Costs

Marguerite Red 2019

Domaine Bois Moisset

The Marguerite 2019 from Domaine Bois Moisset is a true immersion in the winemaking heritage of the southwest. Made from Duras, a native grape variety of Gaillac, it reveals all the richness and intensity of this ancestral terroir. Made from vines 15 to 30 years old, planted on sandy loam and clayey gravel from the Tarn terraces, this natural wine is the result of a respectful approach to the vine and the soil.

The vinification follows a minimalist logic: destemmed harvest, three-week maceration in cement vats without added sulfites, and low-temperature fermentation to preserve the fruit's brightness. Aging continues in cement vats until bottling, carried out without filtration and with a tiny dose of sulfur to stabilize the wine while preserving its raw and lively character.

With an intense and clear garnet color, Marguerite 2019 offers an expressive nose, dominated by notes of sweet and spicy spices (cinnamon, black pepper), ripe black fruits, and violet. On the palate, it is a structured, ample, and fresh wine, driven by a beautiful natural acidity that balances its rich body. The tannins are supple yet present, extending into a spicy and slightly licorice-laced finish.

Best enjoyed between 16 and 18°C, this vibrant red is the perfect accompaniment to rib of beef, a prune tagine, or a game terrine. Decanting will allow it to reveal all its complexity.

Magnum Saint Romain Sous le Chateau clos du cerisier White 2018,

Domaine de Chassorney

This Chardonnay comes from a steep plot located between 280 and 400 meters above sea level. The soils are mainly marl, limestone, and clay. After direct pressing, aging is approximately one year in barrels.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Adonis Rouge 2020

La Grapperie
After fifteen months of barrel aging, Adonis takes on a beautiful garnet color, giving way to a complex nose of red fruits: strawberry, cherry, and more. On the palate, it offers a beautiful structure between pepper and raspberry. Spicy and peppery, with a lovely sweet, yeasty note on the attack that adds to its deliciousness. Made from 100% Pineau d'Aunis, a fiery and light grape variety, one of the oldest in the Loire Valley, Adonis comes from old vines planted in the Coteaux du Loir appellation, on soils predominantly composed of clay and flint. The harvest is hand-picked and transported by horse. After destemming and light crushing, it is fermented with indigenous yeasts. Drink as an aperitif to warm up, or serve on the table for varied and refined pairings.

To find out more
In the Coteaux du Loir appellation, La Grapperie is the name of the estate of Renaud Guettier, who can be described as a master of Chenin, but also of Pineau d'Aunis, which is one of the oldest grape varieties in the Loire Valley. His principle, he confides, is "to produce complex, rich wines with good aging potential and imbued with the minerality of their terroir." The vines are located on hillsides, between 60 and 120 meters above sea level, protected from the north winds by the Bercé forest. Depending on the altitude, the terroirs are dominated by clay (at the bottom of the slope), flint (mid-slope), or sand (on the higher ground). The 60-hectare vineyard comprises around fifteen plots. The grape varieties are the two traditionally authorized varieties in the appellation: Chenin for the whites and Pineau d'Aunis for 90% of the reds, the remainder consisting of a few ares of Côt, Gamay, and Grolleau. The average age of the vines is seventy years, including almost two hectares of century-old vines and one and a half hectares of vines aged sixty to eighty years. Convinced of the enormous potential that these old vines can bring to his vintages, Renaud is meticulous in restoring the vineyard. The entire estate is cultivated organically. The soils are worked and all viticultural interventions are manual, including the harvests, carried out at full maturity, which is reflected in the fullness and smoothness of the wines. For the reds, the Pineaux d'Aunis are partially destemmed (depending on the plot) and the macerations are quite long, three to four weeks, with punching down, to promote aging potential. The wines are aged in barrels for between twelve and twenty-four months, then racked, blended and bottled without filtration. For the whites, the Chenins are pressed directly at low pressure and then poured into barrels by gravity. Fermentation takes place in barrels, on indigenous yeasts, with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months and sometimes up to thirty-six months.

