21371 customer reviews

Domaine Salel et Renaud

3.9/5View all 22 reviews

Founded in 2008 in the Ardèche Cévennes, the estate initially comprised 3 ha of vineyards cultivated under the Coteaux de l'Ardèche IGP designation, with a garage serving as the winery... What a challenge—and what a transformation! Today, the vineyard spans 11 hectares of terraced vines at altitudes between 300 and 500 meters, nestled amid remarkable landscapes shaped by previous generations that Benoit and Élise hope to preserve for future generations.

This is

an unconventional and somewhat untamed vineyard; some plots cannot be mechanized due to their steep slopes, so everything is worked by hand, much like certain vineyards in the Northern Rhône Valley.

The harvest is done exclusively by hand to sort the grapes right in the vineyard. This high-altitude vineyard produces wines with beautiful freshness, great finesse, and plenty of elegance.

After meeting while studying viticulture at university, it became clear to Benoît and Elise that they should start their own winery. Through internships and training, their passion and expertise grew, eventually leading them to settle in the Ardèche a few years later.

As the grandchildren of Ardèche farmers, neither had previously been involved in agriculture nor owned any land of their own. Getting started wasn’t always easy, and it took a great deal of courage and ambition to get to where they are today. Uprooting, clearing, and planting—for these “farmer-winemakers,” the challenge has now been successfully met!

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

Élise and Benoit are now deeply in love with their vineyards and their work, and this is reflected in the character of their wines. These wines are straightforward, generous, honest, and unpretentious—just like them. Their greatest pride is introducing people, through their wines, to the wonderful terroirs of southern Ardèche, which are little known but hold their own when compared to the terroirs of the Northern Côtes du Rhône.

For more information, visit the website at Salel et Renaud

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