Domaine des Ardoisières

The story of Brice Omont

Born in Champagne and adopted by Savoie a few years ago, Brice Omont has made a place and a name for himself on land that had long been abandoned. Head to the Cévins hillside, where Domaine des Ardoisières has brilliantly established itself over more than 10 years.
An incredible expression of indigenous grape varieties and stunning Savoie terroirs, for wines of very high quality, refined and vibrant.

Brice Omont and Michel Grisard

The story of Domaine des Ardoisières is rather extraordinary, because it (re)started from nothing. You could say it got a second chance! According to the archives, wine on the Cévins hillside dates back to Gallo-Roman times. The vineyard was farmed for many years, until the 1980s, by local farmers who grew the vines to make wine for their own consumption. There are no records of the wines of that time. Perhaps 420 plots for 250 growers left little room for rigorous, quality winegrowing.
Abandoned because of disease (phylloxera), and probably also because industry was drawing people away from farming, the Cévins hillside faded away. Nature took over again, and a forest of birch and chestnut trees grew in its place.
Its potential resurfaced in 1998 thanks to Michel Grisard. Located between Moûtiers and Albertville, in the Tarentaise Valley, the Cévins hillside caught his eye, and the idea of bringing the vineyard back to life was born. This crazy project won over many local players, the town and landowners, and it brought residents together around a common goal: reviving an incredible hillside.
Everything had to be cleared and rebuilt, and this very unusual hillside, with its 60% slope, had to be reshaped with terraces for access, before the vines could be planted and left to grow. A unique adventure for Michel Grisard, who immediately recognised the richness of the soils.
The first vines were planted in 1998 and the first harvest took place in 2002. Today the vineyard covers more than 10 hectares.
Domaine des Ardoisières was up and running and the harvests were good. But Michel Grisard wanted to hand over this gem one day. He wanted to pass on all this experience to someone, and that is how Brice Omont joined the adventure in 2003. The young agronomist was looking to set up on his own when he met Michel, and the duo worked together for many years. Together they planted Savoie grape varieties such as Jacquère, Roussanne, Altesse, black and white Mondeuse, Gamay, Persan and Chardonnay. In 2008 they started renting plots on the Saint-Pierre-de-Soucy hillside, farmed biodynamically like all their vines.
Since 2010, Brice Omont has been the majority partner in running Domaine des Ardoisières.

The cuvées of Domaine des Ardoisières

Domaine des Ardoisières works two hillsides, and therefore two types of soil with different characters.
On the Cévins hillside, metamorphic mica-schist rock with silty-sandy, rarely clay soils; on the Saint-Pierre-de-Soucy hillside, sedimentary rock, Jurassic schistose marls and clay-limestone soil. A rare richness for wines of authentic expression.
Domaine des Ardoisières has been farmed biodynamically ever since it was brought back to life. Michel Grisard and Brice Omont both have deep respect for nature and living things.
Grapes are harvested by hand, when each variety is properly ripe. The estate aims to express the purest character of its grapes. The whites are pressed directly, then lightly settled. The reds are put into open vats without destemming. The white musts are then run into either tanks or barrels depending on the cuvée. The reds are drawn off and pressed after two to three weeks of maceration, depending on the wine and the vintage. Fermentation, for reds and whites alike, relies on indigenous yeasts. The wines are aged for 9 to 18 months in tank or barrel, then racked and bottled.
On the Saint-Pierre-de-Soucy hillside, Domaine des Ardoisières makes the Argile Rouge cuvée, the estate's small, very well-crafted cuvée aged 9 months in tank. Gamay, Mondeuse and Persan make a wine full of freshness, juicy ripe red fruit and suppleness.
On the Cévins hillside, the estate makes the Améthyste cuvée. A blend of Persan and Mondeuse Noire aged for 18 months in barrels, it is simply an incredible Savoie wine. Be patient: this wine is not afraid of ageing, quite the contrary. This concentrate of fruit will express itself beautifully over time.
White wine also shines on this hillside with the Quartz cuvée: 100% Altesse and 18 months in barrels for a wine full of finesse, elegance and richness! Ageing will only make it better.
And there is the Schiste cuvée from Domaine des Ardoisières, a blend of Jacquère, Roussanne, Pinot Gris and Mondeuse Blanche aged 12 months in barrels. Talent strikes again with this Savoie white of incredible purity. Waiting a few years will be well rewarded…