Fish

Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Charmottes Red 2020,

Frédéric Cossard

This Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Charmottes 2020, by Frédéric Cossard, is a vibrant and natural expression of this prestigious appellation from the Côte de Nuits. Produced using unpretentious vinification, it reveals exceptional aromatic depth, combining floral finesse and fruity intensity.

The Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC, an exceptional terroir

Renowned for its structured and expressive wines, the Nuits-Saint-Georges AOC offers powerful and distinguished reds with long aging potential. The Charmottes plot, located on deep clay-limestone soils, gives this wine a beautiful concentration and a satiny feel. In the old Burgundian dialect, "charmottes" or "charmes" refers to formerly fallow lands, now enhanced by the meticulous work of Frédéric Cossard.

A natural and elegant Pinot Noir

This 2020 vintage, produced through a whole-bunch maceration, expresses a captivating floral nose, blending peony and violet, before giving way to an explosion of fruit black like blackberry and blackcurrant. On the palate, the body is silky and supple, with tannins of rare elegance and a lingering finish marked by a subtle minerality.

A wine of character, to enjoy now or to keep

With its balanced structure and its aging potential of 5 to 10 years, this Nuits-Saint-Georges can be enjoyed young, for the purity of its fruit, or after a few years, for a more complex and refined expression. Serve between 16 and 18°C, it will perfectly accompany a grilled prime rib, duck breast with red fruits or game in sauce. A great Burgundy wine, in a natural and masterful interpretation.

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.

Cep Bragelogne Blanc Champagne Brut

Eric Collinet
This Cep cuvée is an organic, biodynamic, and natural white brut champagne (Ecocert, AB, and Eurofeuille certifications) made from 100% Pinot Noir, from the vines of the Éric Collinet estate in Côte des Bar, the southernmost region of Champagne. Since 2014, this estate has been fully certified organic.

Terroir and Vinification
The Pinot Noir vines grow on Kimmeridgian clay-limestone soils, bringing minerality and tension to the wines. Harvesting is done by hand. The wines are from the 2018 harvest. Dosage: 3.8 g/l.

An all-terrain champagne
Lively, fresh, and flavorful, this champagne, balanced between minerality and fruitiness, is a complete wine, ready for all combinations and pairings. The nose offers fresh white fruits, apple, and lychee, confirmed on the palate with a superb integration of all the sensations. Great evolving complexity. Pair it with a good meal or fine tapas. We also imagine a marriage of love with raw fish, smoked scallops, smoked salmon, caviar … Enjoy it between 10 and 12 °C.

Learn more about Éric Collinet champagnes
Limousin established in Southern Champagne “for the love of the land and the king of wines”, Éric Collinet devotes himself to viticulture on his land in Les Riceys, in Côte des Bar, combining it with a truffle cultivation activity (Burgundy truffle, Tuber uncinatum). Whether it's vines or mycorrhizal trees, Éric and his wife Martine share the same love of nature and biodiversity in their estate.

Champagne Agroforestry
On sloping land, planting trees in the vines helps to anchor them and compensate for water loss during increasingly hot summers. The dominant grape variety is Pinot Noir, a regional tradition, with Chardonnay making up 20% of the total. The entire estate (2.5 hectares of vines) has been managed organically (AB, Eurofeuille, Ecocert) and biodynamically since 2014.

The charm of the Côte des Bar
A remarkable freshness and salinity, a well-known signature of the Kimmeridgian limestone of the Côte des Bar, the "emerging" region of Champagne. Domaine Collinet's champagnes are unanimously described as lively and fruity. These wines are tangy but not lacking in roundness, with a lively bubble. Perfect for pairing with any dish, a great opportunity to enjoy Champagne meals without having to worry too much about pairing them.

