Domaine de l'Enviegne, organic and natural wines in Savoie

After changing careers in 2021, Alexis Tondeur established the Domaine de l’Enviegne (en-vie-gne) in the Bas Chablais region of Savoie. His 4-hectare estate comprises both recently planted vines (Altesse, Pinot Noir, Mondeuse Noire) and old Chasselas vines, the estate’s historic grape variety.

At his Enviegne estate, Alexis Tondeur produces expressive, lively and crisp wines using organic farming methods and additive-free winemaking techniques, restoring the Chasselas variety to its former glory.

The Enviegne estate in the heart of the Lower Chablais

The Chablais is a pre-Alpine massif situated in the north-east of the Haute-Savoie department, comprising the ‘Lower Chablais’, which borders the southern shore of Lake Geneva; the ‘Pays de Gavot’, a plateau stretching from Lake Geneva to the Dranse Valley; and the ‘Upper Chablais’, the mountainous part, extending to the edge of the Giffre Valley.

In the vineyard

The recent plantings at the Domaine de l’Enviegne have been carried out using mass selections to introduce diversity into the plots. Maintaining grass cover helps to limit soil erosion and thus preserve ecosystems.

The vines are cultivated in accordance with organic standards, with treatments using reduced doses of copper and sulphur, supplemented by fermented plant extracts. Soil cultivation is shallow; the plots are mostly on slopes and machinery is only driven in a zigzag pattern to avoid compacting the soil. Much of the work is carried out in accordance with the lunar calendar, including pruning, green pruning and the harvest.

In the cellar

At Domaine de l’Enviegne, the grapes are harvested by hand into 20kg crates to avoid crushing them and thus promote successful fermentation. The grapes are either partially destemmed and left to macerate for over two weeks, or pressed directly; following a simple settling process, this triggers spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, which continues throughout the winemaking process without the addition of any additives until bottling. Bottling takes place after ageing on the full lees for over 9 months, in vats or barrels. Bottling also follows the lunar calendar; there is no filtration or fining of the wines, which helps to preserve their aromas and allows them to express the full potential of this grape variety.

A few photos of the Enviegne estate in Savoie