France

Désirée Blanc 2007,

La Grapperie
La Désirée, classified as a Vin de France, is a dry white wine made from 100% organic and natural Chenin, cultivated and vinified by Renaud Guettier of the La Grapperie estate in the Coteaux du Loir region (Loire Valley).

Cultivation and Vinification
The Chenin grapes, aged between fifty and one hundred and fifteen years, grow on flint-clay soils on a limestone base at an altitude of 100 m. The grapes are pressed directly, and all the liquids are processed by gravity. The wine is aged for twenty-four months on lees in barrels in cellars dug out of the tuffeau stone.

Tasting and pairings
La Désirée is a wine that lives up to its name: you undress it with your eyes, it seduces with its nose of bitter almond, prolonged in the mouth by tenderly buttery notes, touches of white fruits and nuts, counterbalanced by a very clear acidity. This charming wine needs charming pairings: smoked fish, caviar, fresh or smoked scallops, or even fine oysters.

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 vines, on the hillside, 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.

Methods in the vineyard and in 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.

Riesling Blanc 2022

Domaine Einhart
Riesling from Domaine Einhart is, as its name suggests, a dry white wine made from 100% Riesling from the Alsace region, organic (Ecocert) and natural, classified as a Vin de France. Riesling, the lord of Eastern European grape varieties, finds here an expression worthy of its nobility.

Vinification
The twenty-five-year-old Riesling vines from Domaine Einhart grow on the muschelkalk (oolitic limestone) soils of the Kreutzweg area. The grapes are harvested by hand and then pressed directly. Fermentation is carried out using indigenous yeasts. Aging on fine lees is ten months in century-old beer barrels (an Alsatian specialty) and precedes bottling without filtration. From the vine to the cellar, Riesling was produced without any additives or sulfites.

Tasting
A beautiful orange-yellow color. The first nose is very delicate, slightly musky, with notes of grapefruit and dandelion flower. The second nose is fresher and mineral with aromas of thyme, aromatic herbs, and flint. The palate begins with vivacity and a beautiful verticality, a minerality typical of limestone. The finish is persistent and saline. Decanting is recommended so that Riesling can spread its wings and express its mineral notes. You can serve this gem from the Einhart estate with any kind of dish; it is easy-going, but it also pairs well with cheese, roast poultry, sauerkraut, or smoked fish.

Learn more about the Einhart estate
In the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family estate whose vines grow in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, or shell limestone and oolitic limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone).

A family estate
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 co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to protecting the land and biodiversity, making wine without inputs, refusing harmful phytosanitary products, and maintaining ecological refuge areas. His estate has been certified organic (Ecocert and AB) since 2011. The estate produces white wines from maceration or direct pressing and a Pinot Noir red.

The best of Alsatian terroirs
Entirely manual harvests, destemming of the bunches, light punching down, 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 pure grapes, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of these very beautiful terroirs in the Vosges foothills.

Antenet Rosé, Rosé 2022,

Danis dans la vigne
Antenet rosé is an organic and natural Cahors wine, made by Danis Bessières of Danis dans la vigne. Classified as a Vin de France, it is composed of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Egiodola.

Vinification
The technique used here is saignée rosé, which produces wines with a deep color. The Egiodola grape variety, which makes up half of this Antenet rosé, was created in 1954 at the INRA in Bordeaux by Basque agronomist Marcel Durquety. It produces fairly tannic, floral and intense wines, and makes it possible to obtain excellent rosés.

Tasting
Antenet rosé is atypical: it is not a poolside rosé but a table and gastronomy rosé, in addition to being a good aperitif wine. Its very dark color testifies to this. Rich in substance, it coats the mouth well and emits notes of citrus rather than flowers. It evokes blackcurrant, redcurrant, grapefruit pulp and orange peel. Rich and quite alcoholic, with great acidity. Pairs well with many dishes, not just summer salads.

Learn more about Danis dans la vigne
Under the name Danis dans la vigne, Danis Bessières vinifies organic grapes from the family estate, Domaine de l'Antenet, which was the first organic vineyard in Cahors in the early 1980s.

Organic and natural since 1983
Danis respects the principles established in the vineyard and winery by his grandfather and then his father: making wines without additives, organic and natural, from local grape varieties while respecting the environment. It was in 1983 that his grandfather obtained the Lemaire-Boucher organic label, followed by Nature & Progrès and then the AB and Eurofeuille organic labels. Danis Bessières continues in this vein.

Malbec, but not only
Malbec reigns supreme in the Cadurcian region, but Danis also uses Cabernets, Jurançon Noir, Merlot, and recently created grape varieties, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Colombard as single-varietals. These experiments allow him to moderate the density and opacity of the main grape variety.

