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205 products
Livia White 2019
Livia is a dry white wine that reflects the salinity of schist and the freshness of quartz. The iodine aromas of the Muscat are elegant, avoiding the heavy side of the grape variety. It is a long and full-bodied wine, prolonged by a rich finish. Decanting is recommended. The vines, pruned in goblet style, are grown organically and in conversion to permaculture on schist, quartz, and limestone soils not far from the village of Pagondas, in the foothills of Mount Karvounis. Free-run juice obtained by crushing and without pumping over, aeration, or stabilization. Only settling and topping up are carried out. Half vinification in five hundred liter Stockinger barrels and half in five thousand liter stainless steel vats. Wine without additives, unfiltered, bottled by gravity and transferred by peristaltic pump into black bottles ensuring aging.
To find out more
Beneath the plant lies the mineral: this is the meaning of this concept of natural cuvées created in Greece, on the island of Samos, by a team of friends gathered around winemakers Jason Ligas and Patrick Bouju. The successful venture marks a renaissance of the thousand-year-old vineyard of this island in the North Aegean Sea, which owes its dense and woody vegetation to various nicknames received in Antiquity, from Dryoussa (“covered with oaks”) to Kyparissia (“covered with cypresses”) and Melamphyllos (“With dark foliage”). This natural wealth covers a unique and varied subsoil: volcanic rocks and notably basalts, limestone, quartz, pink granites, schists, iron cast irons… The idea was born from Jason’s meeting with the Samos Wine Cooperative. Patrick Bouju soon joined the project. The five vintages of Sous le Végétal—Livia, Hüpnos, Octave, Palli & Genesia and Auguste—are produced on around sixty plots of Samos Muscat à petits grains (and Avgoustiatis for the red vintage), between 400 and 910 meters above sea level. Each plot is vinified separately. For vinification, four types of containers are used: amphorae, concrete eggs, stainless steel vats and 500-liter barrels. Each locality is vinified in at least two of the four containers and the aging takes place in black bottles sealed with wax. No added sulfur, no filtration: Samos' winemakers are rediscovering wine as it was made in their childhood. This is one of the wonders of natural wine: it allows, through the most innovative projects, to reconnect with forgotten traditions.
Susucaru Rosato Rosé 2021,
Frank Cornelissen
The color is intense pink, the nose carries citrus and white flowers, and the palate is fruity, dense, fresh, and delicious, with that delicate bitterness and melancholic bite that is the signature of this wine. Many aficionados eagerly await each vintage of this emblematic cuvée from the master of Etna, and some couldn't imagine their aperitif without it. Susucaru rosato delights rosé lovers and lesser fans alike, those familiar with natural wines and beginners alike. Can we really call it a rosé? Technically yes, in terms of taste and color, this little marvel is both a rosé and a thirst-quenching red. 25% Inzolia, 25% Malvasia, 25% Nerello Mascalese, 25% Moscadella, and all the vines grow directly on the slopes of Etna. A cuvée that remains true to itself.
To find out more
A major figure and universally respected figure in natural wine, Frank Cornelissen is a classic. This man of constant questioning lives in human and cosmic resonance with his contrasting terroir: he has demonstrated that the powerful minerality of a great volcanic soil can be enhanced by the naturalness of his wines. The brilliance, the integrity, and the exquisite fruitiness of his vintages earn him the admiration even of those who are reluctant to accept "natural." These are good introductory wines.
His Sicilian azienda is located in Passopisciaro, in the northern Etna Valley. It is, he says, the "Night Coast" of Etna for the great diversity of its wines spread over many locations (contrade) at different altitudes. The climate is continental and harsh, even snowy, in winter, but very warm and sunny from June to September. The altitude gives the wines tension and elegance. The vines coexist with a Mediterranean mixed crop: olive trees, almond trees, vegetable gardens... (Frank also produces olive oil). The vines range in age from forty to over one hundred years. The nineteen plots, covering twenty-four hectares in total, are all at altitude, between 600 and 900 meters, on several volcanic flows. They are all vinified separately: Frank decides on the blend based on the quality of the wines from each plot. In general, seven or eight vintages are produced in addition to the generic wines (rosé, basic red, and white). The soils are made up of different types of basalt, between powder and rock, with perfect drainage that allows for the production of concentrated and refined wines. Nerello Mascalese dominates the estate's grape varieties. This great traditional red grape variety from the northern valley of Etna is the only grape variety used in the great vintages. Its growing cycle is long, which allows the vine to work the soil and capture its minerality in the fruit. Other grape varieties include: Nerello Capuccio, Minella Bianco, Minella Nera, Alicante Bouschet, Malvasia, Cattaratto, Moscadella, Grecanico Dorato, Carricante, etc.
