Gifts under €25

Môl Rouge 2019,

Patrick Bouju
With precision and accuracy, Le Môl proudly bears the signature of the great Patrick Bouju. Structured, robust, fleshy, smoky, and warm, it is a complex red that shines with its black cherry aromas and beautifully balanced acidity. The finish is joyful, velvety, deep, and spicy. As a blend, it is a veritable festival of black grape varieties: Carignan, Cinsault, Gamay, Grenache, Muscat of Alexandria, Sauvignon, Syrah… A virtuoso mix of Auvergne grapes and bunches purchased further south. Decanting is recommended for the best expression of this festive and euphoric wine. Drink now or wait a few years. Special mention for the beautiful label, signed Justine Loiseau.

To find out more
Near Billom, the Limagne clermontoise rises towards the east to form a hilly area with a mild climate, dominated by volcanic hills. This is the Auvergne Tuscany, so named because of its resemblance to the Italian province. This land of mixed subsistence farming was once covered with vines and was the preferred domain of Gamay d'Auvergne, a robust ancient strain, the origin of dense, deep and fruity wines. This is where Patrick Bouju cultivates and vinifies, on these high-quality volcanic soils and mainly on old vines. The soils vary between basalt, limestone, clay-limestone and pozzolan. Patrick collects and cares for the best terroirs of Puy-de-Dôme, often abandoned, and gives them new life. He also preserves native grape varieties, of which he cultivates a good fifty, and also works as a wine merchant using purchased organic grapes. The current renaissance of the Auvergne vineyard (which was once the third largest in France) owes a lot to Patrick. The fact that he likes to lend a hand to his winegrower friends in France and elsewhere only confirms his image as a model, a leader. His partnerships are famous: with Action Bronson for the A la Natural series, with Jason Ligas in Greece for Sous le Végétal… Patrick practices long macerations, and the wines rest for up to six months after bottling. Very sensitive to sulfites in wines, Patrick has found that his own wines do very well without them. He has also observed that if the grapes are healthy and concentrated, the balance is achieved on its own, regardless of the successive phases a vintage goes through. His noble, chiseled, distinguished, never bland wines are immediately recognizable in the glass. They are straight, clean, precise, often marked by floral notes and a spicy minerality. They also constitute a formidable anthology of the terroirs and ancient vines of Basse-Auvergne and its volcanic soils.

Sereibroc Red 2015

La Sorga

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.

Cuvée 0.72+ (exclusive cuvée) White 2022,

De Vini
0.72+ is a dry, organic, natural white wine made without any added sulfites or chemical additives by Christophe Bosque of De Vini. It comes straight from the land of Muscadet, the Loire estuary. Without having the appellation (it is in Vin de France), it can be considered a muscadet and drunk as such.

In the vineyard and in the cellar
0.72 + white from De Vini is made from 100% melon de Bourgogne (another name for the muscadet grape variety) planted in Maisdon-sur-Sèvre (Loire-Atlantique) on gabbro soils characteristic of the region. Gabbro is an igneous rock with a grainy texture resting on a granite subsoil, and this produces splendid, lively and mineral white wines. Gabbro and granite are Vinilibre's preferred soils and constitute a precious wine-growing heritage. The wine was aged in buried cement vats (traditional in this region) for a year, on lees, without any additives.

If you want to know...
The name of the cuvée comes from an anecdote: originally, due to a small technical incident during bottling, it did not contain exactly the standard quantity. The error has since been corrected (0.72 + of De Vini is in its fourth vintage).

Tasting
Let's hear from the winemaker: "It tastes like the fire of God!" Three years in the bottle have only polished, chiseled, and improved it. "The older the gabbro, the better it is," also confides its author. This wine is excellent to drink now or later, very cold. An elegant acidity mixed with a balancing roundness, a saline and salivating side make 0.72 + an unfailing companion to raw seafood, oysters, sashimi and sushi, fish tartare and carpaccio, or smoked fish. This cuvée also exists in red.

Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini
De Vini, along with the Vinilibre winery, is the multi-faceted business of Christophe Bosque, originally from Saint-Nazaire. He has always been passionate about wine. We are particularly interested in his local creations, produced from his vineyard of some two hectares and fermented in buried vats in the Nantes style - a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in natural mode.

Gabbro Fondu
After spending years as a merchant, importer, then wine merchant, this former cameraman with a BTS in oenology-viticulture acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in Gorges, in Loire-Atlantique, near Clisson in 2017. The soils there are made up of gabbro on a granite substrate, a pedological configuration specific to the Nantes region and particularly to Clisson. Christophe is full of praise for this type of soil.

Muscadet for the better
Christophe's vintages may come from grapes purchased from the best French terroirs, particularly 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, they are serious, off-the-beaten-track wines, just the way he likes them.

Cyprès de Toi Red 2022

Fond Cyprès

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.

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.

Sans Ordonnance Red 2020,

Les Vignes du Domaine du Temps

Sans Ordonnance is a balanced, straightforward, and solid red, slightly saline on the finish, remarkable for its freshness and minerality, but without astringency. The fruit is ripe without excessive exuberance. This is a table wine that can be paired with traditional dishes, roasts, and stews. It confirms the straightforward style of the estate, and the melting tannins are remarkable: no astringency, but fruit, maturity, minerality, and a hint of plum. Fresh, ripe, and balanced, this is a solid wine that will lend itself to all occasions and all meals. Made from equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Sans ordonnance evokes a Bordeaux blend. Yes, but... both varieties grew under the Cathar sun and, in addition to the freshness and seriousness of the Gironde model, offer very different, sunny and generous notes. Vinification is done in concrete vats after destemming, before aging for twelve months in old barrels.

To find out more
The Domaine du Temps is located in Cabardès, a small region of Languedoc that was once a subdivision of Cathar Country. Running from the southern slope of the Montagne Noire to the city of Carcassonne, it is bordered to the west by Lauragais and to the east by Minervois. Hilly, wild, rich in Mediterranean flora, it is a preserved ecosystem, especially since the Domaine du Temps, in the place called Font Juvénal, is a magical place: around a former 18th-century priory, sixty hectares of forests and scrubland protect thirteen hectares of vineyards on stony clay-limestone soils. The balance between dryness and coolness is a boon for viticulture, with a wide range of grape varieties. In addition to the Languedoc grape varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Viognier, Muscat), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sémillon and Chenin are grown. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 1998, is entirely managed biodynamically, and has dedicated itself to natural wine since 2015. The work in the vineyard and cellar is methodical, rigorous, and attentive: only the best grapes are kept, resulting in small yields, and destemming is determined based on the ripeness of the bunch. The reds are vinified using carbonic maceration of individual grape varieties, with the blending taking place before the year's aging. The whites are slowly and gently pressed to extract only the best from the grapes. These precautions result in smooth, controlled wines with great integrity and very supple tannins. They are fresh, delicious, and expressive.

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.

Find out more
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.

Cuvée 0.72+ (exclusive cuvée) White 2023

De Vini
Vinified without additives or sulfites by Christophe Bosque of De Vini, 0.72+ is an organic and natural dry white wine. It comes straight from the land of Muscadet, the Loire estuary. Without having the appellation (it is classified as Vin de France), it can be considered a Muscadet and drunk as such.

In the vineyard and in the cellar
0.72+ white from De Vini is made from 100% Melon de Bourgogne (another name for the Muscadet grape variety) planted in Maisdon-sur-Sèvre (Loire-Atlantique) on gabbro soils characteristic of the region. Gabbro is a grainy igneous rock resting on a granite subsoil, contributing to the production of splendid, lively and mineral white wines. Gabbro and granite are Christophe Bosque's favorite soils. The wine was aged for one year on lees in buried cement vats (traditional in this region), without any additives.

If you want to know...
An anecdote explains the name of the cuvée: originally, due to a small technical incident during bottling, it did not contain exactly the standard quantity. The error has since been corrected (0.72+ of De Vini is in its fifth vintage).