I'm Natural Don't Panic #10 From Patio White 2018

Bodegas Coruña del Conde

Julien López's I'm Natural, Don't Panic range consists of macerated wines. This dry white is based 100% on the Airén grape variety, which is very common in Spain, particularly in Castile-León. Julien created this limited edition using grapes from a friend, Samuel Cano, from Patio. Fresh and tangy, slightly cloudy (unfiltered), with beautiful notes of linden and white flowers. No additives in the vineyard or cellar. Pair with grilled fish and white meats.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Hip Hip Poulsard red 2018

Domaine de l’Octavin
The Hip Hip cuvée is based on Poulsard, a red Jura grape variety that produces clear, light, savory wines full of red fruits. Crafted by Alice Bouvot, it is the result of a six-week carbonic fermentation using whole bunches of indigenous yeasts in fiberglass vats, without excessive extraction. The wine is neither filtered nor clarified, and no chemical additives are added in the vineyard or cellar. A charming wine for all occasions: it's so good that we hesitate to suggest pairings, it will go with everything.

To find out more
"You don't need anything," says Alice Bouvot, winemaker at Domaine de l'Octavin, "just a grape that feels good in its skin." Everything is said in favor of natural wine; it's a perfect description. Created in 2005, Domaine d'Alice is located in Arbois, in this wine-growing Jura region, often described as the most organic vineyard in France. The habit of making - among other things - oxidative wines is a good preparation for natural wine, this type of wine does not allow any chemical additives and especially no sulfites. It's a secret of this magnificent region. Originally spread over two hectares, the estate, managed entirely biodynamically (Demeter) since 2010, has expanded through the gradual acquisition of plots and now covers seven hectares.

An accomplished musician and passionate music lover, Alice intends to apply her musical sensitivity to the wines she makes. She draws a parallel between the technical perfection of conventional wines which risks excluding feeling, while "a musician who does not know music theory and plays with his guts creates emotion." For her, living wine is like this: instinctive, improvised, emotional. Introduced to natural wine by Stéphane Planche, sommelier at chef Jean-Paul Jeunet in Arbois, she will faithfully follow this path. The sometimes whimsical titles of her vintages are inspired sometimes by musical art (Dorabella, Zerline), sometimes by the numerous plots of land that make up her vineyard (En Curon, Les Corvées, En Poussot, etc.), and do not disdain a pun from time to time. Likewise, the labels adorned with happy and salacious little gnomes are a signature of the estate. As for the grape varieties, they are the classics of the Jura - Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir for the reds, and Chardonnay, Savagnin for the whites. Alongside her Arbois wines, Alice has created a business of "on the vine" grapes (Ecocert certified) with her winegrower friends from the region. Natural, committed, joyful and highly drinkable, the wines of Alice Bouvot are all the more coveted as the vintages, produced in plot-by-plot mode, appear, disappear and reappear depending on the vintage and inspiration.

BN Blanco Natural White 2022,

Partida Creus

A fresh and vibrant Macabeu from the clay-limestone terroir of Catalonia
BN Blanco Natural 2022 is a pure and luminous interpretation of the Macabeu grape variety, produced in the sunny Bonastre region of Catalonia. This natural white wine, vinified using direct pressing and aged for 8 months in stainless steel vats, captures the essence of the clay-limestone terroir while revealing a fresh and thirst-quenching personality. With only 10% alcohol, it is part of the line of light, easy-drinking wines full of character.

Tasting: a brilliant freshness
BN Blanco Natural seduces with its aromatic delicacy. On the nose, it reveals notes of juicy pear, white flowers and a touch of minerality. On the palate, freshness dominates, supported by a well-balanced acidity and a silky texture. The subtly saline finish reflects the maritime character of its terroir. This wine is a true call to conviviality and simple pleasures.

An ideal wine for gourmet moments
This light white goes perfectly with grilled fish, seafood or delicate dishes made with fresh vegetables. It also goes wonderfully with summer salads, fresh cheeses or dishes with Mediterranean influences. Versatile, it can be enjoyed as an aperitif or with a meal.

Served chilled, between 10 and 12°C, this wine does not require decanting and can be enjoyed immediately. It also offers a good aging potential of 5 years, allowing its aromas to gain complexity over time.

Cinsauriel Red 2021

Jean Louis Pinto

Cinsauriel is an organic and natural red wine from the Languedoc region, produced by Jean-Louis Pinto of the Es d’Aqui estate. 100% Cinsault, classified as Vin de France, it comes from the schist soils of Berlou, near Saint-Chinian.