Livia (exclusive vintage) White 2022,
Sous le Végétal
Livia is an organic, biodynamic, and natural dry white wine from the island of Samos (Greece) whose mineral profile reflects the salinity of schist and the freshness of quartz. It is part of Patrick Bouju's "Sous le Végétal" project, exclusively for Culinaries. The iodized aromas of the Muscat à petits grains are elegant, refined, and persistent, without the heaviness that this grape variety sometimes presents. Livia is a long and full-bodied wine, prolonged by a delicious finish. Decanting is recommended. It will shine as an accompaniment to high-end seafood products such as smoked salmon from Lionel Durot or with the specialties of Caviar de Neuvic.
Cultivation and vinification
The vines, pruned in goblet form, are cultivated using organic farming and in conversion to permaculture on schist, quartz and limestone soils not far from the village of Pagondas, on the foothills of Mount Karvounis. The harvest is destemmed before maceration, a light crushing allows the extraction of the free-run juice which ferments without pumping over, aeration or stabilization. Only settling and topping up are carried out. Vinification is carried out half in 500-liter Stockinger barrels and half in 5,000-liter stainless steel vats. Livia is a natural wine without additives, unfiltered, bottled by gravity and aged in black bottles sealed with wax.
Learn more about Sous le Végétal
Beneath the plant lies the mineral: this is the meaning of this concept of natural vintages exclusively for Culinaries, created in Greece, on the island of Samos, by a team gathered around Patrick Bouju. Sous le Végétal also takes under its wing the vintages A la Natural signed Patrick Bouju.
History
Sous le Végétal marks the rebirth of the thousand-year-old vineyard of this island in the eastern Aegean Sea with its dense, wooded vegetation. This rich plant life covers a unique and varied subsoil: volcanic rocks (basalts), limestone, quartz, pink granites, schists, iron cast iron... In Sous le Végétal, the winemakers of Samos rediscover the wine they made in their childhood, proving once again that natural wine allows, through innovative projects, to reconnect with forgotten traditions.
Grape varieties and vinification
Four of the seven vintages of Sous le Végétal — Livia, Hüpnos, Octave, Palli & Genesia and Auguste — are produced on around sixty plots of Samos muscat à petits grains between 400 and 910 meters above sea level. The other vintages, Auguste, Alexandre and Sémélé, are respectively based on avgoustiatis, asyrtiko and a blend of Samos muscat and avgoustiatis. Each plot is vinified separately. Four types of winemaking containers are used: amphorae, concrete eggs, stainless steel vats, and 500-liter barrels. Each plot is vinified in at least two of the four containers, and the wine is aged in black, wax-sealed bottles. No sulfur is added or filtration is performed.
Cuvée 0.72+ Red 2019
De Vini
With a slightly dark ruby color and faded rose tones, this is a red wine that should logically catch your eye for your greatest pleasure: this cuvée 0.72+ red comes from very different terroirs than its white equivalent (which we also offer). The vines from which it comes, 80% Grenache Noir, 10% Syrah and 10% Viognier, are located in the Côtes du Rhône region, in Rochefort-du-Gard, and grow on a soil of rolled pebbles that is not without points in common with that of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which is only a few kilometers away on the other bank of the Rhône. The presence of a white grape variety - Viognier - in this red blend gives this wine a great originality, a floral side that hovers over the entire organoleptic experience: there are faded rose petals on both the nose and the palate, as well as a fairly strong tendency towards white flowers (Viognier, again). There is also a little prune and a complex, though light, aromatic structure. This is a beautiful wine that was long overdue and which is currently at its peak, with beautifully melted tannins and many more years ahead of it. Great length, great structure on the palate, and a pleasant salivating side. Viognier is an inspiration from the Northern Côtes-du-Rhône adapted to the Southern Côtes-du-Rhône, and red blends featuring white grape varieties are an increasingly common occurrence in the world of natural wines. As for the cultivation and vinification, the vines are managed biodynamically and the grapes were macerated for two weeks with care: no pumping over, no crushing, as little intervention as possible. Just a little punching down, no more than necessary. If the name of the cuvée intrigues you, be aware that following a small technical incident during bottling, it does not contain exactly the standard quantity. This detail should not worry you, because in this case, 72 cl is a maximum: most bottles require between 1 and 3 cl to reach 75, which is very little. Don't let the fluidity and delicacy of this wine fool you either; it's actually a solid wine that will pair well with solid dishes like roast wild boar and anything with truffles.
