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Orchis
300,000 snails and an antique-style cellar - nothing is ordinary at Domaine des Orchis in Haute-Savoie. Philippe Héritier was a bank manager before he gave it all up in 2006. Today, he cultivates five hectares on steep slopes near Frangy, where Altesse and Mondeuse grow on glacial moraine. The wines mature for 18 months in a hexagonal cellar, which he had built according to the golden ratio - inspired by the theatre of Epidaurus. Star chefs such as Marc Veyrat and Jean Sulpice are among his customers.
More about Orchis
From banker to farmer: a radical new start
A quote from Ridley Scott's „Christopher Columbus“ hangs in the tasting room: „Life has more imagination than our dreams.“ Philippe Héritier lived it. The trained agricultural engineer had a career at Crédit Agricole until a management seminar made him think twice. He no longer wanted to. His grandfather was a winegrower in Frangy, his father a snail farmer - Philippe combined the two. In 2006 he cleared deserted steep slopes and planted the autochthonous grape varieties Altesse and Mondeuse. The Quintessence d'Altesse shows what these forgotten terroirs have to offer: acacia blossoms, jasmine and an electrifying minerality.
The cellar as a total work of art
Anyone entering the cellar immediately senses that something is right here. Philippe worked together with an architect and geobiologist to create a hexagonal space according to the golden ratio to create. The inspiration came from Greece - the ancient theatre of Epidaurus with its perfect acoustics. Philippe believes that these proportions also influence the wine. The barrels - originally also constructed according to the golden ratio - rest here for 18 months. No rush, no compromises. Only wild yeasts, minimal sulphur and herbal teas for the vines.
Mondeuse: the underestimated Alpine variety
Whilst the whole world is looking to Pinot Noir and Syrah, Philippe cultivates a grape that has been native to the Alps for centuries. His Quintessence de Mondeuse disproves the preconception that Savoy red wines are thin and rustic. Six months of mash contact give it depth and structure without stifling the Alpine freshness. Anyone looking for similarly independent wines from mountain regions will find the Domaine Grand in the neighbouring Jura.
Snails, stars and modesty
Philippe also breeds 300,000 snails per year - Gros-gris, lined with clover, flax and mustard. The same meticulousness, the same philosophy: quality over quantity. It is this attitude that makes star chefs like Marc Veyrat, Jean Sulpice and Yoann Conte has convinced him. Philippe prefers to call himself a farmer rather than a winegrower. He dynamises the water for his snails and treats his vines with biodynamic preparations. A dreamer? Perhaps. But one whose wines can be found in the best restaurants in the Alps.