Les Crêtes is in Aymavilles, in the Aosta Valley. Constantine Charrère founded the company in 1989. The first wine Constantino made was La Sabla, in 1970, as a tribute to his father.
The vineyards cover 35 hectares spread across 11 municipalities. They sit on terraces, in 180 small vineyards that each have their own character. Sixteen grape varieties are in production, a mix of native and international, and the estate makes about 225,000 bottles a year on average.
Fumin is the grape most tied to the estate's name. It was saved from extinction, and in 1999 it drew the attention of national critics. The La cor reserve comes from long aging of Fumin. Next to the historic winery stands the Wine Refuge, a 170-square-meter building designed by architect Domenico Mazza.
Not tasted yet
I haven't reviewed a wine from Les Crêtes yet. They're on my Top 100 list, which is built from awards.