Hervé Souhaut
Hervé Souhaut is a vigneron in the northern Rhône region who is a proponent of winegrowing that respects the environment and the identity of the terroir, a philosophy through which he founded the Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet. Originally from Paris and a biologist by training, Hervé operates precisely in the small commune of Arlebosc, in the northern side of the Ardèche area, along the Doux river, a tributary of the Rhone. It was here that the vigneron embarked on his own adventure in 1993, supported by his wife Béatrice, and strengthened by the influence of two masters of artisanal wine such as Marcel Lapierre and Philippe Pacalet, great interpreters respectively of the Beaujolais and Burgundy territories.
Vigneron Hervé Souhaut cultivates just 5 hectares of old vines dedicated to the Syrah, Gamay, Viognier and Roussanne varieties, conducted using an agronomic approach based on the dictates of organic farming, although the producer renounces any certification. He also works with a number of trusted vine growers from whom he buys some of the grapes, including those of the Marsanne and Merlot varieties. The vines, which are up to 100 years old, stand on granite or schist soils and the harvest is carried out strictly by hand with careful selection of the grapes. In the cellar, Hervé proceeds with whole cluster vinification based on spontaneous fermentation at low temperature, in oak vats or stainless steel tanks, with semi-carbonic maceration and always using gentle extractions. For subsequent ageing, oak barrels of several passages or stainless steel vats are used, and throughout the entire process there is no use of invasive manipulation or additions, with only the addition of sulphur dioxide at bottling when the wine requires it.
The wines of Hervé Souhaut take the form of expressions with a pure and crystal-clear personality, characterised by a juicy and engaging drinkability, never unbalanced, with a minerality always in evidence. These are bottles that are already very tasty in their youth, but are able to evolve and harmonise further with bottle ageing.
Hervé Souhaut is a vigneron in the northern Rhône region who is a proponent of winegrowing that respects the environment and the identity of the terroir, a philosophy through which he founded the Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet. Originally from Paris and a biologist by training, Hervé operates precisely in the small commune of Arlebosc, in the northern side of the Ardèche area, along the Doux river, a tributary of the Rhone. It was here that the vigneron embarked on his own adventure in 1993, supported by his wife Béatrice, and strengthened by the influence of two masters of artisanal wine such as Marcel Lapierre and Philippe Pacalet, great interpreters respectively of the Beaujolais and Burgundy territories.
Vigneron Hervé Souhaut cultivates just 5 hectares of old vines dedicated to the Syrah, Gamay, Viognier and Roussanne varieties, conducted using an agronomic approach based on the dictates of organic farming, although the producer renounces any certification. He also works with a number of trusted vine growers from whom he buys some of the grapes, including those of the Marsanne and Merlot varieties. The vines, which are up to 100 years old, stand on granite or schist soils and the harvest is carried out strictly by hand with careful selection of the grapes. In the cellar, Hervé proceeds with whole cluster vinification based on spontaneous fermentation at low temperature, in oak vats or stainless steel tanks, with semi-carbonic maceration and always using gentle extractions. For subsequent ageing, oak barrels of several passages or stainless steel vats are used, and throughout the entire process there is no use of invasive manipulation or additions, with only the addition of sulphur dioxide at bottling when the wine requires it.
The wines of Hervé Souhaut take the form of expressions with a pure and crystal-clear personality, characterised by a juicy and engaging drinkability, never unbalanced, with a minerality always in evidence. These are bottles that are already very tasty in their youth, but are able to evolve and harmonise further with bottle ageing.
