Source: De Maison Selections
THIERRY TISSOT
Savoie, France
The Tissot family has long made wine, while also growing other crops and raising some livestock, at their estate in Vaux-en-Bugey. In 2001, with his oenology degree in hand, Thierry Tissot came home to take over the estate. He decided to focus exclusively on making quality wine and hatched a plan to revive a forgotten vineyard.
The old-timers talked about a hillside called Mataret, a vineyard site once known for making legendary wines. Three hectares of clay calcareous soils with veins of shale facing southwest, at 350m elevation, and overlooking the village, this site had been completely abandoned and was covered in chestnut trees and dense brush. Thierry set his mind to making great wines here again. He cleared the hillside and planted it with Altesse and Mondeuse, two indigenous varietals in which he has great faith. Though the vines are still young, the wines produced from this site already show great depth and complexity. The potential here is tremendous.
Two hectares of Gamay, Jacquère, and Chardonnay scattered around the village complete the winery's holdings.