Stéphane
Derenoncourt
winemaker · wine consultant
As wine consultant Stephane Derenoncourt has been travelling the world’s vineyards for over 30 years. He is today selective about his commitments: a handful of exceptional estates, including Clos Stegasta on the island of Tinos in Greece; Domaine de l’A, which he is raising with Christine to the highest standards of the Bordeaux region; and a committed voice in defending artisanal Bordeaux wines, notably through BDX Le Jus.
His Portrait
« Making wine means observing the soil and the vines, and sharing ideas, but it also involves listening to your intuition, which is enriched by many years of experience. »
Moving to the Bordeaux region in 1982, with no qualifications or professional network, Stéphane Derenoncourt learnt about wine on the job, working alongside the very best. In 1999, he founded Derenoncourt Consultants — a 25-year adventure that took him from Bordeaux to Syria, from Lebanon to Napa Valley. That same year, together with his wife Christine, he created Domaine de l’A: a real-life laboratory, a space for freedom, and a platform for expressing his vision of wine.
In 2023, he sold the company to his partners. Not to call it a day, but to start afresh, free, and focus on what really matters: a handful of select clients, his own vineyards, and projects driven by passion rather than a schedule.
1982
First harvest in Bordeaux
8
Current scope and ongoing projects
∞
Terroirs still to explore
His activities
Eight realms, one same level of requirement
Each project is a reflection of a single shared philosophy: getting to the very heart of every project, uncompromisingly, with pleasure.
01
Winegrowing and Winemaking Advisory Service
International
Generating a philosophy of production suited to the terroir, defining a technical strategy and setting out on a human journey.
Get in touch
02
Domaine de l’A
Castillon
His own vineyards, his own wine. Founded in 1999 with Christine, the Domaine de l’A covers 12 hectares in Castillon appellation — 75 per cent Merlot, 25 per cent Cabernet Franc — on a plateau and south-facing clay-limestone slopes. A real-life laboratory and a space for creative freedom, Christine and Stéphane have, over the years, raised it to become one of the leading names in the Bordeaux wine region. A truly unique signature.
domainedela.com
03
Terres Millésimées
Wine shop · Saint-Emilion
Right in the heart of Saint-Émilion, a wine cellar designed to be a place for socialising as much as for wine tasting. Born out of a story of friendship and shared passion for wine, Terres Millésimées showcases carefully selected new discoveries and must-try wines. Much more than just a wine cellar, it is a journey of discovery through unique wines that embody their regional identity.
terresmillesimees.com
04
BDX Le Jus
Wine Manifesto · Bordeaux
BDX Le Jus is a statement of intent. Embracing the nobility of being a ‘petit vin’ – affordable, intended for immediate enjoyment – whilst proudly championing the history and culture of a region and the story of its clay-limestone soils. A wine without unnecessary embellishment, for all those whom the conventions of Bordeaux have left behind.
@bdxlejus_
05
Clos Stegasta
Tinos · Cyclades · Greece
A Greek island, a friendship, an exceptional project. A place of almost supernatural beauty — the romantic epic of reviving wine on an ancient island. The result: wines vibrating with energy.
toinos.com
06
Vignerons AVenir
A solidarity-based initiative
Bordeaux is rich in its multifaceted identity, its artisan producers, their stories and their initiatives. Participating in Vignerons AVenir as an expert means helping to support these young Bordeaux winemakers, in the simplicity and sincerity of their approach.
vigneronsavenir.fr
07
Castillon Caractères
Community
Stéphane co-founded this club in 2022: fifteen winegrowers from the appellation, brought together by a shared conviction. Their common bond is a shared human journey, a terroir-driven approach and a commitment to preserving the natural environment. The club’s strength lies in the plurality of profiles as much as of Soils. Stéphane works with these distinct characters to help them shine together with excellence.
castilloncaracteres.com
08
Tribune
Writing · Conferences
Columnist, conference speaker, and contributor to forewords — Stéphane writes and speaks with the very same honesty that he brings to his wines. In his columns, he analyses Bordeaux without compromise. In his travel diaries, he recounts Syria at war, the granitic soils of Tinos, and uncharted lands. Through his conferences, he shares his unique approach: understanding a terroir through geosensory tasting.
Get in touch
His philosophy
« We don’t interfere; we just interpret. Bottling the place and sharing it — as a now rare human experience. »