P'tit Grobis Blanc 2022,

Nicolas Chemarin
P’tit Grobis blanc is a traditional 100% Chardonnay white wine made by Nicolas Chemarin on his Beaujolais terroir, without additives or added sulfites.

Vinification
Vinified entirely from Chardonnay on granite soils, Nicolas Chemarin's P’tit Grobis blanc is harvested by hand and goes through direct pressing. The operation is followed by settling, which does not eliminate all the fine lees, hence a slightly cloudy color.

White flowers and acidity
The sensations offered by this P’tit Grobis white are complex: on the nose as well as in the mouth, a lactic, buttery, yeasty note. The fresh acidity is accompanied by flint, white flowers and a youthful expressiveness. The minerality of this wine is remarkable. A little age will reveal white fruits, a slight fat and sweet notes. It will pair with many dishes; it is also one of the rare wines that we can recommend with vegetarian cuisine. Try it also with pasta, whatever the recipe, but a seafood base will be the best (pasta with clams, bottarga, smoked fish, etc.). One last tip: P’tit Grobis white will be perfect with a Camembert.

Learn more about Nicolas Chemarin
Nicknamed “P’tit Grobis” as a resident of Marchampt (Beaujolais), Nicolas Chemarin is the fourth generation of winemakers on his family estate in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, on stony land where he biodynamically chisels natural wines of surprising depth and sincerity.

From the granite
In 2005, Nicolas took over two hectares of his father’s vines and, in 2006, produced his first vintages. In 2008, he acquired other vines. His terroir, very steep, consists of poor, rocky soils on gray granite rock. The vines, averaging eighty years old, rest through very thin soil on the bedrock where their roots plunge deep. The grape varieties, Gamay and Chardonnay, are classically Beaujolais. Nicolas also cultivates two other terroirs in the Régnié appellation: Les Bullats and La Haute Ronze. While organic certification is impossible on such steep soil, Nicolas "follows the moon" and cares for his terroir as a traditional winemaker with respect for nature.

Vinification
Nicolas Chemarin's wines are macerated for a long time (18 to 30 days) with punching down and temperature control. A third of the aging takes place in temperature-controlled concrete vats and the rest in barrels of four to ten wines. Nicolas Chemarin is already well-known in the natural world for his sweet and fruity vintages, alongside more complex vintages with mineral, aromatic and spicy notes.

Pet Nat White 2020,

Domaine Einhart

A pinkish-amber color, plenty of freshness, roundness, and fruitiness, with superb, delicious, and fresh bubbles! The expression of the limestone from the Muschelkalk soils is perfect, with a magnificent salinity on the palate. We expected no less from the Einhart estate and its mastery of macerated whites, but also from its experience with sparkling wines, crémant being a local expertise. This natural sparkling wine, subtitled "pure grape," presents itself boldly, without apostrophe. It is made from 70% Sylvaner and 30% Gewurztraminer, grape varieties grown on the property, hand-harvested and destemmed. No additives are added to the vineyard or the winery. The vines, averaging thirty years old, grow on Muschelkalk limestone soils located in Weingarten and Oberer Altenberg. Vinification, plot-by-plot and entirely gravity-fed, begins with a four-day maceration for each grape variety, with indigenous yeasts. The wine spends twelve months on slats before disgorging.

Find out more

Located in the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, horizontally above Strasbourg, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family estate 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 oolite 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 co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to protecting the land and biodiversity, winemaking without inputs, refusing harmful phytosanitary products and maintaining ecological refuge areas. His estate has been certified organic since 2011. Like Jean-Marc Dreyer, he is resolutely moving towards skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvesting, destemming of the bunches, light punching down 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 pure grape, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of the very beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

Sans Pression White Sparkling 2022,

Domaine Bois Moisset
Sans Pression is a little gem of a natural sparkling wine that ticks all the right boxes. Entirely organic and natural, classified as a Vin de France, it is made in Gaillac by the Bois-Moisset estate from 80% Mauzac, with Sauvignon Blanc and Loin-de-l'Oeil making up the remaining 20%.

A Complete Natural Sparkling Wine
No pressure, no constraints, no stress, but always vinified to perfection and with precision. This is the lesson that Bois-Moisset offers us through this very successful natural sparkling white. The color is cloudy with straw nuances. On the palate, a touch of yeast and vanilla adds to its lightness, with notes of white fruits (apple, pear, white peach), heated grass, and red fruits in palatal notes (strawberry, raspberry). The wine is a touch cider-like, it is a pure delight.

Pairings and occasions
Sans pression is an aromatic and tasty sparkling white wine, a sparkling pleasure that will be suitable for festive occasions but which also deserves to be savored without occasion, pretext or excuse. For example with smoked fish, canned seafood, grilled poultry, fish or white meats. It’s the perfect companion for luxury (or more modest) tapas.

