A
Short History of Domaine des Ardoisières
Domaine des Ardoisières sits above the village
of Cevins in Savoie's Tarentaise valley, on a
hillside of terraced, fractured schist that
had been abandoned for decades. The project
began in 1997–98 when Michel Grisard, who had
already made his name at Prieuré St-Christophe
and become the region's first biodynamic
producer, was approached by the local mayor
and the association Vivre en Tarentaise to
replant the derelict terraces above the town.
Grisard was drawn to the site's unusual
mica-schist bedrock, steep south-facing
exposure, and ancient winegrowing history. A
company was formed to lease roughly 400 plots
from some 250 villagers, land was cleared, and
the first vines (a small parcel of Altesse)
went in during May 1998, with further
plantings of Mondeuse Noire, Persan, Jacquère,
Pinot Gris and Mondeuse Blanche following
through 2002.
Agricultural engineer Brice Omont joined
Grisard in 2003, and the two worked side by
side until Grisard's retirement, when Omont
became majority manager in 2010 and has run
the domaine solo since.
The
name "Ardoisières" refers to the slate
("ardoise") used to build the vineyard cabins
and dry-stone terraces on the hillside; the
same slate prized for roofing the Grande
Chartreuse monastery. The estate later
expanded to a second, geologically distinct
hillside at Saint-Pierre-de-Soucy
(clay-limestone with red clay and schist),
bringing total holdings to around 16–18
hectares, certified organic (Ecocert) and
farmed biodynamically. Because the steep
Cevins slopes fall outside the Vin de Savoie
appellation, the wines are bottled as Vin des
Allobroges IGP or Vin de France.
Today Ardoisières is widely regarded as one of
Savoie's benchmark estates, credited with
proving that these mountain schists can yield
wines of real precision and cellaring
potential. True to its geological obsession,
the domaine names most cuvées after minerals —
Silice (silica), Schiste, Quartz, Améthyste,
Aigue Marine, and Erythrite — as a nod to the
specific bedrock behind each wine.
The Four Wines
2025 Silice
Blanc
100% Jacquère ($34)
This is the domaine's entry-level, everyday
white, sourced from the east- and west-facing
terraces of the Cevins hillside
(clay-limestone scree over mica-schist
bedrock, slopes up to 70%). It's whole-cluster
harvested, fermented with native yeasts, and
aged only about 8 months in tank.
We begin with
aromas of apple, pear, and lemon, then notes
of white flowers and dry herbs emerge with a
wisp of white pepper. Citrus and green apple
are noticed first on the palate followed by a
mineral acidity. A savory/salty edge emerges
as the wine opens in the glass with a finish
that's clean and persistent and refreshing and
sensational.
2024
Roussanne Vin des Allobroges "Aigue Marine"
Roussanne + Altesse ($76)
A more serious, single-vineyard white from
steep schist terraces. Grapes are
hand-harvested and whole-cluster pressed and
fermented parcel-by-parcel with native yeasts;
malolactic is allowed depending on the
vintage. The 2024 was aged on fine lees for
about 12 months in terra cotta vats.
The nose is all about elegance; floral notes
with a touch of white pepper and citrus.
On the palate the wine is both fleshy and taut
with mouth watering salinity and vibrant
energy; the wine feels alive.
2025
Silice Rouge
50% Gamay, 30% Mondeuse Noire, 20% Pinot
Noir ($36)
This one is their entry level Vin de France
from clay-limestone scree soils across both
the Cevins mica-schist terraces and the
Saint-Pierre-de-Soucy hillside. Grapes are
fully destemmed, fermented with native yeasts,
and aged just 7 months in tank. The result is
a deep, vibrant garnet wine with a rich nose
of red and black fruit, spice and violet; the
palate is round, silky and very juicy with
fine tannins and a mineral-tinged, fresh
finish. Light and tangy like Beaujolais but
with a floral, peppery Syrah-like edge.
Utterly unique.
2024
Erythrite
100% Mondeuse Noire ($76)
This is the domaine's flagship, most
structured red, made from old, biodynamically
farmed Mondeuse Noire on high altitude, south
east facing parcels with a distinctive
clay-limestone soil laced with red clay and
schist.
Hand-harvested with about 50% whole-cluster
pressing, fermented with native yeasts, and
given a much longer 14-month élevage in
amphora, foudre and barrique.
There's intensity here; pure dark-fruit aromas
(wild blueberry, cassis, morello cherry)
layered with smoke and spice. The palate has a
supple, juicy, taut texture with elegant
minerality, fine silky tannins, and a long,
peppery, faintly smoky finish. This is the
domaine's deepest, most powerful, most precise
red. Hide this one away in your cellar for a
few years or plan for a few hours in a
decanter.
As always, if
anything peeks your interest...
