I am going to introduce you to Elisabeth Saladin. She produces wine with her sister, Marie-Laurence at their family’s estate, Domaine Saladin. Both are part of the Femmes Vignes Rhone association.
Domaine Saladin is located in Saint Marcel d´Ardèche, a Provencal village in the southern Côtes du Rhône, halfway between Montélimar and Avignon, on the right bank of the Rhône. An estate that offers the particularity of having always been cultivated, harvested, and vinified organically. They created their first vintage in 2003, while they were still students. They took over from their father who was recovering from an illness. Right up until the present day, the Saladin family has kept its traditions alive, working harmoniously together, passing along its ‘know-how’ from fathers to sons and father to daughters.
Their vineyards have always been chemical-free as Elizabeth talked about in the podcast episode (LINK BELOW). She also tells the story of the first time she lead the harvest after her Father unexpectedly became ill. The way she could tell the difference between her family’s vines and the neighbors was the quality of the soils. Their wine is ‘Agriculture Biologique’ (Certified Organic) by ‘Ecocert.’ Since 2006, Elisabeth and Marie-Laurence have chosen to offer this wine as a table wine because it does not conform to the rules/standards of the ‘Appellation.’ Remember that “Vin de France” isn’t always what meets the eye. It is important to have insight and basic regional knowledge of the wines you are purchasing.
I visited their ancient cellar that dates back to the 15th century. I felt more like an archeologist than Sommelier that morning. The winemaking tools, barrels, and scattered debris across the cellar are more reminiscent of ancient artifacts. They serve as physical archives, not just of the family story but of the rich wine history and culture that is the Rhone Valley.
Episode 8 of the Podcast is an interview with Elizabeth Saladin.
She tells her family’s story, explains her current role at the Domaine, and shares personal stories of working abroad and how that experience helped shape who she is today. She offers advice to other professionals in wine; traveling influences us and provides a foundation to which you can go more confidently in the direction of your goals.
This story comes in conjunction with a project I worked on for the Napa Valley Wine Academy that is centered around exploring some of the smaller lesser-known village appellations of the Southern Rhone.
A new course will be launching this summer and I encourage you to check it out! Napa Valley Wine Academy is America’s Premier wine school. For anyone looking for higher level wine education or for the beginner, The Napa Valley Wine is must! You can access online classes from anywhere in the world.