Vinification

Cinsauriel is obtained by fermentation with indigenous yeasts and a month of maceration of the whole bunches in sandstone jars, the container where the aging also takes place.

Tasting

Beautiful bright ruby color, nose of pepper, rose and strawberry, accents of garrigue, candied black olive and prune. Lively and powerful, Cinsauriel is a robust and distinguished wine. It calls for solid foods: beef, roast pork, roast poultry such as chicken, capon or duck. He also enjoys charcuterie and cured meats.

Learn more about Jean-Louis Pinto and the Es d’Aqui estate

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 (“He is from here”) that he gave to his wine merchant estate, located in Moulin-Neuf, a town near the Aude, between Mirepoix and Limoux. A region where vines once abounded, until the major mildew attacks at the beginning of the 20th century.

Winemaker and merchant

Jean-Louis buys grapes grown organically by winegrower friends. He monitors the fruit set, the ripening, and does everything to know the grapes before harvesting them. He vinifies them at home using natural methods, practicing long macerations on whole bunches and very gentle pressings in a vertical press. He says he has "a lot of vines in common" with his friend Anthony Tortul (La Sorga).

All the terroirs of Languedoc

Jean-Louis Pinto's collection area extends throughout Languedoc, particularly in Hérault, Aude, and Tarn. "I make wines from the South," he says. "I'm mainly looking for terroirs that give freshness." The most powerful reds are made in five terracotta jars, which help him control extraction and give his wines, he says, "a very crystalline quality."

La barrique du chat botté Red 2017

Lindenlaub

Bright, savory, fresh, and deep, this wine goes down fast. This Cuvée du Chat is a still red wine made from Alsace Pinot Noir, cultivated and vinified by Christophe Lindenlaub. The grapes are hand-harvested from the Sempel and Thomen plots, facing south on the Stierkopf terroir. These plots contain the oldest Pinot Noir vines on the Lindenlaub estate. The clay-limestone soil on a sandstone substrate refines and accentuates the wine's clarity, giving it a straightforward personality and plenty of character. The grapes spend two weeks in maceration tanks to extract their color, then age in stainless steel tanks. This vintage comes from the Lindenlaub estate via the Parisian-Burgundian wine merchant Le Chat botté & Co, which selects beautiful bottles each year for its “La Barrique du Chat botté” series, illustrated with a collector’s label.

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Christophe Lindenlaub succeeds his father Jacques at the head of their twelve-hectare wine estate, cultivated by their family for almost three centuries. Viticulture there dates back two centuries, the activity previously being mixed. The Lindenlaub estate is located in the village of Dorlisheim, near Molsheim and Mutzig, on splendid clay-limestone terroirs on sandstone bedrock. All the classic Alsatian grape varieties are cultivated, and all types of Alsace wines are produced, from still red or white wines to oxidative wines, pet' nat', sweet late harvest wines, crémant, and maceration wines. Christophe's commitment to making wines as close to nature as possible, with complete respect for the terroir, gradually led him to convert the estate—certified organic since 2012—to natural viticulture and vinification. A testament to this goal is the Ensö range, six natural single-varietal cuvées, under the sign of the Chinese ink circle specific to Zen mysticism. This series, Christophe explains, was born from a quest for personal fulfillment and the desire to impart an extra touch of soul to his wines.

Les Poupettes Red 2022,

Clos des B

A remarkably bright color and an equally brilliant aromatic palette! Produced in the Vin de France category and under the Écocert organic label, Les Poupettes is an organic and natural red made from 100% Grenache with no added sulfites, sourced from the Grimaud terroir in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. It is the result of a three-week carbonic maceration of the destemmed harvest in a closed stainless steel vat. No sulfites are added, either during vinification or bottling. Les Poupettes offers beautiful aromas of fresh fruit on the nose: raspberry, cherry, but also plenty of minerality due to the schist sands. The finesse of Grenache with a touch of flint that fits well into the overall picture. A round and delicious palate, plenty of freshness and an incredible rich and brilliant grenadine color.

Why “Les Poupettes”?

