It is one of the most beautiful villages in France, set in a dream landscape. Saoû and its old stone houses are on the edge of a green forest and the Roche Colombe, an impressive piece of mountain. A Drôme postcard on which vines appear again since 2020. Until the beginning of the 20th century, grapes were cultivated by the inhabitants of the city. But following the Second World War, lavender plants replaced the vines.
Didier Cornillon, winegrower originally from Saint-Roman-en-Diois, ran a wine estate for 23 years before selling it in 2012, and making wine all over the world, from Armenia to Uruguay by way of by Tunisia. Inhabited by the dream of setting up a farm in his native region and reviving the culture of the vine in Saoû, he launched a project at the end of the 2010s. Followed by a handful of owners, who planted four hectares of grape varieties premises on the territory of the municipality, Didier Cornillon was able to produce four cuvées, two reds, a white and a rosé, for the first time in 2022.
A fine result but also a frustration, since it will be its only vintage. The winemaker absolutely wanted to be able to make wine in Saoû, but the town planning rules are very strict, and his project was rejected by the architects of the Buildings of France. The vines will continue to grow and produce grapes, which will be sold to other operators. The story is certainly not over, and wine may be produced again in Saoû one day…
– AW