Domaine Christinat

A relatively recent history: ‍ The estate was founded by Olivier, who made his first purchases of vineyards in 1989 to supplement the small plots he had inherited from his grandfather. His grandfather, a farmer, instilled in him a love of the vineyard when, at the age of 8, he helped him plant a plot of Chasselas (which is still in production today!). Since then, the estate has been built up as a family business. From the 2017 harvest onwards, Noé, Olivier’s eldest son, joined his father – having studied oenology at Changins – to take charge of winemaking. Finally, since the summer of 2019, Nathalie has also been working alongside her husband and son, running the tasting room in the heart of the village of Ollon. The estate now comprises 6 hectares spread across the Aigle, Ollon and Bex appellations in the Chablais region of Vaud. Almost all the plots are situated on steep slopes, which allow only limited mechanisation and require constant manual labour. As a reward for this labour-intensive viticulture, the vineyards benefit from excellent exposures and varied terroirs. This combination allows for the cultivation of a wide variety of grape varieties, notably several reds which complement the traditional Chasselas in the estate’s range. In the vineyard: ‍ When it comes to cultivation methods, the estate has always been committed to environmentally friendly practices. Since 2016, one hectare of the five that then made up the estate has been cultivated organically. Ultimately, the Christinat family’s aim was to build on this success and extend the practice to all the estate’s plots. From the 2021 vintage onwards, the estate is embarking on a two-year transition to organic farming before obtaining, for the 2023 vintage, the “Bourgeon” label from Bio Suisse, certifying cultivation without synthetic products. Spring 2025 will mark the start of a new era with the first plantings of hybrid grape varieties, resistant to fungal diseases, as well as the integration of the vineyard into a broader mixed-cropping production system. In the cellar: ‍ The rental of a warehouse in the summer of 2019 meant that we no longer needed the help of a colleague from the village for winemaking. This vintage also saw the production of the first wines made without oenological additives or added sulphur, in order to produce authentic and vibrant wines. Gradually, this would become one of the winery’s guiding principles. From 2022 onwards, no industrially selected yeasts or modern oenological products were used in winemaking. Sulphites, in minimal quantities, remain the oenologist’s sole external tool, and are used only for wines that require them. Transparency is the golden rule: the ingredients – and therefore any added sulphites – are listed on the label. The terroirs: ‍ On the slopes of Aigle, the soil is predominantly stony, composed of shards of schist which lend the Chasselas La Barmaz mineral aromatic characteristics and a full-bodied richness. Near Ollon, the Combaz-Gelin terroir features a gypsum subsoil covered by limestone moraine from the ancient Rhône glacier, in layers of varying depths. This heavier, clayier soil gives the Chasselas, Sauvignon and Gamay their intense fruitiness. On this same hillside, lower down the slope and benefiting from a breathtaking aspect, the estate’s Syrah has come into its own on dry, stony flysch soil – a crumbly, layered limestone rock. Further west, on the other side of the village of Antagnes, lies the Arzillier terroir, which is home to Chasselas as well as Cornalin and Cabernet Franc. This soil, where gypsum outcrops in places, produces red wines with a lovely freshness and an almost floral aromatic profile. Finally, the Châlex plot, situated between the two communes of Aigle and Ollon, is predominantly planted with Merlot on a clay-limestone terroir, similar to the soils of Bordeaux’s right bank and ideal for this grape variety.