Other
André Bélard
Winemaker
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
André Bélard founded Domaine Les Dryades in 2023 in Rivaz, in Lavaux, bringing together place, practice, and principle in a single move. The estate reads less like a label than a working framework: under his hand, it is shaped by restraint and attentiveness, with method taking precedence over excess. He sums up that approach plainly — “In my vineyard, nature should take the wheel.” As founder, winemaker, and oenologist, André Bélard has made Domaine Les Dryades a study in discipline, letting the land set the terms first.
The Climb
At Domaine Les Dryades, the combined role of founder, winemaker, and oenologist has been André Bélard’s since 2023. It is a technical position, but also a direct one, with each part of the work tied to the next. In Rivaz, in Lavaux, the practice is grounded rather than theatrical: care, patience, and a steady insistence on the vineyard as the starting point.
Today
The estate in Rivaz is framed by a simple credo: “Our credo: biodiversity, fertility, resilience.” In the context of Domaine Les Dryades, that phrase functions as a working outline rather than a slogan. It points to balance, continuity, and a vineyard-first logic, keeping the land at the center of the project. André Bélard’s present-day approach is built on that discipline, with the winemaking held close to the site that produces it.
Signature
The signature wines include Gamay - Vin Nature 2025, 2024 Domaine Les Dryades André Bélard Viognier, Domaine Les Dryades Andre Belard Assemblage, and Untitled No. 02. Together, those names map a style that is specific, deliberate, and tied closely to the identity of Domaine Les Dryades. Each title carries the mark of the same methodical hand, with the estate’s voice visible in the way the wines are named and presented.
In Their Words “Hello, I am André Bélard, I am an oenologist, winemaker-celler-master, and the founder of Domaine Les Dryades, in Rivaz, in the heart of Lavaux.” “In my vineyard, nature should take the wheel.”
Recognition
The most direct marker of recognition is the estate itself, founded in 2023 in Lavaux under the same combined title André Bélard still holds. Here, recognition is not decoration; it is the result of a role named precisely and a philosophy made legible through Domaine Les Dryades in Rivaz.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of André
What is André Bélard known for?
He is known as the founder, winemaker, and oenologist of Domaine Les Dryades.
What are André Bélard's most notable roles?
His main roles are founder, winemaker, and oenologist at Domaine Les Dryades in Rivaz.
