I vividly remember when the wines of Domaine des Ardoisières made their debut in the San Francisco market a few years back. Theirs are the kinds of wines that drive sommeliers wild: far-flung appellation, conscientious farming, pedigreed winemaker, and, most important of all, delicious wine that speaks clearly of its place…let’s just say there’s a lot to work with here if you’re in the business of turning people on to new and interesting bottles.
I bought and sold the stuff so fast it hurt a little bit: I never saved any for myself! Over the years, the Ardoisières lineup, both red and white, has just gotten better and better, which has turned the release of their latest vintage into an eagerly anticipated annual ritual for me. Today’s 2016, a Gamay-driven blend called “Argile Rouge,” is as aromatic, layered, and profoundly mineral as the very best Cru Beaujolais, but it also channels the Northern Rhône—by way of an added kick of dark fruit and spice from the local Persan grape. This is a region, and a wine, to watch and I’m not going to miss stocking up myself this time: It’s not only great now but built to age!
After we tasted this wine in our offices, I laid claim to the remainder of the sample bottle and took it home; as the evening progressed, it continued to blossom, both aromatically and texturally. I’m always fascinated by seemingly “lighter” styles of wine that are much more forceful and persistent than they let on when they’re first opened. This is one such wine—vibrant and full of life and still singing on day two (a tipoff that it’ll improve in the cellar if kept well).
The other thing this wine does beautifully is speak to its place of origin: high-altitude vineyards in the shadow of Mont Blanc. This is not immediately obvious upon first encountering the verbiage-heavy label; it requires some decoding. It should be clear that ‘Domaine des Ardoisières’ is the producer’s name, but where to go from there? This bottling is labeled with the ‘IGP’ (Indication Géographique Protégée) ‘Vin des Allobroges,’ referring to the Allobroges area of the Savoie—where France, Italy, and Switzerland meet (an IGP is less prescribed than an AOC designation, focused just on the geographic origins of the grapes used in the wine). You’ll also see ‘St. Pierre de Soucy’ on this label, referring to the village from which most of the fruit for this wine is sourced. The domaine’s vineyards in St. Pierre de Soucy are clay-based marls mixed with schist, a different composition from some of their other holdings, a fact which is also acknowledged on this bottle via the name “Argile Rouge” (Argile being French for clay).
Domaine des Ardoisières was founded in the late-1990s by a group of partners who painstakingly cleared, repaired, and re-planted a series of terraces that had supported vines back in Roman times. Farming organically (and incorporating biodynamic treatments as well), the partners brought in winemaker Brice Omont in 2005. A native of Champagne, Omont has turned the domaine into a hot commodity in a short time, producing five different cuvées (three white, two red) from native local varieties. They’ve only been imported to the US for a few years now, but they’ve caught on very quickly. Prices have crept up slightly, but haven’t yet risen in proportion to demand. I suspect, however, that this day may soon be upon us.
Which is all the more reason to hoard this 2016, which displays a deep, reflective ruby core moving to magenta at the rim. Comprised of 80% Gamay and 20% Persan fermented on native yeasts and aged briefly in mostly used French oak barrels, it is initially a little reticent on the nose before unleashing a mix of black raspberry, mulberry, damp violet, black pepper, and wet stone aromas. It is medium-bodied and taut on the palate, with great freshness and very fine-grained tannins that soften with time in the glass. Decant this wine about 30-45 minutes before serving at 60 degrees in Burgundy stems; it really vibrates with energy and becomes more floral and fruity the longer it is open. It is simultaneously refreshing and quite long on the finish, and I hope to re-visit at least one bottle five or so years down the line. If things are really going well for me perhaps I’ll do so during my lunch break from skiing somewhere like Val d’Isère or Chamonix. Regardless, the old-school Savoie classic
tartiflette will be a fantastic partner. Don’t miss this wine!
