Corentin Houillon was foot-treading Poulsard at Pierre Overnoy's estate before he could walk, more or less. Born into the Jura's most storied natural-wine family, he has carved out his own domaine in the mountains of Savoie.
Backstory
Corentin is the nephew of Emmanuel Houillon of Domaine Overnoy-Houillon, and his earliest wine memory dates to 1991, aged one, treading grapes at Overnoy's. He studied viticulture and oenology in Beaune and Montpellier, then worked with Stephane Tissot, Dominique Derain, and wineries abroad, and ran Domaine de la Ville de Morges in Switzerland from 2015, converting 15 hectares to organic and biodynamic farming. He searched twelve different regions before founding his own domaine in 2019.
The Region
Houillon's estate is in Serrieres-en-Chautagne, in the Chautagne of Savoie, deep in the French Alps, on steep slopes between two mountains and surrounded by forest.
Vineyards and Farming
Corentin farms 5 hectares on glacial molasse, a mix of sandstone and quartz bound with Jurassic limestone. He is certified organic (AB) and uses the biodynamic preparations 500 and 508, working by hand and following lunar cycles, keeping grass cover between the rows rather than tilling, and sowing cover crops under the vines. He grows five varieties: Altesse, Jacquere, Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Mondeuse.
Winemaking
Houillon's fermentations run on indigenous yeasts, mostly in concrete tanks and barrels, and the wines are bottled with minimal or no added sulfur. His first 2019 vintage yielded 1,500 bottles of Altesse and Mondeuse, expanding to eight cuvees by 2020.
The Wines
Corentin Houillon bottlings include the Force of Nature Altesse, the Zenith skin-contact maceration, the Veronnet rouge, the Montée Furieuse Jacquère, and Vin Vivant cuvees such as Cosmos and Vieux Fougs.
