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.

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.

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 

Un blanc vibrant du Sud-Ouest, à la fraîcheur éclatante

Canoupe 2023 est une ode à la légèreté et à la vivacité. Derrière cette cuvée se cache Danis dans la vigne, jeune domaine engagé en agriculture biologique dans le terroir encore confidentiel de Cahors, au cœur du Sud-Ouest. Ici, le Colombard, cépage aromatique souvent sous-estimé, est mis à l’honneur dans une version pure, directe et profondément rafraîchissante.

Vinifié en presse directe, sans intrants œnologiques, avec les seules levures indigènes, ce blanc naturel est élevé 8 mois en cuve inox, afin de préserver l’expression la plus sincère du fruit. Le sol argilo-calcaire apporte tension et minéralité à l’ensemble, et le faible degré alcoolique (11,5 %) accentue sa buvabilité. On est loin des clichés lourds du Sud-Ouest : ici, tout respire l’agilité, la transparence et la sincérité.

Nez expressif et bouche éclatante

À l’ouverture, le nez séduit immédiatement par des arômes d’agrumes frais, de citron jaune, relevés de délicates touches de fleur d’oranger. En bouche, la texture est fluide, tendue, avec une belle acidité naturelle qui appelle une gorgée après l’autre. C’est un vin d’apéritif idéal, mais aussi un formidable compagnon des viandes blanches, de poissons grillés ou même de plats exotiques aux saveurs citronnées.

Ce Colombard 100 % naturel se savoure dès aujourd’hui, sans carafage, à 10-12°C, mais pourra aussi évoluer doucement sur 2 ans. Une cuvée lumineuse, joyeuse et sincère, parfaite pour celles et ceux qui cherchent à redécouvrir le Sud-Ouest autrement.

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.

YARD Orange, Blanc 2022

Danis dans la vigne

Avec YARD Orange, Danis dans la vigne s’aventure du côté des blancs de macération, ces vins dits "oranges" qui bouleversent les repères. Cette cuvée nature 100 % Colombard, issue de raisins cultivés en agriculture biologique sur les sols argilo-calcaires du sud du Lot, incarne une vision libre et contemporaine d’un vin blanc, tout en couleur, en énergie et en sincérité.

Un vin orange artisanal et précis

La macération pelliculaire de quelques jours permet à ce Colombard de puiser dans ses peaux arômes, matière et une légère teinte dorée. Aucun intrant œnologique n’est utilisé : fermentation spontanée en levures indigènes, pas de collage ni de filtration, et un élevage en cuve inox de sept mois pour conserver le croquant du fruit. Le résultat est un vin nature pur, vibrant, sans compromis.

Une bouche éclatante et vivante

Le nez évoque l’abricot mûr, les zestes d’agrumes et une touche herbacée très rafraîchissante. En bouche, l’attaque est franche, tendue, avec une belle structure apportée par les tanins très fins issus de la macération. L’ensemble est vif, digeste et laisse une sensation tonique en finale.

Pour les curieux et les affranchis

YARD Orange se déguste entre 10 et 12 °C, sans carafage. Il trouvera naturellement sa place à l’apéritif, avec des plats végétariens, des viandes blanches ou une cuisine aux saveurs méditerranéennes. C’est un vin de soif éclairé, à boire jeune pour profiter de son expression fruitée et de sa fraîcheur.