There are 5 hectares of vines at Domaine de Ratapoil, a name that reminds us of Raphaël Monnier's playful vision of himself as an amateur wine maker, though it was in 2009 that he launched his venture. Over the years, parcels across 8 communes have been planted with old grape varieties – not yet featured in the appellation criteria – such as Trousseau, Poulsard, Gamay, Gueuche, Petit Beclan, Poulsard Blanc, and Mézy. Raphaël's passion for history clearly hasn't left him. He has converted the domain to organic growing, putting the vines at the heart of his work, guaranteeing a living soil and healthy, balanced plant life. He produces quite a large range, including appellation wines, vins de France and the famous ‘Avis de tempête' cuvées that demonstrate the innovative spirit of this wine maker: in 2017, a year that saw catastrophic weather conditions, he launched a négoce project, taking to the road in his refrigerated van to collect grapes that he vinifies under the name of ‘Avis de tempête', to the great relief of his loyal clients.

This 100% Chardonnay is made from vines of around 40 years planted in chalky pebble soil. Their location in Vadans comes with the advantage of being in the Arbois AOC. Raphaël Monnier launched himself into winemaking after several years teaching History. His vision has always been to produce wines that are true to him, with an environmentally friendly goal. The Chardonnay vines are grown without the use of pesticides. The grapes are harvested by hand and pressed as soon as they reach the winery. The cuvée is matured for 18 months on lees, without any additives, fining or filtering. ‘Va Donc’ has a lightly golden colour. This is a mineral and very aromatic wine with lovely almond notes. We recommend tasting it after 3-10 years alongside a dish involving white meat and mushrooms.