Under this pretty name, dedicated to the six granddaughters of Jean-Jacques Granger, nicknamed “the poupettes,” here is a magnificent glouglou, a true gift from the schist terroir of Grimaud, in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. Les Poupettes is a light, pleasant, easy-drinking wine, a cuvée that demonstrates the decision to reduce deliberate extraction as much as possible. You can pair it with a good piece of roast pork, for example a fillet or a rack of Black Pork of Bigorre/Collectif Padouen.

Learn more about Clos des B

Clos des B (initials of the two owners) is an organic and natural wine estate located in Grimaud, in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. Gwendolyn Berger and Jean-Jacques Branger are the happy producers of the very first natural cuvées from this geographical area. Before the two Bs bought these three hectares of vines, all these wines went to the cooperative cellar of the Vignerons de Saint-Tropez. Driven by a "thirst for vines," as they say, Gwendolyn and Jean-Jacques overcame administrative difficulties, restored the vineyard, and soon produced reds, rosés, and even a blanc de noirs. Their grape varieties are typical of the region: Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, growing on schist sands crisscrossed by quartz veins. The property benefits from a microclimate that protects the vines from humidity, disease, and frost. The viticulture and winemaking approach resolutely embraces organic (the estate is under the Écocert label, applied for in 2020), biodynamics, and natural methods. The wines are made without added sulfites, fining, or filtration. The wines of Clos des B are a true reflection of their terroir and climate: fresh, fruity, and very pleasant to drink, beautiful natural wines from the terroir of Provence.

AA Anonimo Ancestral Rosé 2018

Partida Creus
The olfactory and flavor notes of this Anonimo Ancestral evoke undergrowth, grass, and yeast, along with red fruit. This wine is a sparkling rosé with a creamy texture and fine bubbles, offering a magnificent mineral sensation on the palate, superb texture, and remarkable freshness that requires a very low serving temperature (8-10°C) in a Bordeaux or tulip glass. Obtained using the bottle refermentation method and aged for twelve months on fine lees, it is not filtered or sulfite-added. It is the result of a blend of several traditional Catalan grape varieties that differ depending on the color: for example, Xarel lo, Macabeu, Parellada, Moscatel, and Ull de Llebre. The blend and its proportions are subject to variation depending on the vintage. It pairs well with Mediterranean dishes, particularly those containing garlic, for example, snails Burgundy style, a Romesco sauce, cod aioli, etc. Anonimo Ancestral is a friend of all grilled dishes, including fish and seafood (octopus, squid, etc.).

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Partida Creus is an important estate, both in terms of wine and history – 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.

Coup de Foudre Rosé 2021,

Domaine Bois Moisset
A cloudy pink color that already makes you thirsty, a nose that expresses its fruit and fermentation discreetly, while the palate, on the contrary, blossoms with great opulence and roundness, making this Coup de foudre a very easy-drinking wine. The texture on the palate is soft, enveloping, silky, with a fruity and delicious substance. The bubbles are fine and lively, with a tonic and tense finish. From the beginning to the end of the tasting, notes of bitter orange and candied citrus peel, a lovely mineral astringency and a bitterness that further ennobles the whole, balancing the velvety fruitiness. A magnificent bottle, this Coup de foudre, which one might think is vinified in a tuns given its name, but this is not the case: here we have an entirely organic and natural wine, one hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon, pressed at the harvest and fermented in fresh juice in a room where the temperature is maintained at 19 °C. This alcoholic fermentation is followed by malolactic fermentation and the wine is bottled without filtration. The secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle with indigenous yeasts and, of course, without sulfites added at any stage of the vinification. Disgorging in December. We recommend chilling this beautiful wine upright for a day before opening to avoid excessive overflow upon opening.

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The name Gaillac, the region where the Bois-Moisset estate is located, owned by Sylvie Ledran and Philippe Maffre, has been associated with wines since Antiquity; it is the oldest vineyard in France, with two thousand years of history and an impressive collection of ancient indigenous grape varieties. It is also a region of dazzling beauty, nicknamed "French Tuscany" because of its gentle hills planted with groves and its almost Florentine brightness. Many estates, along with that of Bois-Moisset, showcase this uniquely rich winemaking heritage. Along with a vineyard, this is an organic mixed farm that directly sells its production of lentils, sunflower oil, cereal flours, and grape juice. A herd of old local breed cows also thrives there, and guest rooms are available during the summer months. It is in this small rural paradise that natural wines typical of their origin and terroir are born, on fifteen hectares of boulbènes, gravelly and sandy-loam soils carried by the Tarn for thousands of years. The grape varieties are dominated by Syrah and Duras, but the ampelographic richness of the Gaillac region (braucol, prunelart, loin-de-l'œil, etc.) is also evident in the Bois-Moisset estate's vintages, which consist particularly of red wines with crisp fruit, concentrated but with smooth and delicate tannins.