Nuria Cartoixa Vermell Sparkling White 2018

Clos Lentiscus
Purity, elegance, and a crisp minerality due to the limestone characterize the productions of Clos Lentiscus. The note of controlled oxidation, when present, does not dominate the tasting, and the wines are never deviant. The cavas are renowned for their exuberance, but those from Clos Lentiscus never have more than two grams of residual sugar per liter. The estate also produces still red, white, and rosé wines.

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, renamed Clos Lentiscus by Manel. Even though Barcelona is only a half-hour drive away, the beauty of the landscape is striking and the immersion in nature is total: Mediterranean forests rub shoulders with Catalan scrubland (thyme, rosemary, rockrose, mastic tree which gave its name to the estate, 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, Manel and Joan Avinyo's family has been established there since at least the 14th century. For a long time, the grapes were sold to local cooperatives, but as soon as the two brothers took over the estate, organic and biodynamic farming replaced conventional practices, the entire harvest goes into the house vintages, and organic and biodynamic practices have allowed this beautiful property to regain 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 indigenous 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, some of them 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.

Núria is the name of Manel's daughter, who assisted her father in the creation of this fresh and delicious sparkling white wine, made using ancestral methods, from the direct pressing of the native Catalan Cartoixà Vermell grape variety. The primary fermentation, based on indigenous yeasts, takes place in 55-liter demijohns, and the secondary fermentation takes place in bottles. Twenty-four months of aging on fine lees and manual disgorgement. A wine for fried shrimp, fried fish, and all seafood from the Mediterranean and beyond.

Magnum Cœur Brisé (Culinaries exclusivity) Rosé 2022

Aurélien Lefort

Hip Hip Chardonnay Blanc 2020,

Domaine de l'Octavin
Light, saline, slightly creamy, supported by superb acidity and a lovely minerality, Hip Hip Chardonnay makes no secret of its tropical notes (pineapple, papaya, mango) and its lovely citrus notes: orange and lemon peel, mandarin, lime. What richness! Added to this are white flowers, honeysuckle, oregano, white pepper, a lovely stony touch and perfectly balanced tannins. Clean and mineral finish. While it's true that Chardonnay works wonders in Burgundy, it also thrives in the Jura, where it finds its local style and is often paired with Savagnin. According to the method favored in the Jura, it frequently undergoes skin maceration. This Chardonnay was macerated here for two months in whole bunches in 2020 and aged in vats. Bottling was carried out in July 2021.

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“You don’t need anything,” says Alice Bouvot, winemaker at Domaine de l’Octavin, “just a grape that’s comfortable in its own 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 allowing no 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.

Volnay 1er Cru Carelle Sous la Chapelle Red 2020

Domaine de Chassorney

Full of roundness, with a magnificent, refined, and airy bouquet, this superb premier cru Pinot Noir red wine comes from a sloping, west-facing plot at an altitude of approximately 280 meters, on marl-limestone soils. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. Aging is approximately one year in barrels. The name of the plot refers to the old chapel that can still be seen today on the side of the road leading to Monthélie, at the bottom of the village. The term "carelle" refers to the shape of the plot, from the Latin quadrus, "square".

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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undeformed by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counter-example to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked as a wine broker for some time before creating the Domaine de Chassorney with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The practice is not limited to Burgundy since vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular ploughing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and coveted wines, which sometimes require waiting.

The One Beer 2021,

Cyclic Beer Farm
Animal, funky, racy, full of character, with a spicy touch and a clean, precise bitter finish, The One is a direct reference to James Brown: not only to his song "She's The One" but also to his concept of "The One": the absolute beat, the rhythmic energy capable of giving the ideal funky coloring to his music. Exactly as brett (wild yeasts) give Cyclic Beer Farm beers in general and this one in particular their desired funky note. The One was the first funky beer made by Cyclic, in 2016, and it is their only saison-style beer not aged in barrels. Instead of aging it in wood, as is the case with most of their funky saisons, they brew, ferment, and flavor in stainless steel tanks to promote the pure expression of the yeasts. The One is 5.8% ABV.

