France - Loire Valley

Gabbrodo White 2022

De Vini

De Vini's (Vinilibre) Gabbrodo 2022 is an ode to the terroir of the Pays Nantais. This natural wine, made without any additives, expresses with finesse the Melon de Bourgogne, the region's emblematic grape variety. Grown in gabbro soils, a rare volcanic rock in the Loire Valley, it benefits from nine months of aging in sandstone amphorae, imparting remarkable purity and tension to this exceptional white wine.

Its pale, golden robe heralds a luminous and crystalline wine. The nose seduces with its freshness and aromatic complexity: notes of citrus (lemon, grapefruit), white fruits (pear, peach), and a touch of iodine that recalls its maritime origins. On the palate, the attack is crisp and lively, driven by a beautiful acidity and a sharp minerality. Aging in amphorae imparts a silky texture while preserving the wine's tension and freshness. The finish is long and saline, with a delicately smoky persistence that invites further tasting.

The 2022 Gabbrodo proves to be an ideal companion for seafood. It will perfectly complement scallops with truffles, grilled lobster, sea bass baked in a salt crust, or pike-perch with beurre blanc sauce. Served between 10 and 12°C, it can be enjoyed now for its vibrant freshness or cellared for 5 to 10 years to reveal its full complexity.

L'Enchanteresse Red 2022

La Grapperie

L'Enchanteresse, by its name, sets the bar very high and has nothing to be ashamed of, and for good reason: it's an organic (Ecocert) and natural red wine from the Coteaux du Loir, 100% Pineau d'Aunis and classified as a Vin de France. It is produced by Renaud Guettier of La Grapperie without chemical additives or added sulfites.

Vinification

It is on a terroir of flint clay on limestone, at an altitude of 100 meters, that the fifty-year-old Pineau d'Aunis vines grow, pruned in a goblet shape, from which the aptly named L'Enchanteresse is produced. The Pineau d'Aunis is harvested at full maturity, sorted and then macerated for four weeks in truncated oak vats with punching down by foot. Fermentation takes place naturally using indigenous yeasts, without any oenological additives in order to preserve the purity of the grapes and the expression of the vintage and the soil. All work on the musts and wines is done by gravity. L'Enchanteresse is aged for thirty-six months on lees, without racking or stirring, in demi-muids in cellars dug into the tuffeau stone. Bottled without filtration or the addition of sulfites.

Tasting

A very intense nose of black fruits extends into a beautiful volume in the mouth, very velvety and fruity, and the length leaves one thinking. Renaud Guettier did not name it L’Enchanteresse for nothing. A cuvée of old vines, this Pineau d’Aunis has excellent aging potential. You will open it alongside red meat, a stew, calf’s head in turtle sauce, or fish matelotes in red wine. He will also appreciate charcuterie, cured meats, and roast lamb.

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 varieties 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 organically cultivated. 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 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 put into barrels with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months, including malolactic fermentation, and sometimes up to thirty-six months.

Gabbrodo White 2021,

De Vini

The Gabbrodo 2021 from De Vini (Vinilibre) is an ode to the terroir of the Pays Nantais. This natural wine without any additives delicately expresses the Melon de Bourgogne, the region's emblematic grape variety. Made from gabbro soils, a rare volcanic rock in the Loire region, it benefits from a nine-month aging in sandstone jars, giving this exceptional white remarkable purity and tension.

Its pale color with golden highlights announces a luminous and crystalline wine. The nose seduces with its freshness and aromatic complexity: notes of citrus (lemon, grapefruit), white fruits (pear, peach), and a hint of iodine that recalls its maritime origins. On the palate, the attack is frank and lively, driven by beautiful acidity and sharp minerality. The aging in jars adds a silky texture while preserving the wine's tension and freshness. The finish is long and saline, with a delicately smoky persistence that invites further sipping.

The Gabbrodo 2021 is an ideal companion to seafood. It will enhance scallops with truffles, grilled lobster, sea bass in a salt crust, or pikeperch with beurre blanc. Serve between 10 and 12°C, it can be enjoyed now for its brilliant freshness or can be cellared for 5 to 10 years to reveal all its complexity.