Learn more about the Bois-Moisset estate
In the heart of France’s oldest vineyard—Gaillac, in the Tarn region—Sylvie Ledran, Philippe Maffre, and their son Hippolyte oversee their Bois-Moisset estate, a wine-growing property associated with mixed crop-livestock farming, all organic. Gaillac is famous for its many ancient native grape varieties, and its wine-growing heritage is uniquely rich.

Cows and vines
The Bois-Moisset estate is also home to a herd of old local breed cows, and bed and breakfast accommodation is available during the summer months. 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.

Native grape varieties
The grape varieties are dominated by Syrah and Duras, but the wines of the Bois-Moisset estate reflect the ampelographic richness of the Gaillac region (braucol, prunelart, loin-de-l’œil, mauzac, braucol, ondenc, etc.). The red wines are crisply fruity, concentrated but with smooth and delicate tannins, the whites have character and the pet’nat’s are particularly tasty.

Cuvée Yard Melon de Bourgogne (exclusive cuvée) White 2021

De Vini
This Yard-Melon de Bourgogne is an exclusive, organic, and natural cuvée, created by Christophe Bosque (De Vini) for Culinaries/Yard. It comes from the terroir of the Loire estuary, in Gorges (Loire-Atlantique), in the heart of Nantes, the kingdom of Muscadet, which the De Vini estate worthily represents without having the appellation.

Vinification
Classified as Vin de France, this 100% Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet) grown on gabbro soils is vinified by direct pressing and aged in buried vats in the Nantes style.

Tasting
A pure, fresh and joyful expression of Melon de Bourgogne, this Yard cuvée does not detract from its terroir. The notes diffuse with clarity: lemon, melon, white flowers, with a delicious minerality typical of this Nantes region. A wine for pleasure that will love to accompany oysters, seafood, smoked fish and any seafood.

Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini
De Vini, along with the Vinilibre business, is the multi-faceted 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.

Magnum Gauthier White 2022,

Jean-Marc Dreyer

Gauthier is a dry, organic (AB label), biodynamic, and natural macerated white wine (orange wine) from Jean-Marc Dreyer, vinified in Alsace from all the grape varieties cultivated by the winemaker and without the addition of sulfites. Always packaged in magnums, it is simultaneously a rarity, a challenge, a curiosity, and a precious bottle to savor. Gauthier is the first name of a pilgrim on the Way of Saint James who spent some time with Jean-Marc Dreyer and took part in the work in the cellar. Having noticed that the blend of the fin de cuvée was excellent to drink, he suggested to Jean-Marc that he make a special cuvée: "It tastes so good, it would be a shame not to do it!" It tastes incredibly good, even, notes the winemaker.

Vinification

If you are familiar with Jean-Marc Dreyer's Origin range - a series of maceration vintages based on six Alsatian white grape varieties - you will find in Gauthier the synthesis and summary of this range. This wine is in fact the result of the blending of the fin de cuvée of each Origin reference. Once blended, the fin de cuvée are kept for two to three months in barrels to unify the flavors. No added sulfites, no additives, no filtration, indigenous yeasts.

Tasting

This atypical production makes Gauthier a full-bodied, characterful vintage, with a distinct touch of controlled oxidation. Gauthier, of course, contains no more sulfites or additives than the vintages it is made from. That is, zero. It is the synthesis of the Jean-Marc Dreyer estate, and that in itself is a tasting note: refer to each of the other vintages in the Origin range on this site to piece together the puzzle, or, better yet, drink it. With everything that goes with macerated Alsace whites, whether cheeses, local dishes, Lacaune charcuterie or Lyon.

Riesling Origin Blanc 2022,

Jean-Marc Dreyer
Jean-Marc Dreyer's Riesling Origin is an organic (AB label), biodynamic, and natural dry white wine from Alsace, macerated (orange wine), with no added sulfites. Jean-Marc Dreyer's Origin range consists of single-varietal cuvées made from six Alsatian grape varieties (Sylvaner, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Muscat), macerated on the skins with a touch of controlled oxidation. Discovering each Origin is always a revelation.

Vinification
Riesling, the king of Alsace's white grape varieties, forms the basis of this organic and natural wine. Its liveliness, distinction, deep sapidity, and characteristic mineral notes are evident in this hand-harvested wine macerated for seven days in whole bunches. After pressing and fermentation, the wine is aged for ten to eleven months in the Alsatian style, in foudres and demi-muids, without topping up. Biodynamic method, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, unfiltered, unclarified, no sulfites added in the vineyard or cellar.