Tasting
0.72+ white is excellent to drink now or later, well chilled. An elegant acidity mixed with a balancing roundness, a saline and salivating side make 0.72+ an unfailing companion to raw or smoked fish and seafood, especially oysters. This vintage also exists in red.

Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini
De Vini, along with the Vinilibre winery, is the dual activity of Christophe Bosque, originally from Saint-Nazaire. He has always been passionate about wine. We are particularly interested in his local creations, produced from his vineyard of some two hectares and fermented in buried vats in the Nantes style - a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in natural mode.

Gabbro Fondu
After spending years as a merchant, importer, then wine merchant, this former cameraman with a BTS in oenology-viticulture acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in Gorges, in Loire-Atlantique, near Clisson in 2017. The soils there are made up of gabbro on a granite substrate, a pedological configuration specific to the Nantes region and particularly to Clisson. Christophe is full of praise for this type of soil.

Muscadet for the better
Christophe's vintages may come from grapes purchased from the best French terroirs, particularly 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, they are serious, off-the-beaten-track wines, just the way he likes them.

Grande Pestilence Red 2017

Domaine La Sorga

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

Les Grandes Serres

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.

Coince ta bulle Sparkling Rosé 2022

Château Frédignac
"A true delight, we can say: this pet' nat' is worthy of rivaling the blockbusters of the genre. A lovely pale amber-salmon color, unfiltered; a label evoking the crispness and fullness of a grape berry: Coince ta bulle is a natural sparkling rosé wine from Château Frédignac, in other words a Crémant Bordeaux in the Vin de France category produced in the Blaye-Côtes-de-Bordeaux appellation. This lovely, fresh, lively, joyful, and festive wine, with light notes of red fruits, is well on its way to becoming a pet' nat' classic. One hundred percent Merlot, obtained by a brief maceration on the skins of the destemmed harvest, it is a fruity delight, both round and dry, whose fine bubbles are made to accompany all kinds of tasty foods in a friendly atmosphere. It is a magnificent gastronomic wine that lends itself to all pairings. Don't miss Coince ta bulle.

To find out more
Château Frédignac, a 100% organic estate (Nature & Progrès), is located in the Blaye-Côtes-de-Bordeaux appellation, very close to the small town of Blaye, practically on the banks of the Gironde. Founded in 1918 by Jean-Marie L’Amouller, a Breton sailor who found happiness on the right bank of the estuary — which is called “the River” here — it became a quality wine estate a few years later by absorbing the vineyard of a property with a centuries-old reputation, Château Saugeron. The appellation is best known for its velvety, deep red wines, in which Château Frédignac excels. But the achievements of this wine estate dedicated to respecting the terroir and virtuous agricultural practices do not end there: an organic white is produced, as well as several natural cuvées of various colors, from pet'nat'rosé to still red. The red grape varieties are typical of the appellation — the two Cabernets, Franc and Sauvignon; Merlot, Carménère and Côt (Malbec) — and the whites (Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon) are similar. The clay-limestone soils promote both soil drainage and their beneficial freshness for the vines. Combined with methods that are deeply respectful of the soil, plants, animals and winemaking, these pedological conditions allow the Château Frédignac team to be proud of its wines: as worthy of their local tradition as they are in keeping with the desire to work as closely as possible to the natural.
fresh, fruity, fine bubbles, festive, joyful, pleasant, strawberry, raspberry, red fruits
"

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

Cuvée Yard Rouge 2019,

Jean Louis Pinto
This cuvée was specially created for YARD by Jean-Louis Pinto! A supple, drinkable yet complex red wine, perfect for dinner parties. The grapes come from three different terroirs: the clay-limestone soils of Campagnac, northwest of Gaillac; the clay-limestone soils of Saint-Jean-Laseille (Perpignan); and the Villafranchian limestone gravel of Adissan, north of Pézenas. The blend is composed of Braucol, Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Colombard. All the grape varieties are vinified separately with a whole-bunch maceration of approximately twenty days (depending on the grape variety) and blended after aging. This is carried out in stainless steel or epoxy resin vats.