Au Bon Secours Rouge 2020,

Babass
Sébastien Dervieux, Babass to his friends, is a warm-hearted character who practices the art of additive-free winemaking in the sweetness of Anjou. His vineyard is in Rochefort-sur-Loire, his cellar in Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay, and his headquarters in Beaulieu-sur-Layon. Through him, the work of the Hacquet family, pioneers of natural wine after the Second World War, is perpetuated, some of whose plots he has taken over. This legacy is expressed, among other things, in the Joseph-Anne-Françoise cuvée, whose appellation brings together the siblings' first names. The terroir is located on the last foothills of the Armorican Massif before the Paris Basin. It is a region of small hillsides; The Loire, very close, exerts a strong influence, as does the ocean, which is about a hundred kilometers away. The vines are neither too hot nor too cold. The particularity of this region is the schist, either degraded (giving clay) or not degraded in places. This terroir produces mineral wines, the climate of the wines rather "on the fruit" and moderately full-bodied. The plots are in a single block, planted with traditional Angevin grape varieties: 1.4 ha of Grolleau, 0.9 ha of Cabernet Franc, 1.2 ha of Chenin and 0.7 ha of Gamay. All the vines are cultivated in certified organic. The harvest is manual. In the winery, fermentation is natural and the wines are without sulfur or other additives ("apart from sometimes a few drops of sweat"). The red wines, including some single-varietal vintages, are macerated in whole bunches. The whites are pressed slowly in a vertical press. All the wines are aged in fiber vats and are neither filtered nor fined, simply racked if necessary and without abuse.
"My wine is the wine of a little guy in his little corner with his little grape varieties," says Sébastien modestly, who also declares that he makes grape wines, forged by the climate of the vintage, the terroir, the grape variety and his decisions (good or bad). His approach is not to distort this balance with magic powders that lead to standardization. His Cabernet Franc reds are round, peppery and fleshy; his Grolleau reds, pure fruit, are fresh and easy to drink.
This recent cuvée from Babass, without additives or filtration, is based on Gamays planted on schist terroirs in 1959 and 1960. After manual harvesting, the grapes macerate in whole bunches for about ten to fifteen days depending on the vintage. The devatting is manual, followed by slow pressing in a vertical press. The free-run and pressed juices are blended immediately, after which the wine is aged for five to eight months on fine lees. The wine is wonderfully gurgling, fluid and drinkable, fruity and crisp, with fresh acidity and a lovely aromatic palette of red fruits, earth and spices. A very fine Gamay.

De L'Air Blanc 2017

Jérôme Lambert
A 100% Chenin natural sparkling white wine, from a schist soil where fifty-year-old vines grow. A golden color speckled with fine bubbles and a delicate nose of white fruits. On the palate, let the party begin, with notes of apple and pear, and a biscuity finish!
A natural wine with no added sulfites.

Cuvée Expériment Rosé 2020,

Belly Wine Experiment
A rosé with a lot to tell, somehow bridging the gap between Catalonia and Auvergne. Fruit, freshness, liveliness, vivacity, and a beautiful light ruby ​​color. Officially classified as a red wine because it contains white wine, this rosé Experiment cuvée is made from equal parts Gamay from Auvergne and Xarello from Catalonia. The Gamay undergoes semicarbonic maceration in whole bunches for fifteen days, then it is blended with crushed Xarello, along with its stems, and macerated for five days. Classified as Vin de France and with an alcohol content of 12.7%, the wine is produced without any chemical additives, either in the vineyard or in the cellar. It is aged in fiberglass vats.

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 it is a winemaking business. The creative duo has a lot to offer: 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, often 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.

L'Enchanteresse Rouge 2017,

La Grapperie
A very intense nose of black fruits extends into a beautiful volume on the palate, and the length leaves one dreaming. A cuvée of old vines, L'Enchanteresse is a 100% Pineau d'Aunis with excellent aging potential. The terroir of this aptly named Enchanteresse is made up of flint clay over limestone. The Pineau d'Aunis, which makes up the entire cuvée, is harvested at full maturity, sorted, then macerated for four weeks in truncated cone-shaped vats with punching down by foot. Fermentation occurs naturally using indigenous yeasts, without any oenological additives, in order to preserve the purity of the grapes and the expression of the vintage and the soil. The wine is aged for between twelve and twenty-four months on lees in demi-muids in cellars dug into the tuffeau stone.

