Advice, trials, the search for a style, and endless discussions, the first wines from the domain were made by the miracle of friendship, care and, above all, solidarity – A word that still holds meaning in the world of viticulture.
I often hesitate to talk about the first vintages of the Clos des Fées, for no one seems to believe me. We started in the back of a cellar provided by a friend, and were only able to destem once he finished his work. We had 4 tiny resin tanks, an old pump looking like it just came out of a second hand shop, cheese-cloths and the strength of our forceps to press the grapes and a rake to punch the cap. We had very few grapes, including a few meagre bunches picked in abandoned vineyards. We spent long hours selecting bays, logical, considering my limited experience. Therefore, we were often exhausted; some evenings even feeling a bit of despair, but we also had plenty of joy, passion and a good dose of madness. 1998 was a hot and dry vintage, but it gave us the opportunity to use our methods and ideas, new to this area, and create different wines which were well received by those who tasted them and showed us the path to follow: moving forward and being persistent.