Story
Dumas François
Ardèche · Rhône · France
In 2010, François Dumas returned to his hometown of Véranne, a small village nestled in the south of Condrieu. Before setting down roots, he learned the ropes by studying and working with renowned winemakers like Trapet in Gevrey, Cuilleron, and Jean-Louis Chave in Hermitage. These experiences gave François a solid foundation, but more importantly, they helped him realise the kind of wines he wanted to create. As a young winemaker starting out on his own, François quickly grasped that producing high-quality wines required tireless dedication in the vineyard.
“He was fortunate to have a few acres of vines to call his own, along with some he could rent, and he even planted new ones.”
Today, François cultivates nearly 2 hectares organically. It's not a huge area, but he's determined to handle it all himself, admitting with a smile that he has "a lot of trouble delegating." His production may be small, but since 2011, he's been bottling four vintages of Vin de France, focusing on Gamay and Syrah. In 2013, he expanded into Saint-Joseph and Condrieu, adding these prestigious appellations to his lineup. With a commitment to quality François Dumas is carving out a niche for himself, one vintage at a time.