VNR Vinel lo Red 2021
Juicy and light, floral and full of small red and black fruits, VNR Vinel lo rouge is an everyday wine, very drinkable, with a beautiful fresh expression and notes of pomegranate. The aromas are full of delicacy and floral, with a slightly saline and very lively finish. A supple and hyperfruity classic "à la jura", VNR Vinel·lo is a rich and particularly successful blend of indigenous grape varieties: it is composed of samsó (cinsault), garrut (mourvèdre), trepat, ull de perdiu, queixal de llop, sumoll and grenache noir, harvested on predominantly limestone soils. The vinification of each grape variety is done individually in stainless steel vats, the blending takes place afterwards. No filtration, no additives, no added sulfites.
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Partida Creus is an important estate, both from a winemaking and historical perspective – we are talking here about the history of the vine in Catalonia. Massimo Marchiori and Antonella Gerosa, originally from Piedmont—and even from the Langhe region, where wine is well-versed—first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug tickled them, and they soon abandoned the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There they found a number of abandoned vineyards planted with a dizzying diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties, which they passionately revived to save these varieties—and their wines—from oblivion. For them, it's not just a matter of saving their heritage, no: it's a matter of taste and nature. Of natural wines, which they will never stop making from now on on these sandy, poor, clay-limestone or clay-gravel soils, poor and poorly irrigated, where the vines suffer to produce their best juice. Massimo and Antonella practice organic, biodynamic, entirely manual and natural viticulture in order to give new life to these wines. Vinyater, sumoll, garrut, monastrell, ull de perdiu, ull de llebre, sumoll, queixal de llop, cariñena, trepat, ceciat parent, maccabeu, parellada, pansé, vinel·lo, bobal, cartoixà vermell or xarel·lo: it is a true conservatory of the native Catalan grape varieties that Partida Creus cares for. There is also Moscatel, Grenache, Merlot and Cabernet (among others). Few wineries can boast of growing so many different grape varieties. The wines reflect this diversity, with winemakers striving to best convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety: single varietals are common among them, alongside very rich blends, all in the styles dear to Catalonia: still wine, "ancestral" sparkling wine, and even vermouth. The bottles themselves are works of art: bare glass, simply marked with two large stenciled initials that indicate the cuvée. The wines, fresh, vibrant, lush but always straightforward and impeccably juicy and fruity, breathe life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction.
Chiroubles Red 2017
A very seductive cuvée, devilishly Beaujolais, Chiroubles to the max, where the Gamay expresses all its freshness and red and black fruits. The nose offers aromas of red and black fruits; the palate is supple, delicious, round, and fruity with a lovely refreshing acidity. Pair it with good stews or the best country hams; even pata negra will melt with pleasure.
Susucaru Rosato Rosé 2022
Frank Cornelissen
The Susucaru Rosato blend is a tribute to Sicily and Mount Etna: 25% Insolia, 25% Malvasia, 25% Nerello Mascalese, 25% Moscadella, and all the vines grow directly on the slopes of Mount Etna. The color is intense pink, the nose carries citrus and white flowers, and the palate is fruity, dense, fresh, and delicious, with that delicate bitterness and melancholic bite that is the signature of this wine. Many aficionados are impatiently waiting for each vintage of this emblematic cuvée from the master of Etna, and some couldn't imagine their aperitif without it. Susucaru rosato delights rosé lovers and lesser fans alike, those initiated into natural wine as well as beginners. Can we really call it a rosé? Technically yes, in terms of taste and color, this little marvel is both a rosé and a thirst-quenching red. A cuvée that remains true to itself. "Our rosé," explains Frank Cornelissen, "is produced with the same philosophy and winemaking techniques as all our other wines: skin-contact maceration for texture and territorial identity, fully completed malolactic fermentation for density, fluidity, and stability. It's not just a refreshing summer wine; it's also a "rosé" that can also be considered a light red, like a "Jura" wine, which pairs well with a wide variety of dishes." »
To find out more
A major figure and universally respected figure in natural wine, Frank Cornelissen is a classic. This man of constant questioning lives in human and cosmic resonance with his contrasting terroir: he has demonstrated that the powerful minerality of a great volcanic soil can be enhanced by the naturalness of his wines. The brilliance, the directness and the exquisite fruitiness of his vintages earn him the admiration even of those reluctant to accept "natural." They are good introductory wines.