Find out more
La Grapperie, in the Coteaux du Loir appellation, 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 predominantly 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 permitted in the appellation: Chenin for the whites and Pineau d'Aunis for 90% of the reds, the remainder consisting of a few acres 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 between sixty and eighty years. Convinced of the enormous potential that these old vines can bring to his vintages, Renaud has been meticulous in restoring the vineyard. The entire estate is farmed organically. The soils are worked, and all viticultural interventions are manual, including the harvest, which is 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, using indigenous yeasts, with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months and sometimes up to thirty-six months.

Gabbrodo Magnum White 2022

De Vini

De Vini's (Vinilibre) Gabbrodo 2022 is an ode to the terroir of the Pays Nantais. This natural wine, made without any additives, expresses with finesse the Melon de Bourgogne, the region's emblematic grape variety. Grown in gabbro soils, a rare volcanic rock in the Loire Valley, it benefits from nine months of aging in sandstone amphorae, imparting remarkable purity and tension to this exceptional white wine.

Its pale, golden robe heralds a luminous and crystalline wine. The nose seduces with its freshness and aromatic complexity: notes of citrus (lemon, grapefruit), white fruits (pear, peach), and a touch of iodine that recalls its maritime origins. On the palate, the attack is crisp and lively, driven by a beautiful acidity and a sharp minerality. Aging in amphorae imparts a silky texture while preserving the wine's tension and freshness. The finish is long and saline, with a delicately smoky persistence that invites further tasting.

The 2022 Gabbrodo proves to be an ideal companion for seafood. It will perfectly complement scallops with truffles, grilled lobster, sea bass baked in a salt crust, or pike-perch with beurre blanc sauce. Served between 10 and 12°C, it can be enjoyed now for its vibrant freshness or cellared for 5 to 10 years to reveal its full complexity.

Alburostre White 2023

De Vini

Alburostre is an organic, biodynamic, and natural white wine made by Christophe Bosque (De Vini) in the Nantes region from the Folle Blanche grape variety. It comes from vines grown in Gorges (Loire-Atlantique), on the winemaker's estate, in gabbro soils. Classified as Vin de France. Folle Blanche, also known as Gros Plant, is a grape variety typical of the Nantes region, where it has been known since the 16th century and thrives in gabbro soils. Highly suitable for distillation, it is also a grape variety used in Armagnac and Cognac. It typically produces wines with low alcohol content and a pale color: Alburostre embodies all of these qualities.

Winemaking

The organic Folle Blanche grapes harvested for Alburostre are pressed directly, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and then the wine is aged for nine months on its lees in stoneware jars. No fining, sulfiting, or filtration.

Tasting

Alburostre means "greenhorn" in Old French. Despite its pale color—typical of Folle Blanche—it's anything but an inexperienced novice. It's a very fine, easy-drinking white wine (10% alcohol), supple, pleasant, precise, and pure. A lovely yeasty, fermentary note rises above its simple description, enveloping the palate and further accentuating the wine's length. A truly indulgent wine: reserve it for the finest smoked salmon, seafood, and even caviar. The winemaker recommends salmon tartare with coriander, pollack fillet with beurre blanc sauce, or steamed goose barnacles.

Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini

De Vini, along with the Vinilibre wine trading business, is the multifaceted venture of Christophe Bosque, originally from Saint-Nazaire. Wine has always been his passion. We are particularly interested in his local creations, made from grapes grown on his two-hectare vineyard and fermented in a traditional Nantes-style underground vat—a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in a natural style.

Gabbro melt

After years working as a wine merchant, importer, and then winemaker, this former cameraman, who holds a vocational diploma in oenology and viticulture, acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in 2017 in Gorges, Loire-Atlantique, near Clisson. The soils there consist of gabbro on a granite subsoil, a pedological configuration specific to the Nantes region and particularly to Clisson. Christophe is full of praise for this type of soil.