Sumoll Red 2019,

Cyclic Beer Farm

Cyclic Beer Farm is a duo of friends from Barcelona, Alberto and Joshua. Based in the Catalan capital, they have two sides to their business: beer (Cyclic Beer) and wine (Cyclic Wine). The beers, inspired by the Belgian model, are available in surprising and colorful ranges where expertly measured yeast cocktails and house brews combine with varied macerations of fruits, vegetables, herbs and grape marc from traditional Catalan varieties, the latter taken after the fermentation of their wines - because the second part is the wine, made exclusively from native Catalan grape varieties. As merchant winemakers, Alberto and Joshua themselves harvest by hand from organic wineries throughout Catalonia and bring the harvest to their winery-brewery workshop in La Sagrera (Barcelona). There they sort the grapes, tread them under foot and vat the must using exclusively indigenous yeasts. Depending on the type of wine, skin maceration takes place on the skins and stems for between one and three days for the whites and between six and fifteen days for the reds. The free-run juice is then transferred without pressing into stainless steel tanks where fermentation continues before bottling. The skins and stems, and sometimes part of the juice, are then used for the maceration of saison beers: an interesting synergy between beer and wine. No sulfites are added to the vinification; nothing is added or removed from the wine, which is never filtered. The harvest and other viticultural operations are decided according to the lunar calendar.
This all-Sumoll red wine (a traditional Catalan grape variety) comes from almost century-old vines planted in Mas Llorenç, in the Lower Penedès, on limestone soils. The altitude of the plot is 260 meters. The harvest is sorted, 10% foot-crushed, then undergoes 27 days of semi-carbonic maceration. After a second, very moderate crushing, fermentation continues in stainless steel tanks. This wine truly reflects the grape variety's signature, with a very fresh attack, lovely acidity, fruity complexity, and moderate tannins. Its modest alcohol content makes it a good aperitif and get-together wine. It will be a hit at a summer barbecue.

Trepat Red 2019,

Cyclic Beer Farm

Cyclic Beer Farm is a duo of friends from Barcelona, Alberto and Joshua. Based in the Catalan capital, they have two sides to their business: beer (Cyclic Beer) and wine (Cyclic Wine). The beers, inspired by the Belgian model, are available in surprising and colorful ranges where expertly measured yeast cocktails and house brews combine with varied macerations of fruits, vegetables, herbs and grape marc from traditional Catalan varieties, the latter taken after the fermentation of their wines - because the second part is the wine, made exclusively from native Catalan grape varieties. As merchant winemakers, Alberto and Joshua themselves harvest by hand from organic wineries throughout Catalonia and bring the harvest to their winery-brewery workshop in La Sagrera (Barcelona). There they sort the grapes, tread them under foot and vat the must using exclusively indigenous yeasts. Depending on the type of wine, skin maceration takes place on the skins and stems for between one and three days for the whites and between six and fifteen days for the reds. The free-run juice is then transferred without pressing into stainless steel tanks where fermentation continues before bottling. The skins and stems, and sometimes part of the juice, are then used for the maceration of saison beers: an interesting synergy between beer and wine. No sulfites are added to the vinification; nothing is added or removed from the wine, which is never filtered. The harvest and other viticultural operations are decided according to the lunar calendar.
The tannins have pride of place in this 100% Trepat red wine (a traditional Catalan grape variety); they assert themselves from the attack with a crisp acidity. Rustic and fruity, invigorating, almost a gurgle (it needs a little time and rest to become fully so). The grapes grow on a clay-limestone plot in Prenafeta (municipality of La Conca de Barberà) and the vines are two years old. The altitude is 400 meters. The harvest, hand-picked, is crushed and then macerated for twelve days on the skins and stalks, with punching down every two days. A second, very gentle crushing precedes the second phase of fermentation in stainless steel vats.

