Lucas Madonia started his adventure in Valais at the end of 2021. In 2022 on 1 ha, in 2023 1.7 ha and 2024 1.5 ha. Having spent time working with Marc Soyard at Domaine de la Cras and Tony Bornard in the Jura he started his own project on the steep terraced vineyards of the Valais, located in and around Ayent, between 600 and 820 meters above sea level. The terroir is quite fantastic and the altitude offers the potential to make wine with a beautiful balance of concentration and freshness.

The soils are mainly composed of Schists and Limestone, but also of Loess, Quartz, Clays and others. The terraced vineyard prevents any mechanization of winemaking tasks.

Grass management is done with the backpack brush cutter. The organic treatments (<1kg copper ha) are carried out using a backpack atomizer. The harvest is taken out on the shoulder.

In the burgundian style of his origins he tends to bottle by plot, looking for terroir that excites him.. Destemming is manual and is done through sifting. Macerations last 25 days on average. Aging takes place in old Burgundian barrels from 228L to 600L. The whites are pressed on the day of the harvest then sent in 400L barrels. All bottling is done by gravity from the barrel itself. All wines are without inputs and without sulphites.

100% Chasselas. A variety that is much derided but in the right hands can make something quite unique, like this example with plenty of freshness, but tons of citrus fruit and minerals too. 

Riesling, Sylvaner, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The white and black grape varieties were vinified separately in barrels and then blended at the end of 2023. Light and very aromatic with a beautiful fluidity, this is a delicious red to serve with a chill, awaiting some sun!

100% Pinot Noir. The fruit is all destemmed by hand and macerated for around 30 days, before ageing in burgundy barrels. It's aromatic with silky black fruit and lithe tannins, totally delicious!

100% Gamay at an altitude of 630m on calcoschiste. Lucas destems the fruit by hand and macerates for around 25 day, then pressed and put into old burgundy barrels. The 2023 is lighter than 2022, with very pretty fruit and soaring aromatics, lovely with a light chill.

Diolinoir, Gamay and Pinot Noir from the same plot, destemmed by hand then macerated for around 25 days before pressing into barrel. Amazing concentration of fruit, but with freshness and a very silky texture, this is a highlight of the brilliant 2023 vintage.

pinot noir 70% gamay 30% 850m (calcoshiste+loess). Vines are in the same place as the Cherouche domaine which is just named after the area, a really remote vineyard with incredibly low yields. It gives amazing depth of fruit with a lovely texture, this is really sensational and drinking very well already. Very limited quantities.