Domaine des Miquettes

France
Cheminas, Ardèche

8000 bottles in the cellar

Chrystelle Vareille with her husband Paul Estève set up Domaine des Miquettes in 2003 on the granite plateau of Cheminas, in northern Ardèche, at an altitude of about 460 m above sea level, starting with a small parcel of 0.23 ha in the prestigious "Saint-Joseph" appellation.

In 2004, they acquired the old owner's vineyards and also took some rented land. They thus reach about 6 ha of vines, which, however, are gradually reduced to the current 2.1 ha, 0.8 of which are in the Saint-Joseph appellation, with the intention of increasing biodiversity on the estate by converting part of the vineyards to vegetable gardens, arable fields, ponds and pastures for animals. Today the Domaine is a true closed-cycle farm.

They introduced biodynamics in 2009 while also aiming to differentiate the types of varieties present so that alongside the local Syrah, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viogner, they are involved in the recovery of "Rayou D'Or," an ancient variety that was disappearing, and they include the allochthonous varieties Gewurztraminer and Chenin.

As for the winery, the direction is decidedly against the grain of the appellation's wines and involves the use of Spanish-made amphorae by Villarobledo artisan Orozco, buried in the Georgian style.

No more sulfur is added to the entire range of wines since 2014.

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