SP Subirat Parent White 2021

Partida Creus

SP Subirat Parent, classified as Vino de Mesa (table wine), is, as its name suggests, made 100% from the native Catalan grape variety Subirat Parent. It is crisp and aromatic, with a nose of ripe white fruits, melon, and wildflowers. Agile on the palate, fresh and straightforward, lemony and slightly saline, it offers a long finish tinged with a delicate bitterness typical of the estate. Subirat Parent, one of the oldest Catalan grape varieties and a close relative of Malvasia, remains rare even in its country of origin. The clay-limestone soil enhances its freshness and integrity. The harvest is pressed after a three-day skin maceration. The must is settled and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats. It rests for three months in vats on fine lees before bottling.

Find out more

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-known – first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug bit them, and they soon 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, bobal, cartoixà vermell and 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 but always straightforward and impeccably juicy and fruity, breathe life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction.

Vagabond Red 2022

Benoit Camus

Vagabond is an organic (Ecocert) and natural red wine from Beaujolais, made by Benoît Camus from Gamay. This Vin de France is produced in the south of the appellation, in the Pierre Dorées terroir. Its name evokes the winemaker's life as a seasonal farmer before purchasing his vineyards in Beaujolais.

Vinification

Growing on clay-limestone soils, the Gamay vines of Beaujolais are cultivated and harvested by hand, as the steep terrain prohibits any mechanized work. The harvest undergoes a semi-carbonic maceration process for fifteen days. The wine is aged in concrete vats for twelve months.

Tasting

Two vintages from Benoît Camus are currently available, this one being the "sweeter" of the two. It is an organic and natural Beaujolais with rich and vibrant fruit—strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, cherry, redcurrant—which we recommend drinking well chilled. The acidity and freshness are remarkable, and the wine offers notes of humus and wet stone. A touch of spice: nutmeg. It is a very aromatic wine, a charmer that will appreciate being paired with charcuterie, cured meats, Red Meats and roasted poultry.

Learn more about Benoît Camus

You might think he's itinerant, with his vintages called "Château roulant" or "Vagabond," but for Benoît Camus, it's a memory of his previous life, when he was a seasonal farmer in the Rhône Valley and as far as Roussillon. Since 2003, he has settled in Southern Beaujolais, in the Pierres Dorées terroir, to make organic (Ecocert) and natural wines.

Nature first, nature always

Before buying his seven-hectare estate from an old winemaker, the vines had not yet seen pesticides or chemical additives. Many in Beaujolais worked like this. He made his first vintage in 2006, "natural without knowing it," he says. A brief attempt at chemical spraying to treat grape worms definitively dissuaded him from adding anything to the vineyard or the winery. He acquired Ecocert organic certification and continued to produce natural products.

The terroir of Pierre Dorées

The southern Beaujolais region, with its clay and limestone, produces wines that are more structured and powerful than those from the granite soils of the north. This is the profile presented by Benoît Camus's reds: natural, straight, dense wines with long aging potential, with good acidity and well-integrated tannins, not to mention abundant, rich, and seductive fruit.

Le Litre Arbitre White 2020,

Château Lafitte

Le Litre Arbitre, a dry white wine with a strong aroma of white fruit and lemon, is deliciously mineral and lively, perfect for all occasions and also a joy to drink on its own. It's so perfect for gatherings with good friends that Château Lafitte decided to pour it directly into a one-liter bottle. The beverage is obtained by directly pressing different grape varieties from a very old, planted plot whose birth date is unknown. The blend includes the classic Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng grapes from the Jurançon terroir. The harvest is done among friends, the viticulture and winemaking (100% biodynamic) are done without the slightest addition of chemicals or sulfites. Fruity as desired, designed for the most intense conviviality, and not even a pinhead of added sulfites. This wine will keep for a very long time if given the chance.

