Domaine Salel et Renaud

An atypical and somewhat wild vineyard, some plots cannot be mechanized due to their slope, so everything is done by hand, as in some vineyards in the Northern Rhône Valley.

Harvesting is done exclusively by hand in order to sort the grapes directly from the vine. This high-altitude vineyard produces wines with beautiful freshness, great finesse, and elegance. 

After meeting at university while studying viticulture, it became obvious to Benoît and Elise that they wanted to create their own estate. Through internships and training, their passion and expertise grew, finally leading them to settle in Ardèche a few years later.

As the grandchildren of Ardèche farmers, neither of them had any previous experience in agriculture and did not own any land. Setting up the estate was not always easy, and it took a lot of courage and ambition to get to where they are today. Uprooting, clearing, planting—for these "cultivator" winegrowers, the gamble has paid off!

The emblematic grape varieties of southern Ardèche, such as Viognier and Chatus, thrive alongside Gamay, Grenache, Syrah, Roussanne, and Vermentino.

Élise and Benoit are now in love with their vines and their work, and this is reflected in the personality of their wines. Their wines are frank, generous, honest, and unpretentious, just like them. Their greatest pride is to introduce people to the wonderful terroirs of southern Ardèche through their wines, which are little known but have nothing to be ashamed of when compared to the terroirs of the northern Côtes du Rhône.