Pure Pinot Noir from a vineyard just outside Boudes, made with a mix of direct pressing and whole-cluster fermentation, then raised entirely in amphora. No heavy-handed extraction or oak to get in the way here: just a fresh, nimble expression of Pinot with bright fruit and plenty of drinkability. Another side of Auvergne from Henri Chauvet, and a reminder that this corner of France has plenty left to say.

Henri Chauvet

In the spring of 2021, Henri Chauvet settled in the village of Boudes in Auvergne purchasing 10.5 hectares of vines from a local winemaker. Henri, a relatively new arrival to the world of wine, had spent a few years working with winemakers predominantly in the Rhône valley and, most notably, Thierry Allemand in Cornas.

What he found in Auvergne was compelling: a region of overlooked soils and long slopes, where Gamay, Pinot Noir, and a bit of Chardonnay still cling to hillsides shaped by volcanos, marl, clay, iron-rich quartz, basaltic outcrops and red earth.

Henri bought the estate knowing he couldn’t just follow convention: he wanted to understand these soils, let them speak. From the moment he arrived, he began converting the vineyards toward organic farming, leaning on gentle cellar work — native yeasts, minimal intervention — to coax out the character of each plot.

Each parcel is tended with care — on steep slopes where mechanization would destroy more than help — sometimes worked with horses, always with hands and back. Henri treats each sub-block separately: different soils, different exposures, different vines — all contributing to wines that feel distinctly rooted in the varied terroir of Boudes.

Despite starting in 2021, his wines have drawn attention quickly — a sign that a fresh gaze on a nearly forgotten terroir, when handled with care and seriousness, can produce something urgent and beautiful.