Domaine Bott is one of the new must-try wine estates in the Northern Rhône. Founded in 2015 by Graeme and Julie Bott, this wine estate is rapidly establishing itself as a benchmark. Julie, originally from the Northern Rhône Valley, and Graeme, who hails from New Zealand, worked for nearly a decade with Stéphane Ogier, the region's iconic winemaker. Their passion led them to settle in Ampuis, where they planted vines in the Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, Saint-Joseph and Seyssuel appellations, a terroir in full renaissance.
Domaine Bott stands out for its commitment to expressing the full minerality of its granite and schist terroirs. Syrah and Viognier are revealed in all their splendor. From the early years, they collaborated with winemakers who shared their philosophy, enabling the creation of their first cuvées in Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage as early as 2015. In 2016, they acquired plots on the micaschists of Seyssuel and joined the VITIS VIENNA association, participating in the renaissance of this appellation. In 2020, a new parcel on the granite terroir of Cornas was added to their wine estate.
The first vintages of 2015, 2016 and 2017 were very promising. Since 2018, Julie and Graeme have been harvesting their own parcels with unfailing energy and determination. The soils on the steep Rhône slopes are worked with a caterpillar, and soon Julie will also be using a horse for ploughing. Everything is done to make the most of each terroir and obtain fruit of exceptional quality.
Their adventure began modestly, vinifying in a 16m2 garage, before taking over Didier Cote's cellar in Ampuis in 2019. That year, they also acquired a parcel of old vines in Tupin et Semons, a granite terroir on the Côte Blonde with vertiginous slopes and unique terraces.
Today, the wine estate covers almost 7 hectares spread over five appellations, with vines aged from 5 to 40 years. The aim is to reach 9 to 10 hectares to maintain a human and meticulous management of every detail, from planting to winemaking, respecting their convictions and emotions for precision wines reflecting their terroir. In organic conversion, Domaine Bott is the new rising star of the Northern Rhône, ready to shake up the local hierarchy.
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