His Sicilian azienda is located in Passopisciaro, in the north of the Etna valley. It is, he says, the "côte de Nuits" of Etna for the great diversity of its wines spread over numerous locations (contrade) at different altitudes. The climate is continental and harsh, even snowy, in winter, but very warm and sunny from June to September. The altitude gives the wines tension and elegance. The vines coexist with a Mediterranean mixed crop: olive trees, almond trees, vegetable gardens... (Frank also produces olive oil). The vines range in age from forty to over one hundred years. The nineteen plots, covering twenty-four hectares in total, are all at altitude, between 600 and 900 meters, on several volcanic flows. They are all vinified separately: Frank decides on the blend based on the quality of the wines from each plot. In general, seven or eight vintages are produced in addition to the generic wines (rosé, basic red, and white). The soils are made of different types of basalt, between powder and rock, with perfect drainage that allows for concentrated and refined wines. Nerello Mascalese dominates the estate's grape varieties. This great traditional red grape variety from the northern valley of Etna is the only grape variety used in the great vintages. Its growing cycle is long, which allows the vine to work the soil and capture its minerality in the fruit. Other grape varieties include: Nerello Cappuccio, Minella Bianco, Minella Nera, Alicante Bouschet, Malvasia, Cattaratto, Moscadella, Grecanico Dorato, Carricante…
Alba Blanc 2021,
De Vini
Alba is a dry white wine typical of the Loire estuary: low alcohol (10.5% alcohol), very mineral, very dry, a straightforward, high-quality white. Not exactly "natural," in the words of its creator, it "glides along easily." Christophe Bosque adds that 2021 was the frost of the century, with ridiculous yields but high concentrations and high-quality grapes. "We have few, but it's very good. A high-quality vintage." Alba comes from 100% gabbro soil, and is composed of Melon de Bourgogne (90%) and Folle Blanche (10%), the two emblematic Muscadet grape varieties. The grapes are pressed directly and fermented in buried concrete vats, Nantes-style, lined with sandstone tiles, and in sandstone amphorae. Aging is also done in vats, and bottling was done in spring 2022. No chemical inputs are added to the vineyard or the cellar, and no sulfiting is used. A roughing-out (very light filtration) is practiced.
To find out more
The De Vini, Vinilibre estate is the multi-faceted business of Christophe Bosque, originally from Saint-Nazaire. He has always been passionate about wine, and after spending years as a merchant, importer, and then wine merchant, this former cameraman trained in oenology and viticulture acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in Gorges, in Loire-Atlantique, near Clisson, in 2017. The soils are made up of gabbro on a granite substrate, a pedological configuration specific to the Nantes region and particularly to Clisson. Christophe's vintages may come from grapes purchased from the best French terroirs, notably in Languedoc, but the winemaker retains a special affection for his vines, which he maintains with passion and attention to the terroir. A touch of humor and a sense of pun can be seen on his labels and in his appellations, but in the bottle, it's serious, off-the-beaten-track wines, just the way he likes them. We are particularly interested in his local creations, produced from his vineyard of some two hectares and fermented in underground vats in the Nantes style—a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in natural mode.
Sparkling Mead,
L'Arbre aux Abeilles
L'Arbre aux Abeilles' sparkling dry mead is made with the same honey as the still mead and has the same aromatic characteristics with a festive note: persistence, floral, apple, and citrus notes, enhanced by a subtle acidity. The fine bubbles are obtained using the traditional method of ancient Gaillac wines, with the residual must re-fermented inside the bottle. Open on festive occasions, as an aperitif, or even with a meal.
Livia (exclusive vintage) White 2023,
Sous le Vegetal
A Culinaries bestseller in its previous vintages, the Livia 2023 from Sous le Végétal (Exclusive Culinaries Estate) offers a vibrant version of Muscat Petit Grain, grown on schist soils and vinified with destemmed maceration for greater complexity and finesse.
