France

Combe du Temps Blanc 2019,

Les Vignes du Domaine du Temps
This estate is located in Cabardès, a small region of Languedoc that was once a subdivision of Cathar Country. Stretching from the southern slope of the Montagne Noire to the city of Carcassonne, it is bordered to the west by the Lauragais and to the east by the Minervois. Hilly, wild, and rich in Mediterranean flora, it is a preserved ecosystem, especially since the Domaine du Temps, in the Font Juvénal area, is a magical place: around a former 18th-century priory, sixty hectares of forests and scrubland protect thirteen hectares of vineyards on stony clay-limestone soils. The balance between dryness and coolness is a boon for viticulture, with a wide range of grape varieties. In addition to the Languedoc grape varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Viognier, Muscat), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sémillon, and Chenin are grown. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 1998, is entirely managed biodynamically, and has been dedicated to natural wine since 2015. The work in the vineyard and cellar is methodical, rigorous, and attentive: only the best grapes are kept, resulting in small yields, and destemming is decided based on the ripeness of the bunch. The reds are vinified using carbonic maceration of individual grape varieties, with the blending taking place before the year's aging. The whites are slowly and gently pressed to extract only the best from the grapes. These precautions produce smooth, controlled wines of great integrity, with very supple tannins. They are fresh, delicious, and expressive.
Sixty percent Chenin, twenty percent Sémillon, and twenty percent Roussanne: this is the blend that makes up the white cuvée of La Combe du Temps. A blend that traces a geographical triangle between Chenin, more associated with the Loire, Sémillon from the Southwest, and Roussanne from the Southeast. All three are fermented naturally, using indigenous yeasts, before aging for nine months in old barrels. No sulfites are added. Delicious and expressive, it is lively and dry with a lovely nuance of melted wood. The elegance and slightly rich note are traits found in all the whites from this estate. Its balance will delight everyone and give it access to numerous flavor pairings.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Without a prescription White 2020,

Les Vignes du Domaine du Temps
This estate is located in Cabardès, a small region of Languedoc that was once a subdivision of Cathar Country. Stretching from the southern slope of the Montagne Noire to the city of Carcassonne, it is bordered to the west by the Lauragais and to the east by the Minervois. Hilly, wild, and rich in Mediterranean flora, it is a preserved ecosystem, especially since the Domaine du Temps, in the Font Juvénal area, is a magical place: around a former 18th-century priory, sixty hectares of forests and scrubland protect thirteen hectares of vineyards on stony clay-limestone soils. The balance between dryness and coolness is a boon for viticulture, with a wide range of grape varieties. In addition to the Languedoc grape varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Viognier, Muscat), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sémillon, and Chenin are grown. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 1998, is entirely managed biodynamically, and has been dedicated to natural wine since 2015. The work in the vineyard and cellar is methodical, rigorous, and attentive: only the best grapes are kept, resulting in small yields, and destemming is decided based on the ripeness of the bunch. The reds are vinified using carbonic maceration of individual grape varieties, with the blending taking place before the year's aging. The whites are slowly and gently pressed to extract only the best from the grapes. These precautions produce smooth, controlled wines of great integrity, with very supple tannins. They are fresh, delicious, and expressive.
The Sans ordonnance white cuvée is made from sixty percent Muscat à Petit Grain and forty percent Viognier. Fermentation takes place naturally in stainless steel vats without fining or filtration, and aging is nine months in old barrels. The nose is fine, complex, exotic without excess: the musky notes of Muscat à Petit Grain are initially very discreet and then develop in the glass. The aroma unfolds on the palate with very controlled notes of ripeness, wisteria, honey candy, and yellow peach. The freshness is wonderful, tempered by a little fat. A delicious and expressive wine.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

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.

Morgon mc2 Rouge 2017,

Nicolas Chemarin
MC2 is the result of blending two plots of Morgon (Corcelette and Les Charmes) planted with forty-year-old Gamay grapes, on sandy and schist soils with a subsoil of clay and decomposed rock. The harvest ferments in whole bunches in concrete vats for twenty days, and the wine is aged for ten months in neutral oak: the result is a dense, dark Beaujolais, very mineral, and long-lasting. This fruity and structured wine can age for another five or six years, but it is already perfect.

Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Mercurey Les Vignes Blanches Red 2018,

Frédéric Cossard

Frédéric Cossard has created a superb expression of Mercurey, an emblematic appellation of the Côte Chalonnaise. Les Vignes Blanches 2018, made from Pinot Noir grown on clay-limestone soils, offers an intense and elegant interpretation of this Burgundian terroir. A natural, full-bodied, and ample wine that brilliantly combines power and finesse.

