On slopes so steep that every task is done by hand, Adrien Berlioz has turned a small family domaine in Chignin into one of the most distinctive voices in Savoie wine. Each of his many cuvees comes from its own parcel and carries the name of a family member.
Backstory
Adrien Berlioz took over the small family estate, Cellier des Cray, in 2006 and built it into a respected reference for Chignin. He is a cousin of Gilles Berlioz, another well-known Savoyard vigneron.
The Region
The domaine lies near Chignin, a village between Albertville and Chambery in the French Alps, at around 390 meters of elevation. The vineyards sit on rock scree over a calcareous-clay subsoil, on very steep slopes that reach 50 percent inclination in places.
Vineyards and Farming
Berlioz farms about seven hectares spread across 17 micro-parcels. The vines are certified organic since 2012 and Demeter-certified biodynamic since 2020. The slopes are worked entirely by hand with small tools rather than tractors, and he uses no herbicides or inorganic fertilizers. The plantings are the Savoie classics: Jacquere and Roussanne for the whites, Mondeuse for the reds.
The Wines
Each parcel yields its own cuvee, 17 in all, each referencing a member of the family. The range spans Chignin from Jacquere, Chignin-Bergeron from Roussanne, and varietal Mondeuse reds, all expressions of these steep alpine sites.