For 15 years Brice Omont has led Domaine des Ardoisières, building upon its historic foundations to be the pure expression of Savoie it is today.
It is no easy feat to grow and vinify consistently high quality wines in a region that shrunk significantly over the decades. By taking a prominent stand after phylloxera and industrialisation hit hard on the region, Domaine des Ardoisières worked hard to keep their vineyards in tact and today with Brice Omont at the helm, he works to return the Savoie region to the flourishing address it once was.
80% of the quality of the wine is obtained by rigorous work in the vines. Working across the Cevins and St Pierre de Soucy hillsides, the vines are treated unique to their position on the slopes working with the contour lines of the terroir. On the Cevins terrain, the vines of Persian, Mondeuse noire, Altesse, Roussanne, Mondeuse blanche, Malvoisie and Jacquère all enjoy the metamorphic rock and silty-sandy soils. The incline being up to 60% is severe and therefore carefully cultivated by hand to produce such elegant top cuvees such as Amethyste, Quarts and Schiste. The Altesse varietal shines brightly in the Schiste cuvee, alongside the voluptuous and structured Amethyste red blend.
On the hills of St Pierre de Soucy, the vines of Gamay, Mondeuse Noire, Persan, Jacquère, Chardonnay and Mondeuse Blanche drive deep into a more schistose marl with hard black schist soil. The Argile cuvees come alive on this hillside with the white presenting an abundance of alpine tension and refreshment!
I implore you to take the trek among the Savoie hills to explore what these gorgeous biodynamic wines have to offer.
TASTING NOTES
SILICE BLANC 2023
Made from organic grapes selected by the team at the world-famous Domaine des Ardoisieres , the 2023 Silice has a bright yellow color in the glass, with green highlights. On the nose, this white wine is lively and bright, offering notes of citrus and green apple. On the palate, the wine continues to be refreshing and smooth, expressing subtle notes of white flowers and a stunning crystalline purity, with a bitter almond noticeable towards the finish. The 2023 Silice echoes its terraced vineyards with its bold, stony and mineral character. 100% Jacquère.
ARGILE BLANC 2023
The "Argile Blanc" showcases an abundance of alpine tension and refreshment with flavours of white flowers, orchard fruits and green almonds. The palate contains crystalline purity, showing white peach and nectarine fruits, grapefruit and lemon peel acidity, and a crushed stone finish. You can drink it now with a 30-minute decant before serving or cellar it up until 2025+. 40% Jacquere, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Mondeuse Blanche.
SCHISTE BLANC 2023
The bouquet emerges with apricot, pears and orange blossom followed by slight toasted nuts and underlining herbal notes. The palate is lively but balanced, with the dense fruit shining through alongside fresh citrus acidity finished with a lip-smacking salinity. You can drink it now with a 30-minute decant before serving or cellar it up until 2025+. 40% Jacquère, 30% Roussette, 20% Pinot Gris, 10% Mondeuse Blanche.
QUARTZ BLANC 2022
The king of Savoie varietals shows its personality here with fleshy stone fruit, evoking honeysuckle, shades of chamomile, honeyed accents and smoked vanilla. The palate is focused and rich, offering beautiful purity of peach, melons and nectarines followed by a touch of smoky oak finishing with fine salinity and a touch of white pepper. You can drink it now with a 30-minute decant before serving or cellar it up until 2025+. 100% Altesse.
SILICE ROUGE 2023
The Silice Rouge is light and tangy like Beaujolais, yet floral and peppery like Syrah. A simply stunning, knockout wine. Light-bodied, wild strawberry, violet, stony, pepper, bright. 80% Gamay, 20% Persan.
ARGILE ROUGE 2023
The bouquet has an exotic complexity, leaping out of the glass with violets, spicy red fruits, pomegranates and rich iron minerals. The palate is structured with intense, spiced Christmas cake and a red-to-black fruit profile following a dried baker's spice mix. Drink now with a 30-minute decant before serving or keep until 2026+. 65% Gamay, 25% Mondeuse, 10% Persan.
AMETHYSTE ROUGE 2021
The bouquet has a richness that jumps out at you with concentrated red and black fruits, red peppers and delicate liquorice notes. The palate is voluptuous and structured, with intense red bramble fruit, black wild berries that bring a zesty acidity, and finishes off with velvety, crunchy tannins. Drink now with a 30-minute decant before serving or keep up until 2026+. 60% Persian and 40% Mondeuse Noir.
ERYTHRITE ROUGE 2023
Pure Mondeuse, a new cuvée following the takeover of the Louis Magnin estate’s vines. Supple, full-bodied wine, with light tannins and a vegetal touch reminiscent of the stem. with 50% whole bunches. The aroma is close to a beautiful northern Rhône Syrah, with notes of pepper, violet, delicate black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry), all carried by present but very fine tannins, a beautiful concentration and a just balance. Mondeuse.