Muscadet, but better

Christophe's wines may be made from grapes sourced from the finest French terroirs, particularly in Languedoc, but the winemaker retains a special affection for his own vines, which he tends with passion and a deep respect for the terroir. His labels and appellations reveal a touch of humor and a flair for the pun, but inside the bottle, it's serious business: wines off the beaten path, just the way he likes them.

My Sweet Navine White 2015

Les Vignes de Babass Dervieux

A small bottle but a great wine! A sweet white made from 100% Chenin, My Sweet Navine is produced from late harvests on the schist plot where the estate's other Chenins are also grown. A delicate amber color, with notes of citrus and candied fruit on the nose. On the palate, there is a surprising freshness despite the residual sugar: this is explained by the lack of sorting, as the grapes are at varying stages of ripeness. We thus benefit from green berries, ripe berries, and varying degrees of noble rot. and a light sparkle which gives way to a beautiful length, always with notes of candied fruit.
Natural wine without added sulfites.

Camille Rouge 2022

Jean-Pierre Robinot

With Camille 2022, Jean-Pierre Robinot crafts one of his most profound and elegant cuvées. This natural red wine, made from Pineau d'Aunis grown on flint soils, perfectly embodies the winemaker's touch: a free, inspired, unadorned approach that allows the terroir and grape variety to express themselves without filter. Here, there is no official label, but a rigorous approach: soil work without chemicals, winemaking without exogenous yeasts or enological additives, and a long, patient aging process.

Maceration, which can last from 1 to 8 months depending on the expression of each vintage and each plot, gives this cuvée remarkable aromatic intensity and an extraordinary texture. The 2-year aging in old barrels enhances the whole, bringing patina and depth without ever masking the fruit.

The captivating nose combines ripe red and black fruits, sweet spices, peppery notes, herbaceous touches, and a hint of fine caramel that evokes the slow evolution in the barrel. On the palate, the wine surprises with its tactile lightness, almost airy, despite its concentration. The tannins are melted, the structure is straight, and the finish lingers, with a mineral vibration marked by flint.

Camille is a gastronomic wine par excellence, to be paired with grilled red meats, spiced dishes, or even roasted game. It can be enjoyed today after decanting, but will gain even more complexity over 10 years and beyond. Served at around 14 to 16°C, it will reveal all the poetry of a great Pineau d'Aunis aged with patience and precision.

Magnum Alburostre White 2022

De Vini

Alburostre is an organic, biodynamic, and natural white wine made by Christophe Bosque (De Vini) in the Nantes region from the Folle-Blanche grape variety. It comes from vines growing in Gorges (Loire-Atlantique), on the winemaker's estate, on gabbro soils. Classified as a Vin de France. Folle-Blanche or Gros-Plant is a typical grape variety of the Nantes region, where it has been known since the 16th century and thrives on gabbro soils. Very suitable for distillation, it is also a grape variety used in Armagnac and Cognac. It typically produces low-alcohol, pale-colored wines: Alburostre is all of these things.

Vinification

The organic folle-blanches harvested for Alburostre are pressed directly, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and then the wine is aged for nine months on lees in stoneware jars. No fining, sulfiting, or filtration.

Tasting

Alburostre means "white-beak" in old French. Aside from the paleness of its color—typical of folle-blanche—there is nothing inexperienced about it. It is a very beautiful, easy-drinking white wine (10 degrees alcohol), supple, pleasant, chiseled, and pure. A beautiful yeasty fermentation note rises above its simple description to envelop the palate and further accentuate the wine's length. Very gourmet: reserve it for the finest smoked salmon, seafood, and even caviar. The winemaker recommends salmon tartare with coriander, pollack steak with beurre blanc, or steamed barnacles.

Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini

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

Gabbro Fondu

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

Muscadet for the better

Christophe's vintages may come from grapes purchased from the best French terroirs, particularly in Languedoc, but the winemaker retains a special affection for his vines, which he maintains with passion and attention to the terroir. A touch of humor and a sense of pun can be seen on his labels and in his appellations, but in the bottle, they are serious, off-the-beaten-track wines, just the way he likes them.

Jeannette White 2015,

Damien Bureau

This sweet, oxidative Chenin comes from vines planted on schist soils. The grapes are pressed directly, and aged in oak barrels.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.