Find out more
Cyclic Beer Farm is a duo of Barcelona friends, 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. Packaged in 75 cl bottles so that everyone has something to satisfy their thirst, the beers play between classicism and flights of inspiration, in a contrasting and creative way, Catalan style, without forgetting to dare the wine beer, of course. Based on classic principles and a Belgian fermentation model, the two brewers-winemakers Joshua and Alberto play with ingredients, aromas, and macerations, between cereals, fruits, vegetables, and grape skins from Catalan grape varieties, to achieve flavors reminiscent of the Obni (unidentified drinkable object). Whether they assert themselves through balance or a certain controlled dissonance, these beers will never leave you indifferent and will reveal their full potential during the summer heat, served well chilled (like their creators).

La Syrah de la Pinède Red 2022

Fond Cyprès

La Syrah de la Pinède 2022 from Fond Cyprès is a true ode to nature and the terroir of Languedoc-Roussillon. Produced on a north-facing plot surrounded by a pine forest, this cuvée embodies a perfect balance between freshness and concentration. The rich, fresh clay-limestone soils allow the 15-year-old Syrah vines to develop a beautiful maturity until the end of September, giving the wine an elegant structure and expressive aromas.

Vinification and Aging: Respect for the Terroir

The grapes are harvested by hand, then carefully destemmed before a gentle three-week maceration. Traditional vinification respects the grapes, using indigenous yeasts and without the addition of additives or filtration, thus highlighting the authenticity of this natural wine. The wine is aged in 42 hl wooden vats for 10 months, preserving the wine's memory and allowing it to develop a subtle depth and complexity.

Tasting: An Elegant and Expressive Syrah

On the nose, La Syrah de la Pinède reveals captivating aromas of red fruits and black olives, distinctive signs of its Mediterranean terroir. On the palate, we find this same freshness, due to the northern exposure of the vine, combined with a beautiful concentration reminiscent of the generosity of the southern sun. Its silky texture and fine tannins offer a persistent and balanced length on the palate.

Food and Wine Pairing: Ideal Companion to Roast Meats

This red wine pairs wonderfully with roast meats, revealing all its aromatic richness and delicate structure. Serve it between 14 and 16 degrees, and don't hesitate to decant it to release all its aromatic complexity. With an aging potential of more than 10 years, this wine will evolve magnificently in the cellar.

Respect for the Environment: An Organic Commitment

Certified organic farming (Eurofeuille), La Syrah de la Pinède 2022 embodies Fond Cyprès' commitment to environmentally friendly viticulture. Without synthetic products or industrial yeasts, this wine is the pure expression of its terroir.

La Diablesse White 2020

La Grapperie

La Diablesse is an organic (Ecocert) and natural dry white wine made by Renaud Guettier of La Grapperie from old Chenin Blanc vines. Classified as a Vin de France, it comes from the Coteaux du Loir appellation region.

Vinification

La Diablesse is a pure Chenin Blanc from vines planted in 1935 on flint-clay soils. The grapes are pressed directly at low pressure and then transferred by gravity before undergoing fermentation in barrels using indigenous yeasts.

Tasting

The nose of La Diablesse surprises with notes of almonds, followed on the palate by white fruits (pear, reinette apple), citrus fruits and a beautiful acidic finish. Very mineral, black pepper, smoke, thyme and earthy notes. The acidity is considerable, marked by a slight oxidative touch. This wine will go well with cooked fish, oysters and all seafood. Also enjoy it with smoked fish and cheese.

Learn more about Renaud Guettier and La Grapperie

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.

The estate

Renaud's 60 hectares of hillside vines are protected from the north winds by the Bercé forest. Depending on the altitude, the terroirs are predominantly clay, flint or sand. The grape varieties are the two traditionally authorized in the appellation: Chenin for the whites and Pineau d'Aunis for 90% of the reds, the rest consisting of a few ares of Côt, Gamay and Grolleau. Some vines are more than a hundred years old.

