Domaine Bott is one of the new must-visit wine estates in the Northern Rhône. Founded in 2015 by Graeme and Julie Bott , this wine estate is quickly establishing itself as a leader in the region. Julie, a native of the Northern Rhône Valley, and Graeme, who hails from New Zealand, worked for nearly a decade with Stéphane Ogier, an iconic winemaker in the region. Their passion led them to settle in Ampuis, where they planted vineyards in the Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, Saint-Joseph, and Seyssuel appellations—a terroir currently undergoing a renaissance.
Bott wine estate stands out for its commitment to expressing the full minerality of its granitic and schist terroirs. Syrah and Viognier reveal themselves here in all their splendor. From the very beginning, they collaborated with winemakers who shared their philosophy, enabling them to produce their first cuvées in Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, Saint-Joseph, and Crozes-Hermitage as early as 2015. In 2016, they acquired plots on the mica schist soils of Seyssuel and joined the VITIS VIENNA association, contributing to the revival of this appellation. In 2020, a new plot on the granite terroir of Cornas further enriched their wine estate.
The first vintages—2015, 2016, and 2017—showed great promise. Since 2018, Julie and Graeme have been harvesting their own plots with unwavering energy and determination. The soils of the steep Rhône hillsides are worked with a crawler tractor, and soon Julie will also be using a horse for plowing. Every effort is made to draw out the best from each terroir and produce fruit of exceptional quality.
Their journey began modestly, making wine in a 16-square-meter garage, before taking over Didier Cote’s winery in Ampuis in 2019. That same year, they also acquired a plot of old vines in Tupin and Semons, a granitic terroir in the Côte Blonde with vertiginous slopes and unique terraces.
Today, the wine estate spans nearly 7 hectares spread across five appellations, with vines ranging in age from 5 to 40 years. The goal is to reach 9 to 10 hectares to maintain a hands-on and meticulous approach to every detail, from planting to winemaking, while staying true to their convictions and passion for crafting precise wines that reflect their terroir. Currently in the process of converting to organic farming, Domaine Bott is the new rising star of the Northern Rhône, poised to shake up the local hierarchy.
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