Corentin Houillon’s story is rooted in a lifelong connection to vines, farming and natural wine. Based in Chautagne, in the Savoie region of eastern France, he works a small 5-hectare domaine on steep alpine slopes shaped by ancient glaciers, where sandy molasse soils and a cool mountain climate give the wines their clarity, freshness and quiet mineral depth.

Before settling in Savoie, Corentin built an unusually rich path through some of the most thoughtful corners of the wine world. He trained formally, then gained hands-on experience with respected biodynamic and low-intervention estates including Dominique Derain in Burgundy, Stéphane Tissot in the Jura, and Urlar in New Zealand. In 2015, he returned to take over a Swiss estate, before eventually finding his own place in Chautagne in 2020.

The domaine is now certified organic and worked with a regenerative mindset. For Corentin, farming is not just about avoiding chemicals, but about rebuilding life in the soil, encouraging biodiversity and letting the vineyard become a balanced ecosystem. Everything is done with patience and close attention, especially on these demanding slopes where hand work is essential.

The Chautagne cru sits near Lac du Bourget and the Rhône, in a part of Savoie where mountain freshness meets a slightly gentler, sunnier microclimate. This tension is exactly what makes the wines so compelling: they are alpine in spirit, but never austere; fresh and lifted, yet with texture, fruit and a sense of quiet generosity.

Local varieties are at the heart of the domaine. Jacquère and Altesse bring brightness, salinity and mountain herbs, while Gamay, Mondeuse and Pinot Noir give juicy fruit, spice and delicate structure. The grapes are hand-harvested and vinified naturally on-site, right at the foot of the vines, with spontaneous fermentations and minimal intervention in the cellar.

Corentin’s wines are pure, alive and deeply tied to place. They do not try to impress through weight or polish; instead, they speak through energy, transparency and drinkability. These are authentic alpine wines: fresh, expressive and full of movement, carrying both the rugged beauty of Savoie and the sensitivity of the person farming it.