Sylvère Trichard & Mathilde Sothier — Breath of the New Beaujolais

Founded in 2012 by Sylvère Trichard, Domaine Séléné (also known as Domaine de la Tallebarde) is rooted in the four hectares of Gamay vines planted by his grandfather in the 1950s, in the village of Blacé, Beaujolais. Trained by natural wine pioneers—Jean‑Claude Lapalu in Beaujolais and Dominique Belluard in Savoie—Sylvère embraced minimal intervention and ecological care as core principles from the very start.

Together with his partner Mathilde Sothier, he now cultivates 10 hectares of Gamay (plus tiny plantings of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir). They work organically and follow biodynamic practices, aiming to capture the essence of their terroir day-by-day, without artifice.

Vineyards & Viticulture

• Terroir: The estate lies on sandy, pink granite soils with occasional clay pockets—classic ground for Gamay that yields wines with lift, minerality, and clarity.

• Vine Age: Vines range from 30 to 85 years old, planted with massale selection and carefully managed yields (~30 hl/ha).

• Farming Approach: Certified organic and transitioning toward full biodynamics. The team fosters biodiversity on-site through compost, cover crops, hedges, and integration of animals and orchards—and tends all vines by hand to maintain soil health and vine balance.

Winemaking Philosophy

Everything begins in the vineyard. Sylvère’s motto is: “Don’t try to fix in the cellar what you didn’t do in the vineyard.”The approach:

• Grapes are handpicked, often whole-cluster.

• Fermentation is wild yeast, semi-carbonic for Gamay, in concrete or buried tanks.

• No added yeast, no chaptalization, minimal pumping or manipulation.

• Around three cuvées see no sulfur at all, while some bottlings may receive just a pinch at bottling, depending on the vintage.

• No fining, no filtration—wines are bottled as naturally as possible.

Signature Wines

• Beaujolais-Villages Rouge & Rosé: Bright, energetic, and pure—these cuvées offer instant charm and accessibility.

• Côte de Brouilly: Sourced from old-vine Gamay on basaltic slopes; structured and age-worthy with floral spice and mineral depth.

• Primeur (Nouveau) Style Gamay: Early release, whole-cluster fermented with juicy intensity and fresh acidity.

• Blanc Chardonnay: Fermented and aged in concrete, crisp and saline—highlighting a lesser-known expression from the estate.

• Rosé Pét-Nat: From Gamay (including Gamay de Bouze), bottled mid fermentation to finish naturally in the bottle, no added sulfur—sparkling, energetic, and fun.