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 mildew attacks 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, see link). 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 have an alcohol content of 14%." » 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 location, 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.

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.

Es d'aqui Casse Tête Red 2020

Jean Louis Pinto

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.
"

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.

SM Sumoll Red 2019,

Partida Creus

This red Sumoll, a very old Catalan red grape variety long neglected, is a favorite of Partida Creus. A low-yielding wine, Sumoll thrives on poor soils, giving it great concentration, beautiful balance, juicy, dense and generous black fruit, notes of Mediterranean spices and plants, and finally an earthy, animal, and smoky character. The short maceration preserves freshness and acidity. It will be excellent with red meats, roasts, and duck, but the range of pairings is actually very wide.

Find out more
Partida Creus is an important estate, both from a winemaking and historical perspective—we're 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.

MUZ Vermouth 2024,

Partida Creus

A unique artisanal vermouth, blending tradition and creativity
The MUZ Ver 2024, created by Partida Creus, is much more than just a vermouth. A meticulous blend of natural red wine, oxidative white wine, and young wine, it is enriched with a maceration of herbs based on a family recipe dating back to 1870. This sweet and spicy spirit is a vibrant tribute to the winemakers' Italian roots and their passion for natural wines.

Tasting: Between sweetness and complexity
The nose reveals a unique aromatic richness, blending notes of citrus, dried flowers, medicinal herbs, and sweet spices. On the palate, the initial sweetness is balanced by a subtle bitterness and a long, complex finish. MUZ Ver is a sensory experience in itself, with a perfect balance between tradition and modernity.

A refined aperitif or cocktail ally
Served chilled, between 6 and 8°C, this vermouth is ideal as an aperitif, neat or over ice, accompanied by a twist of orange. It can also be used to create refined and original cocktails. At the table, it goes wonderfully with strong cheeses, seafood, or grilled vegetable dishes.

Mead,

L'Arbre aux Abeilles
L'Arbre aux Abeilles' still dry mead is made from floral, Mediterranean honey from the hills of the Cévennes foothills, where Yves-Élie and Chantal have a few beehives, sedentary like the others. The subtle nose recalls the scent of beehives in summer.

Riesling Blanc 2021

Domaine Einhart
The color of this Riesling from Domaine Einhart is a beautiful orange-yellow. The initial nose is delicate, slightly musky, with notes of grapefruit and dandelion flower. The second nose is fresher and more mineral, with aromas of thyme, aromatic herbs, and flint. The palate begins with vivacity and beautiful verticality; the minerality is typical of limestone. Dried herbs return before a lingering finish with remarkable salinity. Riesling, the lord of Eastern grape varieties, finds here an expression worthy of its nobility. Light skin maceration is successful for this grape variety, and this one is no exception. The twenty-five-year-old vines grow on the muschelkalk (oolitic limestone) soils of the Kreutzweg area. The grapes are harvested by hand and then directly pressed. Maceration, using indigenous yeasts, takes between four and eight days. Aging on fine lees is ten months in century-old beer barrels (an Alsatian specialty) and precedes bottling without filtration. From the vineyard to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives or sulfites. Decanting is recommended so that it can spread its wings and express its mineral notes.

To find out more
Located in the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, horizontally above Strasbourg, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family property whose vines are located on the hillsides that rise between the Alsace plain and the Vosges mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, i.e. shell limestone and oolitic limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone). Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. Faithful to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is a co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to the protection of the land and biodiversity, winemaking without inputs, the refusal of harmful phytosanitary products and the maintenance of ecological refuge zones. His estate has been certified organic since 2011. Like Jean-Marc Dreyer [link], he is firmly focused on skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvests, destemming of the grapes, light punching down and delicate pressing are characteristic of the estate, as well as the separate vinification of each terroir, aging on lees and the absence of filtration before bottling. The wines are pure grape, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of the very beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.