Not just anyone could have recognised the potential in Autichamp. Thanks to its altitude and the cold coming off the Vercors mountains, growing vines here would be no mean feat. But Denis figured that even the poor calcareous soil could produce some bangers as long as they had south-east exposure. He planted Syrah and Gamay at the top of the slopes and Roussanne and Viognier down at the bottom, and voilà. Farming has been organic from day one, and sulphur was shown the door in 2007.