious domaines.

 

The hard work starts with the incredibly steep slopes the vines are planted on – some of which boast an inclination of 50%, on soils comprised of rock scree and calcareous clay. Planted here are a mixture of the region’s best known varieties including Jacquere, Altesse, Malvoisie, Bergeron (Roussanne) Mondeuse, Douce Noire and Persan, all farmed without the use of herbicides or non-organic fertilizers and all by hand (with a little help from the horses). Who’d want to manage a tractor on those slopes?!

 

In the winery, the dedication to purity continues, making the wines with minimal intervention, natural winemaking techniques including very little sulphur.

 

The results are evident in the incredibly mineral driven, intense and pure wines, sure to leave a lasting impression of just how good Savoie wines can be.