After finishing his enology studies in Burgundy, Francois Dhumes spent five years working for a few traditional estates in the Rhone. During this experience, however, he realized the more he learned about conventional winemaking the less interested he became. He decided to move back to his native Auvergne, where he met winemakers like Vincent Tricot, Patrick Bouju, and Stephane Majeune. This became a springboard for Francois in developing a real understanding of how to work organically in the vineyard and ultimately make wine with no additions

Today, Francois leads a simple life in the mountains of Auvergne working his 3ha of vines on volcanic slopes. He grows Gamay and Chardonnay, and still spends time with Tricot and Bouju who all working to continually push the boundaries of what Auvergne can offer.