In the vineyard and the winery

The entire estate is cultivated organically. The soils are worked and all viticultural interventions are manual, including the harvest, carried out at full maturity, which is reflected in the fullness and smoothness of the wines. For the reds, the Pineau d'Aunis is 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 then put into barrels with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months, malolactic included, and sometimes up to thirty-six months.

Divin Poison White 2020,

De Vini

Divin Poison is an organic, biodynamic, and natural dry white wine made by Christophe Bosque of the De Vini estate using melon de Bourgogne grapes from the Nantes region. Classified as a Vin de France and harvested on gabbro soils characteristic of the region, it has all the hallmarks of a (very good) Muscadet, except for the appellation.

Magnum Saint Romain Sous la Velle Red 2020,

Domaine de Chassorney

A bright and intense ruby color, a nose of small red fruits with a dominant cherry, this is a remarkable Saint-Romain from the Sous la Velle plot. The palate is lively, fleshy, and fruity, marked by some notes of sweet and peppery spices. The tannins are vigorous, yet fine and silky. The Saint-Romain appellation is located at altitude, on steep terrain. It is ideal for producing lively, lively, mineral, and very flavorful wines. Entirely Pinot Noir, this wine comes from a plot whose sloping terroir, facing south-southeast, is located between 280 and 400 meters above sea level. The soils are mainly marl, limestone, and clay. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. Aging is approximately one year in barrels.

To find out more
Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undeformed by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counter-example to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked as a wine broker for some time before creating the Domaine de Chassorney with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The practice is not limited to Burgundy since vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his home, the soil and vines are worked as naturally as possible: regular horse-drawn ploughing, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to biodynamic principles: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Reds or whites, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.

Je t'ai dans la peau White, 2018

Nicolas Chemarin

Deep, earthy, and extremely complex, this orange wine has a beautiful old gold color and delicately oxidative notes of walnut and hazelnut, leading to an exotic fruity palette. Plenty of character and considerable promise for its evolution. As its name suggests, Je t'ai dans la peau is all about the skin. Grape skin, of course, since it's a macerated white, an experiment Nicolas has carried out with various nuances since 2009 to create wines with a strong personality. The goal is not to obtain exuberant orange wines like those from Italy or the South, but rather controlled macerations with fruit and depth. The harvest comes from the same plot as P’tit Grobis blanc: all Chardonnay of course, on stony granite soils. The 2017 vintage is made using pure maceration. This is short: five to seven days. Aging is three years in barrels. A superb balance to savor, to be classified without hesitation in the category of crazy Beaujolais.

To find out more
Nicolas Chemarin, nicknamed P’tit Grobis as a resident of Marchampt (Beaujolais), is the fourth generation of winemaker on his family vineyard in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, on stony land where he crafts wines of surprising depth and sincerity. In 2005, he took over two hectares of his father's vines and in 2006, he produced his first vintages. In 2008, he acquired other vines and decided to devote himself solely to his estate, whose very steep terroir consists of poor, rocky soils on gray granite rock. The vines rest on the bedrock through very thin soil, and their roots plunge deep into the rock. Depending on the configuration of the soil, the vines are pruned in goblet form or raised on stakes. Their average age is eighty years. The grape varieties, Gamay and Chardonnay, are classically Beaujolais. Nicolas also cultivates two other terroirs in the Régnié appellation: Les Bullats, with light, filtering sandy soils, and La Haute Ronze, very close to Morgon, whose deeper, clayey soils produce full-bodied wines. The wines undergo long macerations (from 18 to 30 days) with punching down and temperature control (Nicolas works cold, around 20 °C). The aging is partially done in thermoregulated concrete vats for a third, the remaining two thirds being spent in barrels of four to ten wines in order to provide oxygenation but little or no woody sensation. Nicolas Chemarin is already well known in the natural world for his sweet and fruity vintages, wines for pleasure, and for vintages from difficult and magnificent terroirs, endowed with admirable and complex mineral, aromatic and spicy notes.