A sunny vintage and gentle vinification

2018 was a generous year in Burgundy, with ideal conditions for perfectly ripe grapes. True to his philosophy of zero-additive vinification, Frédéric Cossard uses whole-bunch maceration, thus preserving all the aromatic purity of the fruit. Aging takes place for one year in a concrete egg, promoting subtle micro-oxygenation and harmonious development of aromas without excessive wood degradation.

A tasting marked by depth and finesse

Les Vignes Blanches 2018 reveals a captivating nose where aromas of morello cherries, ripe black fruits and fine roasted notes. The palate is dense, with a full attack and a beautiful sap that gives it depth. The tannins are present but very fine, offering a beautiful length and a remarkable balance between structure and freshness. Food pairings and tasting moments This Mercurey is a gastronomic wine, perfect for roasted and grilled meats, roast duck, or a beautiful grilled rib-eye steak. It will also be a perfect accompaniment to a beef fillet in a crust or game birds. Served between 16 and 18°C, it can be enjoyed now for its vibrant fruit or aged for a few years to develop more complex notes.

Volnay Red 2018

Frederic Cossard

The Volnay AOC is perched on the heights of the Côte de Beaune. This wine comes from a steep terroir, facing west-southeast and located between 230 and 280 meters above sea level. The soils are mainly limestone, stony, ferruginous and reddish. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. Aging is approximately one year in barrels. Nose of black cherry and candied fruit.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Tonton Red 2014

Vincent Wallard

This 100% Cabernet Franc comes from Vincent Wallard's Loire winery. Produced from clay-limestone soils, the grapes are vinified using a mille-feuille process (skin-on maceration using layers of destemmed grapes and whole bunches to control the astringency of the tannins) before aging for twenty months. Excellent with red meats and wild mushrooms (particularly porcini mushrooms), it can be aged for twenty years.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.

Moelleux de Muscat White 2010

Le Petit Domaine de Gimios

A sweet Muscat that will intrigue your palate: charm, character, complexity, a touch of mystery, a sweetness that lingers languidly. For lovers of wines that stray from the beaten track without losing their voluptuousness.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Les Ponts Blancs 2014, Yann Durieux
Les Pont Blancs 2014 by Yann Durieux is a structured Burgundy wine with a certain acidic structure and notes of exotic fruits.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Fleurie Grand-Pré Red 2019,

Domaine Bélicard

Nestled in the heart of Beaujolais, the Fleurie AOP appellation is renowned for its elegant and floral wines. Domaine Bélicard, certified organic (AB), delivers a remarkably fine cuvée, produced from 36-year-old vines planted in granite soils.

A Fleurie of elegance and depth

Vinified using traditional whole-bunch maceration in old wooden vats, this wine benefits from gentle extraction, respecting all the delicacy of Gamay Noir. Its 4-day aging preserves the freshness and pure expression of the terroir.

A floral nose and a full palate

From the first nose, this organic Fleurie reveals deep aromas of candied red fruits, enhanced with floral and spicy notes. On the palate, the balance is perfect between roundness and finesse, with an elegant and persistent finish.

What to enjoy this wine with?

Ideal at 14-16°C, this wine goes wonderfully with grilled fish, salads and barbecues. Its 5-year aging potential will allow for a beautiful aromatic evolution.

Concerto Red 2021

Jean-Pierre Robinot

Concerto is an organic and natural red wine from the terroirs north of the Loire (Jasnières and Coteaux du Loir). It bears the distinctive mark of Pineau d'Aunis, the grape variety from which it is made, as well as the inimitable touch of its creator, Jean-Pierre Robinot.

In the vineyard and in the winery

Through Concerto, master winemaker Jean-Pierre Robinot showcases Pineau d'Aunis grown on limestone soils. The harvest is carried out by hand and vinified in whole bunches with three weeks of maceration, which gives the wine body. Aged for a year in old barrels.

Tasting

All the typical characteristics of Pineau d'Aunis: spices, cranberry, pomegranate, and a touch of raspberry. Limestone and mineral notes, a touch of undergrowth, a touch of yeast and butter, a pure and light color. A touch of menthol and black pepper on the palate. Drink with a good roast beef or lamb, a delicately roasted pigeon, charcuterie, cured meats, and even uninhibited fish such as smoked mackerel or any other smoked seafood.

Learn more about Jean-Pierre Robinot

Anyone interested in natural wine in France has crossed paths with Jean-Pierre Robinot and has never forgotten this smiling, bouncing figure. Although it has not yet been proven that all wines resemble their winemaker (a study to be undertaken), the organic and natural wines produced by Jean-Pierre, warm, friendly and luminous, are in the image of their creator. After running the wine bar L’Ange Vin for nearly fifteen years, on rue Richard-Lenoir in Paris, Jean-Pierre returned to his native Chahaignes, a small village in the south of Sarthe. His dream is to acquire his vineyard and make natural wines, without added sulfites.