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Château Lafitte is located in Béarn, on the noble terroir of Jurançon, the origin of superb sweet wines and dry wines that have nothing to envy. Since the 14th century, Monein, the commune where the estate is located, has been nestled in an exceptional natural, rich and hilly environment. In the 16th century, vines already occupied a significant part of the property, and they have persisted to this day. Philippe and Brigitte Arraou, the current owners, have undertaken to revive viticulture on the site, assisted since 2012 by their son Antoine, a winemaker as passionate as his parents. Château Lafitte is now managed biodynamically and with agroforestry: five hectares of marl-limestone soils typical of the appellation, on a hilly terrain that can become very cold in winter. The king grape varieties of Jurançon, Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng, represent the majority of the grape varieties. Also typical of Jurançon and the Pyrénées-Atlantiques in general, viticulture en hautains, that is to say raised and trained very high, is practiced. As it was in many primitive vineyards, some of which are still active (Portugal, Spain, Georgia, etc.). On this beautiful estate, winemaking experiments are legion: aging in terracotta jars for dry wines, solera for sweet wines in untopped barrels, photovoltaic roofs for the cellar, rainwater harvesting, gravity-fed vinification. Château Lafitte produces sweet Jurançons as well as still dry wines and a very successful natural sparkling wine, Funambule.

Poiré de la combe d'Ire White 17/18

Jean-Yves Péron

Poiré de la Combe d’Ire is a sparkling cuvée from Jean-Yves Péron made with pears. Organic, biodynamic, and natural, this perry is the winemaker's only grape-free cuvée.

Vinification

Around ten varieties of old pears, growing in Savoyard orchards, are the basis of this perry from Combe d’Ire, a clay-limestone area classified as a biological reserve and protected area near Chevaline. The pears are grated and then pressed. The perry is aged for three years in 350-liter barrels.

Tasting

Completely dry (zero dosage), beautiful golden color with a lovely fine note of sweetness in the background, coexisting with a symphony of bitterness, fruitiness, and salinity. A great richness of taste, the pear sublimated in a sparkling beverage. Intensely fresh finish. This aged perry is at its best after five years of aging.

Learn more about Jean-Yves Péron

Jean-Yves Péron skillfully embodies the organic, biodynamic, and natural renaissance of the Savoyard vineyard, which is based on varied soils and numerous indigenous grape varieties (Jacquère, Altesse, Mondeuse, etc.). At his Chevaline winery in the Bauges region, he vinifies grapes from his plots in Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, in the Isère valley.

High-altitude biodynamics

Jean-Yves Péron's work follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow, steep slopes, his hand-worked mountain vines in micro-plots receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. All of Jean-Yves Péron's wines are sulfite-free, made from hand-harvested grapes, vinified in whole bunches and foot-trodden in the vat. For all vintages, the free-run and press are blended, then aged on lees for at least one year, in two- or three-wine barrels, amphorae or tuns, before final blending. They must be stored at a temperature below 18°C. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.

Italo-Savoyard trade

Since 2011, a trading activity has allowed Jean-Yves Péron to buy the harvest from neighboring organic winegrowers and to collaborate with winegrowers from Northern Italy: this is the I Vicini series, which allows him to diversify the terroirs and deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging.

VNR Vinel lo Ancestral Sparkling Red 2019

Partida Creus
The beautiful light ruby ​​color of VN Vinel lo Ancestral is already tempting, and its low alcohol content (10.5%) is ideal for long aperitifs and large, chilled meals. Sparkling, fruity, and very fresh, with floral and yeasty notes, and a very long finish. Easy to drink, gurgling but with great distinction, VN Vinel·lo Ancestral is a natural sparkling red resulting from a rich and abundant blend of indigenous grape varieties: first Sumoll and Trepat in dominance, followed by Se Samsó (Cinsault), Garrut (Mourvèdre), Ull de Perdiu, Queixal de Llop and Grenache Noir, harvested on predominantly limestone soils. The blend is subject to variation depending on the vintage. After crushing, the musts of the different grape varieties ferment one after the other and are added gradually, thus prolonging the fermentation by indigenous yeasts. The fermentation finishes in the bottle, for ten months, on fine lees. 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'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 wine is well-known—first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug bit 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 wealth 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. On their part, it’s not just a matter of saving heritage, no: it’s a matter of taste and nature. Natural wines, which they will continue to make from now on on these sandy, poor, clay-limestone or clay-gravelly, poor and poorly irrigated lands, where the vines suffer to give 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. Moscatel, Grenache, Merlot, and Cabernet (among others) are also grown here. Few wineries can boast 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-varietal 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 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.

