Le Raisin et l'Ange, Ardêche

It is our pleasure to introduce you to Antonin and Gilles Azzoni of Le Raisin et l'Ange, true pioneers of the natural wine world in the southern Ardêche.

Gilles Azzoni settled in the southern Ardêche in 1983, planting about 6ha of vines for his family farm rimmed by woodlands. Since then, Gilles has become synonymous with natural viticulture in the region, as both advocate and practitioner. Today, Gilles works with his son Antonin under the label ‘Le Raisin et l’Ange’, vinifying their own grapes while also developing the reputation of the Ardêche through making négociant wines with local growers.

The southern Ardêche is a truly distinct region, famous for its rocky and recalcitrant soils. The father and son team have long been engaged in a process of soil conditioning and permaculture promotion. They’ve planted traditional cereals, fruit trees, and woodland trees to develop more complex and fertile soil types.

In the cellar the grapes encounter no fining, filtering, or additions. The resulting wines are fresh and fruit-forward with a considered structure. From a pioneer of the southern Ardêche, these wines are a unique regional expression.