Colombard grape variety

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.

Royal Canette White 2016

La Sorga

This 100% Colombard white wine comes from grapes grown on basalt sand and Villafranchian limestone soils in Adissan. Antony Tortul selected the most concentrated grapes from the plot and created a blend of direct pressing and maceration with a little flotation (clarified must). The whole was aged in vats for eleven months. The exotic fruit notes of this wine pair very well with fish in a creamy white wine sauce or in matelote. It has a ten-year aging potential.

YARD Orange, White 2022

Danis dans la vigne

With YARD Orange, Danis dans la vigne ventures into the realm of skin-contact white wines, known as "orange" wines, which challenge traditional perceptions. This natural 100% Colombard cuvée, made from organically grown grapes on the clay-limestone soils of southern Lot, embodies a free and contemporary vision of white wine, full of color, energy, and sincerity.

An artisanal and precise orange wine

Several days of skin maceration allow this Colombard to extract aromas, body, and a subtle golden hue from its skins. No enological additives are used: spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, no fining or filtration, and seven months of aging in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fruit's crispness. The result is a pure, vibrant, uncompromising natural wine.

A bright and lively palate

The nose evokes ripe apricot, citrus zest, and a very refreshing herbaceous touch. On the palate, the attack is frank and taut, with a beautiful structure provided by very fine tannins from the maceration. The overall impression is lively, easy-drinking, and leaves a tonic sensation on the finish.

For the curious and the unconventional

YARD Orange is best enjoyed between 10 and 12 °C, without decanting. It will naturally find its place as an aperitif, with vegetarian dishes, white meats, or Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. It is an enlightened thirst-quenching wine, to be drunk young to fully appreciate its fruity expression and freshness.

Belzebrut White 2018

Domaine La Sorga

Made from 100% Colombard from basalt soils in the Hérault Valley, this is a very pleasant natural sparkling wine. The grapes are pressed directly and the must is not settled. It is aged on slats for six months. The wine is bottled by gravity and disgorged by Antony. This wine has mineral and floral notes that are perfect as an aperitif or dessert. Aging potential: five years.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Pairs with: Cheeses, Desserts

Canoupe Blanc 2023

Danis dans la vigne

A vibrant white from the Southwest, with dazzling freshness

Canoupe 2023 is an ode to lightness and vibrancy. Behind this cuvée is Danis dans la vigne, a young estate committed to organic farming in the still confidential terroir of Cahors, in the heart of the Southwest. Here, Colombard, an aromatic and often underestimated grape variety, is showcased in a pure, direct, and deeply refreshing version.

Vinified by direct pressing, without enological inputs, with only indigenous yeasts, this natural white is aged for 8 months in stainless steel tanks, to preserve the most sincere expression of the fruit. The clay-limestone soil brings tension and minerality to the whole, and the low alcohol content (11.5%) enhances its drinkability. This is far from the heavy clichés of the Southwest: here, everything exudes agility, transparency, and sincerity.

Expressive nose and dazzling palate

Upon opening, the nose immediately seduces with aromas of fresh citrus, yellow lemon, enhanced by delicate touches of orange blossom. On the palate, the texture is fluid, tense, with a beautiful natural acidity that calls for one sip after another. It is an ideal aperitif wine, but also a formidable companion for white meats, grilled fish, or even exotic dishes with lemony flavors.

This 100% natural Colombard can be enjoyed today, without decanting, at 10-12°C, but can also evolve gently over 2 years. A luminous, joyful, and sincere cuvée, perfect for those looking to rediscover the Southwest in a different way.

Es d'aqui Paloma Red 2020,

Jean-Louis Pinto

Notes of strawberry, plenty of acidity, and a delicious flavor. Paloma is a light, thirst-quenching red, claret, almost a rosé. The grapes all come from Adissan, in the Hérault region: Clairette, Colombard on a strip of basalt soil, and Grenache on lacustrine limestone. The harvest macerates whole bunches for two weeks in stainless steel vats. Half of the wine is aged in 500-liter barrels and the other half in 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). 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.

Canoupe Blanc 2022,

Danis dans la vigne
Canoupe is a white wine from Cahors made from organic and natural Colombard grapes, produced in Vin de France by Danis Bessières of Danis dans la vigne. It is a beautiful white from the Southwest of France with very advanced maturity. It is part of the "Esprit du lieu" range of single-plot cuvées vinified by Danis. Its name expresses the vigor and vitality of the estate's Colombards: "plant spears that reach for the sky." At the beginning of summer, the vine rises into vigorous foliage, like a canopy, hence the name Canoupe.

Vinification
Canoupe is not a white wine like the others. This single-plot cuvée was vinified with particular attention to the ripeness of the grapes, which is very advanced. Botrytis plays an important role, particularly in the color, which is sustained despite the direct pressing. A little controlled oxidation is also present.

Tasting
The style of Canoupe is intermediate, between freshness and maturity, with ripe aromas, candied citrus fruits, honeysuckle, spices: cardamom, cinnamon, Christmas spices. The color tends towards orange and the aromas are similar. Candied, jammy, with a touch of oxidation. A complex and powerful wine that is best reserved for the table and gastronomy rather than as an aperitif.

Learn more about Danis dans la vigne
Under the name Danis dans la vigne, Danis Bessières vinifies organic grapes from the family estate, the Domaine de l'Antenet, which was the first organic vineyard in Cahors in the early 1980s.

Organic and natural since 1983
Danis respects the principles established in the vineyard and cellar by his grandfather and then his father: making wines without additives, organic and natural, from the grape varieties of the terroir while respecting the environment. It was in 1983 that his grandfather obtained the organic label Lemaire-Boucher, followed by Nature & Progrès and then the organic labels AB and Eurofeuille. Danis Bessières continues in this vein.

Malbec, but not only
Malbec reigns supreme in the Cadurcian region, but Danis also uses Cabernets, Jurançon Noir, Merlot, and recently created grape varieties, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Colombard as single-varietals. These experiments allow him to moderate the density and opacity of the main grape variety.