Le domaine Renardat Fache
Mérignat
Comfortably hidden in the foothils of Jura between Lyon and Geneva, the tiny village of Merignat emerges at a bend of the road. Under its austere face of a small medieval town, it hides in its cellars a sparkling natural wine that unveils part of its mystery when the bottle is opened, revealing its color.
Our family has been cultivating the vineyards of the domain for more than eight generations. The vineyards themselves have been part of the village since the Middle Ages. The family Renardat Fache also used to cultivate fruits, like apples, walnuts, cherries and strawberries.
After the Second World War,Léon Renardat Fache and his wife Cécile, together with a few other winemakers, developed the vinification process "Méthode ancestrale" to produce the natural sparkling wine Cerdon.
In 1958 this wine obtained the "Appellation d'Origine Vins Délimités de Qualité Supérieure Bugey.
In 1974 Alain Renardat Fache, the son of Léon, comes back to the domain after his studies in Beaune. With his wife Mirelle, they develop the family domain in the wake of the growing popularity of the wine Bugey Cerdon. They refined the vinification technique by introducing the first insulated tanks that allow to stop the fermentation by cooling.
In 1996, Élie Renardat Fache, the elder son of Alain joins the adventure, after completing his winemaker studies (BTS vito oeno) in Beaune. Together they continue to develop the domain and refine the wine making techniques.
In 2000, Élie's wife Christelle joins Mireille for administrative duties and customer service.
2008, start of conversion to organic.
2009, Bugey Cerdon obtains the AOC label in recognition of our wine making expertise and tradition.
2012, Ecocert organic farming certification FR-BIO-01.
As of today, we cultivate 12.50 Ha of vines under the label AOC Bugey Cerdon.