Wine for the Soul - Caroline and Alexandre Savoye Stehly

We are a couple of winemakers , established in Beaujolais since January 2022. We both work, supported by Alexandre's parents and some wonderful "helping hands" during busy periods!

Both committed to respecting life and the Earth , we have chosen to cultivate our vines using organic and biodynamic farming methods ( certified AB and Demeter) . We aim to offer products whose production process respects people , nature , and animals .

After dedicating the first year to launching our business, in 2023 we fitted out our first winery and planted 1.8 hectares of Chardonnay, which will complement our 4.1 hectares of vines already in production.

In September 2023, we also had our first harvest! Our baptism of fire! And despite the late heatwave and a few last-minute surprises, with the help of our team, we managed to bring all the grapes into the cellar and begin our first winemaking process! Our wines were bottled in June 2024 and are currently available for sale.

To better understand our project, let's go back to its origins.

To begin, let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Alexandre, I'm 33 years old, and I come from a farming family. My grandparents, who practiced mixed farming, also cultivated vines in the Beaujolais region. After a first career as a high-level athlete (Olympic cross-country mountain biking), studies in Materials Engineering, and exploring viticulture abroad, notably in Tasmania and Italy, and in France at Domaine La Soufrandière / BRET Brothers and Château Revelette / Peter Fisher, I decided to return to my native land and reconnect with family tradition. Yes, but in a different way. Indeed, the world has changed in recent years, and the environmental, societal, and economic challenges are no longer the same. As a nature lover, this realization led me to launch my own business, producing living wines in small batches and ensuring the products are valued fairly.

As for me, Caroline, I'm 34 years old, and after studying business management, working in sales and consulting, and then traveling to discover other cultures, I met Alexandre and was inspired by his project. Joining this adventure is a way for me to live in accordance with my deepest aspirations: caring for all living things, being in contact with nature, meeting new people, inspiring, and creating!

We combined our shared aspirations and joined forces to create Du Vin à l'Âme, our winery. We cultivate 5.9 hectares of vines, primarily on hillsides in the Beaujolais Pierres Dorées and Moulin-à-Vent appellations; some of which we own, others which we lease. We have converted all of our vineyards to organic and biodynamic farming and cultivate three different grape varieties: Gamay and Pinot Noir for our red wines, and Chardonnay for our white wines.

The aim of our work is to help the vine regain its natural ability to nourish itself and to stimulate its immune system so that it is healthy by recreating an ecosystem that allows the soil to thrive. In this way, it can produce "living" grapes, from terroirs that express their full potential.

To achieve this, we do not use any chemical products and we prioritize manual labor as much as possible.

The idea is to cultivate our vines as we would a (very large) garden. We work in particular with the lunar calendar to optimize the energies of the moment according to the activities to be carried out (biodynamic method). We also limit tilling but sow green manure in the autumn, which nourishes and aerates the soil. We help our vines with herbal teas and biodynamic preparations when necessary. Finally, in order to respect the plant, we prune in winter, following the sap flow, and we do not trim the shoots in summer.

As you can see, we are present in our vineyards every day and our lives, like plants, are regulated by the cycle of the seasons!

Regarding winemaking, we begin by harvesting the grapes by hand, then transport them in 20kg crates to preserve their integrity. Next, we vinify our wines using only indigenous yeasts and bacteria (naturally occurring). We guide the transformation of the grapes into wine in a natural way, without any additives, chemical processes, or mechanical methods. We use small containers, aerate our musts by gravity, and perform manual punch-downs. Finally, we age our wines for 10 months on their lees.

The use of sulfites is anecdotal and only for certain vintages at bottling.

NO PURCHASE OF GRAPES