Domaine des Ardoisières, Vin des Allobroges,“Argile Rouge”

Roughly 90 minutes due south of Geneva Switzerland, just over the border in the French alps, a tight community of small, independent vignerons is crafting some of the most thrilling, hotly pursued wines in Europe. And if you wish to experience the finest of these wines, look no further than Ardoisières!

As prices of top quality terroir-driven white and reds in Burgundy and the Loire valley inflate far beyond the budget of most wine lovers, other quality-obsessed regions are stepping in to steal the spotlight, and France’s Savoie region (which hugs the mountainous border between France and Switzerland) is leading the charge. Top wine lists in New York, Paris and Copenhagen increasingly spotlight gifted savoyard vignerons Quenard, Dupasquier, Saint Germain, and Berlioz. Still, there is little doubt that Domaine des Ardoisières reigns supreme as the king of the mountains!

Champagne native Brice Omont’s Domaine des Ardoisières focuses on a 6 hectare cluster of red and white vineyards planted on the hillside above the picturesque alpine village of Cévin, and a few parcels just south in the village of St-Pierre-de-Soucy. Vineyard elevations range from 1400-1700 feet and the hillsides are, at times, even steeper than Côte-Rotie! While Brice bottles a truly small amount of wine each year, he employs no less than 15 vineyard workers because the terrain is so treacherous and virtually all work must be done by hand. Fruit (92% Mondeuse and 8% Persan) for today’s “Argile Rouge” originates from a schist-based hillside plot boasting a percentage of limestone that is unusually high for the region. 

Brice’s approach in the cellar is decidedly minimal when it comes to technology and additives. Juice for today’s “Argile Rouge” is fermented whole cluster/semi carbonic in a concrete vat. Total sulfite additions are kept to a maximum of 30 milligrams per liter - quite low by any measure. Once the cork is pulled, this wine erupts with vibrant damson plum, raspberry, mulberry and tart cherry fruit, followed by cascading violet, raspberry leaf and wet stone aromas. A sense of freshness, energy, and lift dominates the palate, but everything is grounded in a firm, stony, deeply mineral core . Enjoy this wine served just above cellar temperature in a large Burgundy stem. It’s not designed for serious, decade long aging, but it will bring smiles and laughter to your dinner table for at least another 3.5 years. I enjoy contrasting fresh, invigorating red wines against the backdrop of robust cuisine - with that in mind, this bottle will pair beautifully alongside a pan roasted rack of lamb and the timeless cast iron classic, tartiflette.