Lucas MadoniaBurgundian in the Alps
From Tony Bornard's Jura to Marc Soyard's Dijon, a young Burgundian winemaker finds his place in the steep terraces of Valais—farming by hand at 800 meters, zero additives, zero sulfites, and old Burgundian barrels.
From Burgundy to the Swiss Alps—via Tony Bornard's Jura and Marc Soyard's Dijon, finding home in Valais.
Lucas Madonia is a young Burgundian winemaker who represents the new generation of natural wine in the Swiss Alps. His journey began in Burgundy, but it was through two formative apprenticeships that he developed his craft: working with Tony Bornard in the Jura (Pupillin) and then with Marc Soyard at Domaine de la Cras in Dijon [^206^]. These experiences shaped his minimal-intervention philosophy and manual approach to winemaking.
The pivotal moment came in late 2021 during a trip to Switzerland. Lucas fell in love with Valais—the landscape, the terroir, and the potential for creating something unique. He settled in Ayent, near Sion, and began farming vineyards at elevations between 600 and 820 meters above sea level. Starting with 1 hectare in 2022, he expanded to 1.7 hectares in 2023, 2 hectares in 2024, and now farms approximately 2.5 hectares as of 2025 [^202^][^214^].
The vineyards Lucas tends are former Domaine de Cherouche parcels (formerly managed by Marc Balzan and Andrea Grossmann), located in and around Ayent, Chérouche, Tsampon, and Savièse. These are steep terrace vineyards that prevent any mechanization—everything must be done by hand, from grass management with a backpack brush cutter to harvest carried out on the shoulder. The work is grueling but preserves the authenticity of the alpine terroir [^206^][^214^].
Lucas is part of a new wave of young vignerons transforming Valais into an epicenter of Swiss natural wine, alongside names like Mythopia, Timothée Place, and Domaine de Cherouche itself. The region offers over 300 days of sunshine annually with natural protection from frost, creating ideal conditions for organic viticulture [^206^].
Read the full story about Lucas Madonia and Timothée Place's natural wine journeys in Valais on The Grape Reset:
Read Article on The Grape Reset"Wine 0,0,0"—no additives, no sulfites, no filtration. Gravity bottling from the barrel in August.
Lucas's philosophy is radical in its simplicity: "Wine 0,0,0"—zero inputs, zero sulfites, zero additives. This approach, learned from his mentors in the Jura and Burgundy, is applied with precision to Valais's unique conditions. In 2025, he achieved a historic milestone: no treatments in the vineyard at all, thanks to ideal weather conditions that allowed organic farming to proceed without any copper or sulfur applications [^202^][^214^].
When treatments are necessary (typically 5-6 per season), Lucas uses less than 1kg of copper per hectare, applied with a backpack atomizer. Grass management is done with a backpack brush cutter, and all vineyard work—from pruning to harvest—is manual due to the steep terraces. This labor-intensive approach ensures minimal impact on the delicate alpine soils [^214^].
In the cellar, indigenous yeasts drive fermentation. Destemming is entirely manual, done through sifting. Macerations last 25 days on average (sometimes extending to 30 days), with aging in old Burgundy barrels ranging from 228L to 600L. For whites, grapes are pressed on the day of harvest and transferred to 400L barrels. The unique bottling process happens in August by gravity directly from the barrel—no pumps, minimal intervention, maximum purity [^206^][^214^].
Gravity Bottling
Burgundy Barrels
The steep terraces of Ayent—schist, limestone, and alpine sun at 800 meters.
Hectares
Currently farming approximately 2.5 hectares (as of 2025), up from 1 hectare in 2022. The vineyards are spread across Ayent, Chérouche, Tsampon, and Savièse—all former Domaine de Cherouche parcels [^202^][^214^].
Meters Altitude
Vineyards sit between 680 and 820 meters above sea level on steep terraces. This elevation, combined with over 300 days of annual sunshine and frost protection from the surrounding mountains, creates a unique alpine microclimate [^206^][^202^].
Limestone
Soils are primarily schist and limestone, with variations including loess, moraines, quartz, and clay. This diverse geology, combined with the steep terraces, prevents any mechanization and necessitates hand-farming [^214^][^202^].
From Pinot Noir to Petite Arvine—Valais varieties vinified with Burgundian sensibility.
