Henri Chauvet left banking and office work in 2021, to settle on the gravelly hillsides of the Saint-Nectaire region. Having just turned 30, he obtained an advanced technical diploma in viticulture and winemaking through correspondence and went on to train with Jérôme Bressy at his Gourt de Mautens estate, in the southern Rhône Valley. He subsequently acquired the Sauvat estate, comprising more than ten hectares of vines. Each parcel of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay flourishes on volcanic soils composed of blue marl. Henri Chauvet has been converting his vineyard to organic viticulture since the day he arrived, convinced of the benefits for vines and wine and, above all, driven by a desire to get back to the land. Even if his methods have much in common with natural wines, Henri Chauvet doesn’t want to be pigeon-holed, so he retains complete freedom to create his authentic, flavoursome wines.

Nestled in the heart of the Côtes d’Auvergne appellation, the Gamay vines stretch across unique volcanic soils, left behind by ancient eruptions of the Chaîne des Puys. These basalts, pozzolans, and red clays give the wines a smokey minerality, natural tension and a unique freshness. Henri Chauvet, a passionate artisan, grows his vines organically, with a keen awareness of life. Contre Nature is made without inputs with all the grapes being harvested by hand before vinification in whole bunches. Fermentation occurs naturally, without the use of sulphur or added yeast, in open barrels with light punching. Ageing takes place in stainless steel tanks to preserve the freshness and brightness of the fruit. The wine is neither fined nor filtered.
Its vibrant ruby red colour is both light and transparent. The nose is marked by aromas of fresh red fruits alongside notes of white pepper and a smokiness. The fluid, lively, and thirst-quenching palate reveals a beautiful mineral structure and silky tannins.