A lively and mineral white
Livia expresses all the richness of the Samos terroir, with beautiful tension and a rich aromatic palette.
An aromatic nose and a saline palate
On the nose, notes of exotic fruits, citrus, and white flowers. On the palate, the attack is fresh and tense, with a lingering minerality and a saline finish.
How to enjoy Livia?
Served at 10-12°C, Livia pairs perfectly with oysters, fish carpaccio, or vegetable dishes with fresh herbs. Its aging potential of 5 to 10 years will allow for a beautiful aromatic development.
Sereibroc Red 2015
Sereibroc is Corbières in reverse. Centuries-old Carignan vines and a few Grenache vines, both growing on red clay soils well exposed to the sun and the tramontane winds, produced this powerful yet fresh wine, with lovely acidity, beautiful animal notes, and earthy, fruity, and candied aromas (cocoa, prune, fig). The harvest macerates for ninety days in concrete vats, and the wine spends two years in bottles. Extended decanting is recommended.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
Fond Cyprès - Rodolphe Ourliac et Laetitia Gianesini
Cyprès de Toi Red 2022
1510
€15,10
Unit price perFond Cyprès - Rodolphe Ourliac et Laetitia Gianesini
Cyprès de Toi Red 2022
1510
€15,10
Unit price perCyprès de Toi Red 2022
An ode to the southern grape varieties, a beautiful, dense, and deep red from Languedoc. Its freshness and density also make it a thirst-quenching wine that also performs very well with food. Cyprès de Toi Rouge is to be enjoyed in all circumstances; it is a wine for all occasions. Very drinkable, straightforward, and structured, it is the result of a blend of the estate's young vines: Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan, destemmed and vinified separately with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats, a traditional method in the Corbières. This fermentation and aging method owes its total absence of oak, allowing for a very pure fruity experience. No inputs are used in the vineyard, the winery, or the bottling process. This is practiced all year round, as the estate keeps the juices in vats: the idea is that there is never a shortage. It will be an ideal companion for Iberian ham, red or white meats, duck, and all grilled dishes.
To find out more
This Corbières estate is built on solid foundations: its two winemakers, Rodolphe and Laetitia, are also descendants of winemakers. Even before planting their first vine, they already had a clear objective: "to produce southern wines that reflect us, wines with character attached to our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They want to obtain entirely natural wines, concentrates of terroir. In the heart of the old Corbières massif, they took over an old estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache vines, which had not seen any fertilizer or pesticides for years: these clean and vibrant soils were ideal conditions for launching into natural wine. Around this historic heart, they first planted Grenache Noir and Syrah, then a plot of white grape varieties: Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 2010 and also complies with the Nature & Progrès charter. Vinification is carried out without the addition of sulfites or exogenous yeasts. "We make wines for pleasure," say Laetitia and Rodolphe. For them, natural wine is first assessed by taste, from the harvest. The vintages closely follow the plots, the musts are fruity, fluid, and complex. Fond Cyprès wines poetically evoke the estate's ecosystem and the vegetation that protects the plots: pine forests, shaded springs, the beauty of the natural environment that brings freshness to the wines and leaves the signature of the soil. Deliciously balanced between mineral imprint, plant environment and fruit expression, Fond Cyprès wines reflect the South: the caress of its sun, but also the freshness of its shadows.
TN Tinto Natural Red 2021
Partida Creus
Powerful and structured, TN Tinto Natural offers beautiful tannins on the palate. It carries notes of undergrowth, white pepper, smoke, and dried hay, with a curious yeasty note. It is a very fine blend of Sumoll, Ull de Llebre, and Bobal that produces a solid yet fluid table wine, crisp and fruity (black fruits), enhanced with earthy and smoky notes. Excellent gurgling, a wine for friends, the owner's cuvée, full of sunshine and personality. TN Tinto Natural comes from old vines growing on clay-limestone soils. Maceration is carried out in whole bunches for four or five days, and fermentation with indigenous yeasts takes place in oak barrels. The wine also ages there for ten months and spends another month in stainless steel vats before being bottled without filtration or fining (or the addition of sulfites, of course). An excellent red wine for every day.