Chérouche
From the Chérouche vineyard—a blend dominated by Pinot Noir and Gamay. As the name suggests, this comes from the specific parcel that gives it its name. Manual destemming, 25-day maceration, aged in old Burgundy barrels. Light, fresh, with that characteristic alpine brightness [^214^][^206^].
Tsampon
From the Tsampon vineyard—pure Gamay or Gamay-led blends. The name reflects the specific terroir within the Ayent area. Like all Lucas's reds, it undergoes manual destemming and extended maceration before aging in neutral Burgundian oak. Shows the lighter, more ethereal side of Gamay from high altitude [^214^][^206^].
Molignon
A distinctive blend of Merlot, Humagne Rouge, Petit Verdot, and Pinot Noir—showcasing Lucas's willingness to work with Valais's diverse permitted varieties. Dark cherry fruit, silky tannins, and a lifted, delicious profile that pairs beautifully with grilled meat. Co-fermented spontaneously in neutral barrel with 30-day maceration [^214^][^218^].
Ercomma
A pure Pinot Noir expression from Valais's alpine terroir. Shows the influence of Burgundian training—whole bunch or partial whole bunch fermentation (depending on vintage), with that characteristic manual destemming through sifting. Aged in old 228L-600L Burgundy barrels [^214^].
Lépiny Rouge
Diolinoir, Gamay, and Pinot Noir—all manually destemmed and spontaneously co-fermented in neutral barrel. Macerating for 30 days before pressing, this shows the darker, more structured side of Lucas's range while maintaining freshness and drinkability [^218^][^220^].
Amigne / Petite Arvine / Heida
Lucas works with Valais's signature white varieties: Amigne (known for its bittersweet almond character), Petite Arvine (salty, citrusy, high acid), and Heida (also called Païen, an ancient variety). All are pressed on the day of harvest and aged in 400L barrels, bottled by gravity in August. These wines capture the alpine freshness and mineral schist character of the region [^206^][^203^].
Piquette
A pétillant naturel from various grape combinations—cloudy, fizzy, and fun. Made with the méthode ancestrale (bottled during fermentation to capture natural bubbles), this represents Lucas's playful side while maintaining the zero-additive philosophy. Perfect for alpine picnics [^214^].
Assemblage Blanc / Orange
Lucas produces both white assemblages (pressed immediately, aged in barrel) and orange wines (extended skin contact). These showcase the versatility of Valais varieties like Amigne, Petite Arvine, and Johannisberg when treated with minimal intervention. The orange wines develop tannins and structure from skin contact while maintaining alpine freshness [^203^].
The Burgundian in Valais
Lucas Madonia represents a new generation of transplanted winemakers bringing Burgundian sensibilities to the Swiss Alps. His training with Tony Bornard (Jura natural wine legend) and Marc Soyard (Dijon municipal estate innovator) provided the foundation, but it's his adaptation to Valais's extreme conditions—hand-farming steep terraces at 800 meters, carrying harvests on his shoulder, using backpack brush cutters and atomizers—that defines his work [^206^].
In a region historically dominated by cooperatives and conventional farming, Lucas is part of a small but growing natural wine movement that includes Mythopia, Timothée Place, and the legacy of Domaine de Cherouche. His commitment to "Wine 0,0,0"—no inputs, no sulfites, no additives—demonstrates that even in challenging alpine conditions, natural wine is not only possible but capable of expressing unique terroir. The red star on his labels has become a signature, marking bottles that capture the essence of Ayent's schist and limestone, Burgundian technique, and alpine altitude [^206^][^214^].
- Burgundian origin
- Trained with Tony Bornard (Jura)
- Trained with Marc Soyard (Domaine de la Cras)
- Settled in Ayent, Valais 2021
- ~2.5 hectares (2025)
- 600-820m altitude
- Steep terraces (no mechanization)
- Former Domaine de Cherouche parcels
- Organic certified (CH-BIO)
- Zero treatments in 2025 (historic)
- <1kg copper/ha when needed
- Manual destemming via sifting
- 25-30 day macerations
- Old Burgundy barrels (228L-600L)
- Whites in 400L barrels
- Gravity bottling from barrel (August)
- Zero sulfites, zero additives
- Red star label design