Domaine Aux Ardents was introduced to me by a close friend who runs the renowned bouchon Le Mercière in Lyon—a restaurant deeply rooted in Beaujolais.

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After tasting the first samples in early 2025, I traveled to the region to meet the winemakers. The estate is owned and run by a husband-and-wife team, Mylène (a lawyer) and Thomas (a car mechanic). Both are natives of the region, though neither came from the wine world. In 2019, driven by curiosity and a shared vision, they decided to take the leap and create Domaine Aux Ardents.

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The winery is based in Odenas, with approximately 80% of the vineyards located around their house in Brouilly, and the remaining 20% in Marchampt, Beaujolais-Villages. The total vineyard surface is 2.2 hectares.

The estate has been farmed organically since its inception and officially certified in 2022. Beyond organic farming, Mylène and Thomas are committed to increasing biodiversity by planting trees—almond, cherry, chestnut, and fig—and by installing beehives throughout the vineyards, creating a living, balanced ecosystem.

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This attention to terroir continues through a philosophy of minimal intervention: hand-harvested grapes, gentle pressing in a horizontal wooden-cage press, native yeast fermentation, and no added sulfites until bottling.