Current owner and winemaker René Milan was born and raised in the neighboring village of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and took over Domaine Fontchêne in 2013. The vineyards were initially established by René’s grandfather and the estate was farmed conventionally, with wine being sold to the local co-op. After an internship at nearby organic and biodynamic Château Romanin, René decided to convert his family estate from conventional farming. For the next two years, he revitalized the soils from previous chemical treatments while also gleaning information from local natural winemakers.

René’s land is located in Les Baux-de-Provence. This minuscule appellation of 240 hectares is home to only 12 estates. Though it is technically located in Provence, the soil composition at Fontchêne is more like that in Côtes-du-Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with its white and blue clay, sand, and the large pebbles known as galets roulés. René believes that if he grows well-ripened grapes, he will make great wine because the terroir he has is excellent.

No weed killers, pesticides, or similar products are ever used, only natural preparations and teas to spray in the vineyard while minimizing the use of copper. Harvesting is entirely by hand, in small cases of 15 kg. All the parcels are vinified separately with native yeast and without sulfur. White and rosé are direct press with natural settling for 24 hours. After settling, the wine goes into barriques, amphora, or stainless steel (depending on the cuvée) for long lees aging with limited bâtonnage and limited or no racking.