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Partida Creus is an important estate, both in terms of wine and history—we're talking about the history of the vine in Catalonia. Massimo Marchiori and Antonella Gerosa, originally from Piedmont—and even from the Langhe region, where they know a lot about wines—first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug bit them, and soon they abandoned the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There they find a quantity of abandoned vineyards planted with a dizzying diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties that they passionately revive to save these varieties – and their wines – from oblivion. For them, it is not just a matter of heritage rescue, no: it is a matter of taste and nature. Of natural wines, which they will never stop making from now on on these sandy, poor, clay-limestone or clay-gravel soils, poor and poorly irrigated, where the vines suffer to give their best juice. Massimo and Antonella practice organic, biodynamic viticulture, entirely manual and natural in order to give new life to these wines. Vinyater, sumoll, garrut, monastrell, ull de perdiu, ull de llebre, sumoll, queixal de llop, cariñena, trepat, subirat parent, maccabeu, parellada, pansé, vinel·lo, bobal, cartoixà vermell or xarel·lo: Partida Creus is a veritable conservatory of native Catalan grape varieties. It also grows moscatel, grenache, merlot and cabernet (among others). Few wineries can boast growing so many different grape varieties. The wines reflect this diversity, with the winemakers striving to best convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety: single-variety wines are common among them, alongside extensive blends, all in the styles dear to Catalonia: still wine, "ancestral" sparkling wine, and even vermouth. The bottles themselves are works of art: bare glass, simply marked with two large stenciled initials that denote the vintage. The wines, fresh, vibrant, lush yet always straightforward and impeccably juicy and fruity, exude life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction.
Grande Pestilence Red 2017
To make this blend of Cinsault and Grenache grown on schist soils in the Faugères appellation area, the Cinsault macerates whole bunches for sixty days with the partially destemmed Grenache, before aging for one year in vats. Its notes of white pepper, rose, and peony will complement grilled meats, charcuterie, and spicy terrines.
Aging potential: ten years.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
Pairs with: Terrines and pâtés, Red meats, Grilled meats
Côtes du Rhône Red 2022
This Côtes-du-Rhône from Domaine des Grandes Serres is what its name implies: an organic and natural red wine from the lower Rhône Valley, in the AOC-AOP Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages. It is part of the estate's "Comics" natural series (see label).
Vinification
The Côtes-du-Rhône from Domaine des Grandes Serres is made from 80% Syrah, with 5% of each of the following grape varieties: Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault, all grown on limestone and sandstone soils. The harvest is manual, the grapes are destemmed and macerated on the skins for three weeks. After pressing, the wine rests for eight months in stainless steel vats.
Tasting
A good, dense, indulgent, and fruity Côtes-du-Rhône, without the slight bite of sulfites, does that tempt you? This Côtes-du-Rhône is part of the estate's organic and natural "Comics" series and will always be perfect when you want a warm, fruity red wine suitable for all occasions.
Learn more about Domaine des Grandes Serres
Domaine des Grandes Serres, created in 1977 with respect for the environment and the terroir, represents the excellence and vitality, in organic and natural mode, of the prestigious Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, where it covers 12 hectares. To make his estate and merchant wines, he harvests, buys grapes, vinifies, and ages them over a wide area, centered around Châteauneuf and the southern Côtes-du-Rhône, extending to areas such as Lirac and the Costières de Nîmes.
An organic commitment without ostentation
A large portion of the Domaine des Grandes Serres vintages are organic and without added sulfites, although the estate does not publicly boast about it. Modestly, Samuel Montgermont, the estate's general manager, explains that the geological and climatic conditions, particularly the mistral wind, promote the health of the vineyard and allow for the elimination of inputs. While the labels don't take themselves seriously, the wines are solid, fresh, and flavorful.
Es d'aqui Casse Tête Red 2020
Seductive, deep, dense, with a strong personality, Casse-Tête is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Mourvèdre. The Cabernet comes from an alluvial terrace with large pebbles in the Tarn region, and the Mourvèdre from clay-limestone soil. The harvest macerates for twenty days in whole bunches and the aging is done on lees in sandstone jars.