Great terroirs of the Loir and tuffeau cellars

Jean-Pierre therefore reclaims hillside wasteland, on great terroirs, as well as troglodyte cellars dug into the tuffeau. 2002 will be his first vintage. At the same time, under the brand L’Opéra des vins, he vinifies organic grapes purchased from local winemakers. A member of the S.A.I.N.S. natural viticulture association, Jean-Pierre Robinot practices strict organic viticulture practices, without chemical weeding or the addition of sulfites. The soil is worked and amended with natural composts. All harvests, carried out at maturity on healthy grapes, are done by hand. The location and climate favor noble rot.

Châteauneuf du Pape Red 2021

Les Grandes Serres
Interested in Châteauneuf-du-Pape with all the flavor, pleasure, and silky tannins that go with it, but without the solemnity? If you like appellation wine—and what an appellation!—but not excessive seriousness (while still appreciating the utmost rigor in the bottle), this wine is for you. This red AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape is part of the Comics series from Domaine des Grandes Serres. It comes from the eponymous estate and is vinified in its cellars. Deep, delicious, fresh, and ample, it has no hint of sulfite, and for good reason: it is entirely natural, fermented with indigenous yeasts and without any chemical additives. It infuses and macerates on the skins in large, truncated wooden vats. It is aged for six months in old barrels before bottling. An all-terrain wine that provides great pleasure, to be enjoyed with friends and loved ones.

To find out more
Everyone knows where Châteauneuf-du-Pape is located, but how well do we really know this appellation? The Domaine des Grandes Serres represents both its excellence and its vitality. The creator of exceptional estate and merchant wines, both red and white, it harvests, buys grapes, vinifies, and ages over a wide area, centered around Châteauneuf and the southern Côtes-du-Rhône and including more peripheral areas such as Lirac or the Costières de Nîmes. In Châteauneuf-du-Pape itself, the estate owns twelve hectares. Established in 1977, it has long been founded on respect for the environment and the terroir. Currently, a large portion of its vintages are organic and without added sulfites, though it doesn't publicly boast about it. Modestly, Samuel Montgermont, the estate's general manager, explains that the geological and climatic conditions, particularly the mistral wind, favor the health of the vineyard and allow for the elimination of additives. Covering the entire range of white and red wines from the Midi and all their grape varieties, the estate is now committed to producing natural wines under labels that take themselves in no way seriously, but the wines contained in the bottles—each bearing the name of its appellation—are nothing short of solid and serious, in addition to being fresh and flavorful.

Saint Romain Sous Roche Red 2021

Domaine de Chassorney

The nose of this Saint-Romain from the Sous Roche climate is already reminiscent of high-altitude Pinot Noir with its freshness and liveliness. On the palate, we discover a superb structure, well-rounded tannins, and lovely notes of red and black fruits. Wonderful length on the palate, generous fruit sensation, and beautiful depth. This Saint-Romain "Sous Roche" is a pure Pinot Noir from a plot whose steep terroir, facing south-southeast, is located between 280 and 400 meters above sea level in the Saint-Romain appellation. The soils are primarily marl, limestone, and clay. The grapes, grown on fifty-year-old vines, macerate in whole bunches. Aging lasts about a year in barrels. A few years of aging will develop its spicy notes and ripen the fruit, but you can already enjoy it.

Fleckstein White 2021

Domaine Einhart

Do you like Riesling? Do you love Alsace Riesling? You'll succumb to the temptation of Fleckstein, a pure, charming, mineral, and crystalline wine, 100% Riesling, with an alcohol content of 13.5%. All the grapes come from the Einhart estate and are grown on the great limestone terroir of the Rosheim hillsides, in the Fleckstein area, on a ferruginous vein located 1.5 meters deep and a layer of loess that retains a lot of freshness and limestone purity in this wine, whose horizontal acidity is typical of Middle Triassic muschelkalk. The plots, inclined at 10%, are south-east facing and the average age of the vines is forty years. The harvest is worked by direct pressing and fermented with indigenous yeasts. The aging is one year on total lees in Alsatian foudre (barrels of approximately one thousand liters). We recommend decanting this Fleckstein so that it expresses all its vitality.