Atelier 3 Rosé 2020

Belly Wine Experiment
Fresh, fruity, lively, and supple, Atelier 3 is officially a red, or at least that's how it's classified by customs because the blend contains white wine. Unofficially, it's a rosé, made from a direct press of underripe Gamay grapes and a few bits of Syrah and hybrid grape varieties. The whole is blended with carbonic maceration juice from Gamay and Riesling must. No chemical additives are used, either in the vineyard or in the winery. Classified as a Vin de France and with an alcohol content of 12.4%, this wine is a cocktail of grape varieties for a brilliantly lively result, perfect as an aperitif and when you need to wake up a sleeping atmosphere. A wine to wake the dead, as they say on such occasions.

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Founded and run by Claire Sage and Aimé Duveau, located in Chanteuges (Haute-Loire), Belly Wine Experiment is as much an experiment as a winemaking business. The creative duo has it in spades: Claire is the sister of Adrien Sage, a fan of underwater wine aging but above all an importer of Catalan wines. Hence the presence of Catalan grape varieties in Belly Wine Experiment's blends, alongside Burgundy, Auvergne, and Jura grape varieties, readily found in the same bottle. Aimé is the son of Manu Duveau, a poet-winemaker from Auvergne, a former stonemason, and a great winemaker of local Gamays at his Domaine de l'Égrappille. The unique feature of Belly Wine Experiment is the exoticism (in the literal sense) of the blends, with Xarel lo from Catalonia, for example, blending naturally with Gamay from Puy-de-Dôme. The wines are made using semi-carbonic maceration, without the addition of chemical additives or excessive manipulation in the cellar. The winery is also known for its high-quality, vinous perries.

Nuria Muscat of Alexandria White 2018

Clos Lentiscus

This winery is located in Sitges, Catalonia, in the heart of the Garraf Natural Park. Manel Avinyo and his brother Joan took over the family estate, which Manel renamed Clos Lentiscus. Even though Barcelona is only a half-hour drive away, the beauty of the landscape is striking and the immersion in nature is complete: Mediterranean forests rub shoulders with Catalan scrubland (thyme, rosemary, rockrose, and the mastic tree, which gave the estate its name, etc.). The Penedès region also has a long winemaking history. Nestled in its gentle hills is Clos Lentiscus, in the Penedés appellation, on twenty hectares of sandy and clay-limestone soils facing due south at an altitude of 225 meters. According to historical documents, the family of Manel and Joan Avinyo has been established there since at least the 14th century. For a long time, the grapes were sold to local cooperatives, but since the two brothers took over the estate, organic and biodynamic farming has replaced conventional practices, the entire harvest goes into the house vintages, and organic and biodynamic practices have allowed this beautiful property to reconnect with its former prestige: in the 19th century, its wines were sold in France and as far away as the Americas. Very quickly, Manel received a nickname: The Bubbleman, a tribute to his talent for vinifying cavas, these sparkling whites characteristic of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, from native varieties for which Catalonia holds the secret: sumoll, ull de llebre, xarel·lo, malvasia of Sitges, cartoixà vermell, cariñena (carignan), accompanied by tempranillo and muscat of Alexandria. The vines are old, sometimes centuries old. No synthetic additives are used in the vineyard, and operations such as planting, pruning, de-budding and harvesting are dictated by the lunar phases. Pollination is facilitated by the presence of beehives; sheep contribute to fertilization and control of the plant cover. Ringo, the white horse, is responsible for working the soil.

Elegance, purity and a crisp minerality due to limestone characterize the productions of Clos Lentiscus. The note of controlled oxidation, when it is felt, does not dominate the tasting and the wines are never deviant. Cavas are known for being exuberant, but those of Clos Lentiscus never have more than two grams of residual sugar per liter. The estate also produces still wines, red, white and rosé.

Núria is the name of Manel's daughter, who assisted her father in the creation of this beautiful aperitif wine that will be a marvel with all Mediterranean cuisines. 100% Muscat of Alexandria, a sweet, large-berry grape, this is a fresh and aromatic sparkling white wine from direct pressing. The first fermentation using indigenous yeasts takes place in 55-liter demijohns and the second fermentation takes place in bottles. Twenty-four months of aging on fine lees and manual disgorgement.