To find out more
A child of Ariège, Jean-Louis Pinto chose to stay in the country and make wines that resemble their terroir, hence the name Es d’Aqui (“It’s, it’s from here”) that he gave to his winemaking business, located in Moulin-Neuf, a town near Aude, between Mirepoix and Limoux. A region where vines once abounded, until the major attacks of mildew at the beginning of the 20th century. Jean-Louis buys grapes grown organically by other winegrowers, his friends, in whom he has complete confidence. He doesn’t just buy the product, he monitors the fruit set, the ripening, and makes regular visits until August, in order to know the grapes before harvesting them. He vinifies it at home using natural methods, practicing long macerations with whole bunches. A three-week maceration is common for him, as are very gentle pressings in a vertical press. He says he has "a lot of vines in common" with his friend Anthony Tortul (La Sorga). His collection area extends throughout the Languedoc, particularly in the Hérault, around Adissan, Faugères and Saint-Chinian, as well as in the Aude (Limoux) and Tarn (Gaillac), two terroirs that are dear to him. It turns out that the typical Languedoc soils – schist, basalt, pebbles, clay-siliceous – particularly appeal to him for the freshness they give to the wines. "I make wines from the South," he says. I especially look for terroirs that give freshness, even if the wines are 14 degrees. " The grape varieties are, of course, typically Languedoc: Grenache, Carignan, Mauzac, Cinsault, Braucol, Duras and Sauvignon. The most powerful reds are made in five terracotta jars, which help him control the extraction and give his wines, he says, "a very crystalline side." The soil, the place, as we understand it, are of the utmost importance to him: once again, the name of his estate Es d'Aqui was not chosen by chance.
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I'm Natural Don't Panic #8 Red 2018
Bodegas Coruña del Conde
Julien López's I'm Natural, Don't Panic range consists of macerated wines. This 100% Tempranillo red is both powerful and supple; its freshness is the result of a high-altitude climate that subjects the vines to significant temperature variations. A lovely bouquet of red fruits and a beautiful balance of sweetness and minerality. Serve with tapas, grilled meats, or poultry.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.
A Freux Blanc 2016
La Sorga
For this cuvée, Grenache Blanc from the Hérault Valley macerates whole bunches for 45 days in vats. It is also aged in vats for 12 months. Its notes of mandarin, beeswax, and white peach will pair well with hard or blue cheeses. Aging potential: 10 years.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
Pairs with: Strong cheeses, Hard cheeses, Mature cheeses, Charcuterie
L'Arroseur Rosé 2021,
De Vini
L’Arroseur is an atypical rosé with a high drinkability, the kind of wine its creator, Christophe Bosque, calls a "4 X 4," that is, an all-terrain vehicle, equally at home as an aperitif, with a meal, or in any other circumstance. "It's a good conversation wine; it goes with everything," he says. Christophe had once said to himself, "I'll never make a rosé," because he had drunk few that he really liked. For him, a rosé is very hard to make, often with disappointing results. Yet, he made one, and it doesn't disappoint anyone! “You expect a rosé on the palate, but what you get is something completely different, drier and more varietal: it’s one of those wines that, for me, are neither a rosé, nor a white, nor a red. I call them blouge or rouange.” Whichever category you choose, this cuvée is interesting in its own right. It’s a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Colombard, and Grolleau, with a complement of Melon de Bourgogne. “The big surprise,” says Christophe, “was the Colombard, a very acidic grape variety with varietals, which was once used to give aroma to Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne is as neutral as you can get, and that’s precisely what makes it so magical). We blended grape varieties from three different estates, and since it lacked a bit of volume, we added Melon de Bourgogne.” This varietal Colombard paired well with the Cabernet Franc and Merlot. I have no hesitation in saying that this wine is a UFO." All the grape varieties that make up L'Arroseur are pressed directly. The must is fermented in buried vats in the Nantes style, lined with sandstone tiles, and its aging also takes place in vats, on lees. Bottling was done in spring 2022.
To find out more
The De Vini, Vinilibre estate is the multi-faceted business of Christophe Bosque, originally from Saint-Nazaire. He has always been passionate about wine, and after spending years as a merchant, importer, and then wine merchant, this former cameraman trained in oenology and viticulture acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in Gorges, in Loire-Atlantique, near Clisson, in 2017. The soils there consist of gabbro on a granite substrate, a pedological configuration specific to the Nantes region and particularly to Clisson. Christophe's vintages may come from grapes purchased from the best French terroirs, notably in Languedoc, but the winemaker retains a particular affection for his vines, which he maintains with passion and attention to the terroir. A touch of humor and a sense of pun can be seen on his labels and in his appellations, but in the bottle, they are serious, off-the-beaten-track wines, just the way he likes them. We are particularly interested in his local creations, produced from his vineyard of some two hectares and fermented in underground vats in the Nantes style - a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in natural mode.