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.

To find out more
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 Montanega-Parellada White 2017

Clos Lentiscus

In Sitges, in Penedès (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 total: Mediterranean forests rub shoulders with Catalan scrubland (thyme, rosemary, rockrose, and the mastic tree, which gave its name to the estate, 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.

Purity, elegance 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 making of this beautiful wine made from Montanega, a variant of the native Parellada grape variety. Lightly disgorged, made using the ancestral method (cava), this surprising wine presents notes of fresh bread and brioche, green tea and apple. Fresh and dry at the same time, it is disconcertingly complex: alive and moving in the glass, we keep coming back to it.

SM White 2017

La Sorga

"Anthony Tortul loves old vineyards: he devotes his life to finding and vinifying them. Just as there are landless shepherds, he can be defined as a landless winegrower, in other words, a wine merchant whose area of activity extends throughout Languedoc and, eastward, as far as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in search of the best terroirs. Born in Foix, with six years of experience as a viticultural technician and oenologist in various vineyards in the south of France, he created La Sorga in 2008. His enthusiasm leads him on a path filled with favorites, and each one These favorites is a vineyard. The result is a stunning mosaic of natural, lively and spirited wines, which reinvents itself each year with around thirty cuvées per vintage. Few winemakers can include such a variety of grape varieties on their menu: the whole of southern France is there with muscats, grenaches, picpoul, mauzac, carignan, cinsault, marsanne, alicante, braucol, duras, viognier, len-de-l’el, and all the rest.

This white wine comes from Villafranchian terroirs on a basalt base located near Pézenas, in the upper Hérault valley. The name SM, formed from the initials of “sauvignon-marsanne”, refers to the blend that makes up this wine: sixty percent marsanne (vines aged twenty-five years) and forty percent sauvignon blanc (vines ten years old). Marsanne is pressed directly and the must is used to macerate the Sauvignon in whole bunches for sixty days. The aging, eight months, takes place in vats. The nose evokes bergamot, beeswax, fennel and dried apricot. The palate is taut, endowed with an incredible sapidity. Exotic fruits, mango in particular. A natural companion for mature or blue cheeses, without forgetting the very creamy goat cheeses of the South. It will keep for about ten years.
Natural wine without added sulfites.

Magnum Tonton Grolleau Red 2019

Vincent Wallard

As its name suggests, this is a 100% Grolleau from old vines (eighty years old) growing on schist soils. The plots once belonged to the Domaine des Sablonnettes (Rablay-sur-Layon). The harvest macerates for three weeks in whole bunches. Beautifully fruity, with the characteristic plum nuance of the grape variety, spicy, and with a supple and light texture.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Ma' Carotte Blanc 2020,

Frédéric Gounan
Lively, fruity, balanced, fresh, and mineral, Ma'Carotte reveals citrus (dried and roasted orange peel), pineapple, and guava on the nose, with hints of honey. A saline finish characteristic of the basalt soil, and a delicious acidity on the finish. Ma'Carotte is a dry white wine from Auvergne made from equal parts Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc, directly pressed. Capped like a beer, it's perfect for all occasions and all pairings. If you see him passing by, take advantage of it, Frédéric doesn't make it every year.

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Coming from a family of farmers established in the commune of Saint-Sandoux (Puy-de-Dôme) for at least two centuries, Frédéric Gounan was in his first life a mechanic and prototype creator for the French motorcycle brand Voxan, whose headquarters were in Issoire. He turned away from the industrial world to devote himself to wine with his partner Caroline. He intends to take advantage of the magnificent terroirs of his native village, far from "pissing the vines", as was done in the past: he notes that everything that comes from this land has exceptional taste qualities. He takes over plots of Gamay d'Auvergne, plants other grape varieties, and ends up producing vintages that are among the tastiest and most sought-after in Auvergne. On this land of the Chaîne des Puys, Pinot Noirs grow on black basalt soils, while Sauvignons and Pinot Gris grow on white clay-limestone soils with basalt pebbles. A follower of organic and biodynamic farming, Frédéric also applies methods he deems appropriate to the climate and terroir: to facilitate photosynthesis in this harsh and contrasting climate, he practices lyre trellising, which allows the vines' foliage to be aerated and exposed to the sun, guaranteeing ripe fruit at harvest. Always a mechanic at heart, he makes his tools and tinkers with his tractors according to his needs. His wines are rare and distinguished, highly sought after by wine lovers: small estate (less than two hectares), small production (by volume, not by spirit).

