We move to the Savoie for a new face in our portfolio, François Gilles of Domaine des Fables.

Greetings from the beautiful city of Grenoble! There are a lot of mountains here. Also, wine. Today we had the distinct pleasure of drinking lots of it at a remarkable salon in Fort Barraux. Here's what we're drinking: Lot's of Jacquère, Mondeuse, Gamay, etc. Our highlight, of course, were the 2021 wines from François Gilles (Domaine des Fables). I'm looking very much forward to bringing you these brilliant wines from a lighter, fresher vintage proper to all these dramatic mountains. We love mountain wine. It's a thing. 

      François is interested in wines with a lot of tension. He's after wines that hold onto their fruit but also show a "vegetal" character. That sounds maybe not delicious, but think of caramelized onions, carrots, bay leaf... really high-toned spices. Think about your grandmother's pot roast. The fresh fruit and this savory quality map onto my idea of the best reds of the region. You can see the alpine trees and red berries and it's all very wonderful.

François Gilles is a talent. Take, for instance, this remarkable illustration on his 2019 Gamay. He did that. Of course the true wonder, by my lights, is inside! François is a brilliant young winemaker I met hanging out with Jérémy Decoster of Les Cortis. They have a kind of similar philosophy of winemaking, and as a result of their shared terroir, the wines have a lot in common too. The two actually met at a conference on soil health, which is something near and dear to both of their hearts. When we visit, there's always a lot of talk and excitement about the way their vineyards are holding up beside their neighbors, about new pruning techniques, about working with special nurseries, etc. The fruit they end up with each year is so stunningly beautiful and shines through each cuvee in their own idiosyncratic ways. François's wines always have a beguiling level of herbacousness that can serve as a sprig of freshness in lighter cuvées or a savory dimension in his fruitier wines. They are transportive and take me to the banks of the Rhône, way up in the hills, or to my grandmother's kitchen as she breaks down sauerbraten with onions and carrots. All this very much from the mind of M. Gilles who started this winery just a few years ago with a very high concept approach. Each wine corresponds to a persona, couched in all the specific decisions he makes to differentiate one wine from the next. Here, "Les Chroniques de Gargantua" is a longer maceration with whole bunches. Each vintage, François makes another illustration for the label that speaks to what's inside. It's a really charming project that does a lot to tell us about this really inspiring person and the wines he makes.

François gave us a masterclass on innovations in vineyard management during our walk around his beautiful hillside vineyards. We talked about nursery pruning, grafting, varieties, co-plantation, soil health. The walk was nearly as impressive as the tasting. At the moment, he's sort of split in two. Domaine des Fables is all fruit from his own vineyards vinified in his cellar. He's also buying grapes for a project, Maudit Flacon, which is a sort of temporary addendum to Domaine des Fables. In other words, all the wines made from purchased grapes he plans to make with his own fruit. He's buying vineyards, leasing, taking over leases... slowly, slowly filling out what was a very high concept winery. He knows exactly the kinds of cuvées he wants to make, and with each and every one has executed something remarkable. So very happy to be bringing you these amazing wines. 

The Domaine des Fables, created in 2019, is located on the slopes of Chautagne (Savoie), near the Rhone and the Lac du Bourget. The soils are composed of sandstone and limestone scree, the vineyard benefits from a south-western exposure and a climate tempered by the Lake of Bourget and the Rhone. In this setting, the vineyard plots are surrounded by woods, streams and meadows. The estate has been converted to organic farming and biodynamic practices. The search for balance and richness in biodiversity guides François Gilles’ work which extends to the cellar. All the fermentations are spontaneous and the maturation guided by the stars.