DOMAINE HORS CIEL

Minervois, Languedoc-Roussillon | FRANCE

Founded in 2021 by Emma Olson and Victor Gourreau, Domaine Hors Ciel is the result of a cross-cultural partnership between an American and a native of Montouliers in the south of France. The project began humbly, in a tiny, off-grid cellar, with a bold vision: to craft uncompromisingly pure wines using spontaneous fermentations, no temperature control, no additives, and as little intervention as possible.

Starting with just 3 hectares, Emma and Victor have since expanded to 6 hectares of organically farmed vines rooted in limestone, sandstone, and clay soils across Montouliers and the plateau of Saint-Jean-de-Minervois. Their focus is on single-variety wines that reflect the nuance of site and soil. Mourvèdre planted on the limestone-rich slopes of "les combes de Cruzy" shows particular promise, while dry-fermented Muscat Petit Grain from the blindingly white, high-altitude terroir of Saint-Jean carries a distinct salinity and verticality.

In the cellar, stainless steel dominates, complemented by old oak barrels for orange wines and age-worthy Mourvèdre. Whites are fermented almost under seal, encouraging slow ferments that heighten minerality and depth. Cinsault, Syrah, and all three colours of Terret round out the domaine’s thoughtful, expressive range.

Emma and Victor remain committed to their original ethos—wines of clarity, precision, and soul, shaped by nature, not by intervention.