I Vicini Barbera Rouge 2020,

Jean-Yves Péron


This I Vicini Barbera is a great wine in every sense of the word. Long, very fruity, generous, deep, with superb acidity resulting from a moderately ripe harvest, it is both serious and joyful, wonderfully intense and concentrated. Finesse, minerality, tension, and a beautiful, intense and colorful red color: a superb example of what the Barbera grape variety can achieve, especially at altitude, as is the case here. Its 13.5% alcohol testifies to the desire not to exaggerate its richness and power: the average Barbera today is closer to 15%. The second most widely used red grape variety in Italy after Sangiovese, Barbera produces full-bodied, colorful wines with notes of red fruits. In 2017, Jean-Yves Péron decided to expand his range by sourcing organic grapes in the heart of Piedmont, Italy, in collaboration with his winemaker friends Paolo Angelino in Casale Monferrato and Giorgio Barbero in Asti. The result has been several vintages, including this 100% Barbera red, made from Paolo's grapes. The vines, around forty years old, grow on gray and white marl soils cultivated biodynamically. These are old, low-yielding vines, harvested by hand when slightly underripe to counterbalance the richness of the grape variety. Skin maceration, in pure carbonic mode without punching down, takes place over four weeks, using indigenous yeasts. I Vicini Barbera then ages for at least a year in 900-liter sandstone amphorae, which reinforces the wine's tension and minerality. No filtration, fining, or addition of sulfites.

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Jean-Yves Péron embodies the natural renaissance of the beautiful Savoyard vineyard, which has long suffered from a somewhat flimsy image, not taken seriously enough. Yet, what treasures its varied soils and numerous ancient grape varieties produce!
Near Conflans, in Albertville (Savoie), Jean-Yves Péron skillfully combines committed viticulture and merchant winemaking, both under the banner of nature and high-altitude organic vines. Initially destined for a career in biochemistry, he quickly became drawn to the vine and trained as an oenologist in Bordeaux. He learned his trade as a winemaker with Thierry Allemand in Cornas, then with Bruno Schueller in Alsace, before spending some time in New Zealand and the United States. Jean-Yves' current vineyard, one and a half hectares biodynamic since the beginning, is divided between Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, a little further down in the Isère Valley. Made up of micro-plots of vines, it is staggered between 350 m and 550 m above sea level and is worked entirely by hand. His trading activity, which he began in 2011, allows him to buy the harvest from organic winemakers close to his home (such as Raphaël Marin and Adrien Dacquin). Also, the construction of a new winery in 2017 allows him to increase production and collaborate with winemakers from Northern Italy: Paolo Angelino in Casale Monferrato (Turin), Giorgio Barbero in Asti. This is a new dimension given to his work as a winemaker, allowing him to diversify the terroirs and deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging. Jean-Yves Péron's winemaking follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow and steep surfaces, his mountain vines receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is very rich: it protects the vines and helps to strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Once vatted in whole bunches, the grapes, both red and white, undergo a semi-carbonic maceration which allows the extraction of fresh fruit aromas. This maceration time varies between five days and nine weeks depending on the vintage. The day before or two days before pressing, Jean-Yves performs foot-treading directly in the vat. After this fermentation, the musts are sent to barrels for aging on lees for twelve months in five hundred liter barrels of two or three wines (to limit the oaky sensation), followed by blending and resting in vats. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.