To find out more

Located in the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, horizontally above Strasbourg, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family property whose vines are located on the hillsides that rise between the Alsace plain and the Vosges mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, i.e. shell limestone and oolitic limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone). Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. True to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is a co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking to protecting the land and biodiversity, making wine without additives, refusing harmful phytosanitary products, and maintaining ecological refuge areas. His estate has been certified organic since 2011. Like Jean-Marc Dreyer [link], he is firmly focused on skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvests, destemming of the grapes, light punching down of the cap, and delicate pressing are characteristic of the estate, as well as the separate vinification of each terroir, aging on lees, and the absence of filtration before bottling. The wines are made from pure grapes, lively, powerful, invigorating, and reflect the minerality of the beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

Rencontre Red 2020,

Domaine Bois Moisset

Rencontre's nose is subtle, laden with red fruits, with pronounced forest notes: mushroom, humus, a touch of leather, spices, and violet. On the palate, the fruit is very present, very pleasant, and decidedly peppery, and the beautiful, fine, precise tannins nestle gracefully into a very tactile, chewy finish. This is a wine of strong character that surprises with its beautiful structure. Its color is dense and full, like that of a Bordeaux. This wine from the Gaillac region is made from local grape varieties: 40% Syrah and 40% Braucol, supplemented by 20% Duras, all fermented in the same vat. The harvest is destemmed. Maceration lasts three weeks in a temperature-controlled concrete vat, with indigenous yeasts. The Braucol and Duras are co-fermented. Only a few pumpings are carried out. The press juice and free-run juice are blended with 20% Duras free-run juice to add a peppery touch. Aging is also done in vats. We recommend decanting this Encounter which, without any pun intended, is a true encounter that is definitely worth the detour.

To find out more

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 wine-growing heritage. Along with an estate planted with vines, it 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 in the summer. It is in this small rural paradise that natural wines typical of their origin and their 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 vintages of the Bois-Moisset estate, which consist particularly of red wines with a crisp fruitiness, concentrated but with smooth and delicate tannins.

Festejar Sparkling White 2021

Patrick Bouju
The scope of Festejar white ("To celebrate" in Occitan, a clear indication of the use of this wine) is dizzying, as this thirst-quenching wine is also a complex vintage, combining very fine bubbles, delicious freshness, a slight sweetness, measured acidity, and a structuring bitterness. Perfect for an aperitif with friends, perfect for the table, perfect for thirst: an all-terrain vehicle for everyone's greatest joy. This semi-dry natural sparkling wine is available in rosé and white. The rosé version (dark pink, almost a red) is based on Gamay d'Auvergne. This white version of Festejar is based on Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and finally Sylvaner directly pressed. The marriage of Auvergne and Alsace.

To find out more
Near Billom, the Limagne clermontoise rises towards the east to form a hilly area with a mild climate, dominated by volcanic hills. This is the Auvergne Tuscany, so named because of its resemblance to the Italian province. This land of mixed subsistence farming was once covered with vines and was the preferred domain of Gamay d'Auvergne, a robust ancient strain, the origin of dense, deep and fruity wines. This is where Patrick Bouju cultivates and vinifies, on these high-quality volcanic soils and mainly on old vines. The soils vary between basalt, limestone, clay-limestone, and pozzolan. Patrick collects and cares for the best terroirs of Puy-de-Dôme, often abandoned, and gives them new life. He also preserves the native grape varieties, of which he cultivates a good fifty, and simultaneously works as a wine merchant using purchased organic grapes. The current renaissance of the Auvergne vineyard (which was once the third largest in France) owes much to Patrick. The fact that he enjoys lending a helping hand to his winegrowing friends in France and elsewhere only confirms his image as a role model, a leader. His partnerships are famous: with Action Bronson for the series A la Natural, with Jason Ligas in Greece for Sous le Végétal… Patrick practices long macerations, and the wines rest for up to six months after bottling. Very sensitive to sulfites in wines, Patrick has found that his wines do very well without them. He also found that if the grapes are healthy and concentrated, balance occurs naturally, regardless of the successive phases a vintage goes through. His noble, chiseled, distinguished, never bland wines are immediately recognizable in the glass. They are straight, clean, precise, often marked by floral notes and a spicy minerality. They also constitute a formidable anthology of the terroirs and ancient vines of Lower Auvergne and its volcanic soils.

Magnum Bourgogne En Carran La Croix de Bernard Qvevris Rouge 2020,

Domaine de Chassorney
This pure Pinot Noir dazzles with the richness of its spicy and floral aromas. The morello cherry notes are pure and seductive, and the aging potential is excellent (around ten years). The vintage comes from a plot with a steep, south-southeast-facing terroir located between 280 and 400 meters above sea level in the Saint-Romain appellation. The soils are primarily marl, limestone, and clay. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. Aging takes place in barrels for about a year. The magnum format allows this wine to settle in and age gracefully.

Learn 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 wine-growing 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 Chassorney estate 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.