Tasting
Balanced acidity, elegance, complexity, fruitiness, power, plenty of structure and depth: Jean-Marc Dreyer's Riesling Origin is what we call a wine of meditation. Whole-bunch maceration exposes Riesling in a completely new light: the petrol notes recede into the background, waiting until the finish to emerge, and the wine expresses a structured verticality balanced by a gentle roundness. Pineapple and grapefruit on a very mineral background, but it's the soil you sense, not the diesel can. Taste pairings? Don't bother looking; it goes with everything. Try grilled fish, matelotes, seafood and shellfish, roasted or stewed white meats, pata negra ham, aged cheeses.

Learn more about Jean-Marc Dreyer
Jean-Marc Dreyer, a biodynamic and natural Alsace winemaker (AB organic certification label), succeeds several generations of his family at the Dreyer & Fils estate, created in 1830 between Obernai and Molsheim. Upon taking over the estate, he immediately opted for biodynamic farming. In 2009, upon returning from a pilgrimage to Compostela, he decided to never again add sulfur to any wine. Having made this decision, he affirmed his style around skin maceration, accentuated and chiseled, bringing out the soul of Alsatian grape varieties. Jean-Marc also works with direct pressing and often with single varietals. He also produces Pinot Noir reds of surprising depth.

Maceration and direct pressing
Jean-Marc Dreyer's wines are characterized by whole-bunch maceration (but you should also taste his direct-press whites). "Maceration in Alsace," he says, "is an ancestral tradition! In the past, we worked by hand and let the grapes macerate before sending the marc to the press." Gentle oxidation is also a particular characteristic of his wines, generally vinified without topping up. Jean-Marc is best known for his “Origin” series, a finely macerated expression of Alsace grape varieties, but we invite you to discover his other wines.

Auxerrois Origin White 2022,

Jean-Marc Dreyer

Auxerrois Origin by Jean-Marc Dreyer is an organic (AB label), biodynamic, and natural dry white Alsatian maceration wine (orange wine), with no added sulfites. Jean-Marc Dreyer's Origin range consists of single-varietal cuvées based on six Alsatian grape varieties (Sylvaner, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Muscat), enhanced by skin-contact maceration with a touch of controlled oxidation. The discovery of each Origin vintage is always a pleasant surprise.

Vinification

Auxerrois, or Pinot Auxerrois, is a typically Alsatian grape variety with floral and spicy notes. The harvest, done by hand, is macerated for seven days in whole bunches. After pressing and fermentation, the wine is aged for ten to eleven months in Alsatian style, in tuns and demi-muids, without topping up. Biodynamic method, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, unfiltered, unclarified, no sulfites added in the vineyard or cellar.

Tasting

Floral, fresh, seductive, slightly smoky, Auxerrois Origin by Jean-Marc Dreyer is both atypical and delicious. The maceration gives it a distinguished chew on very fine tannins. With its amber color, floral notes, seductive bitters, delicious salinity, hints of white peach and citrus, and perfect straightness, it is ready for any pairing. A bellota Iberico ham would melt with happiness next to it, but it will also be a delight alongside smoked fish, seafood platters, mature cheeses, or white meats. We will enjoy it, for our part, with a beautiful roasted poultry.

Learn more about Jean-Marc Dreyer

Jean-Marc Dreyer, a biodynamic and natural Alsace winemaker (AB organic certification label), succeeds several generations of his family at the Dreyer & Fils estate, created in 1830 between Obernai and Molsheim. Upon taking over the estate, he immediately opted for biodynamics. In 2009, upon returning from a pilgrimage to Compostela, he decided never to add sulfur to any wine again. Having made this decision, he asserted his style around skin maceration, accentuated, chiseled, bringing out the soul of Alsatian grape varieties. Jean-Marc also works with direct pressing and often with single varietals. He also produces Pinot Noir reds of surprising depth.

Maceration and Direct Press

Jean-Marc Dreyer's wines are characterized by whole-bunch maceration (but you should also taste his direct-press whites). "Maceration in Alsace," he says, "is an ancestral tradition! In the past, we worked by hand and let the grapes macerate before sending the marc to the press." Gentle oxidation is also a particular characteristic of his wines, generally vinified without topping up. Jean-Marc is best known for his "Origin" series, a finely macerated expression of Alsace grape varieties, but we invite you to discover his other wines.

Tri-Aux White 2022,

Jean-Marc Dreyer

Tri-Aux is an organic, biodynamic, and natural dry white wine from Alsace (AB label) produced by Jean-Marc Dreyer without added sulfites. Its name is a play on words based on its composition: three successive vintages of the Auxerrois grape variety.

Vinification

Auxerrois or Pinot Auxerrois is a typically Alsatian white grape variety. For all three vintages, the harvest is vinified using direct pressing, fermented, and then aged in barrels for one to three years. The resulting wines are blended to create this cuvée. Biodynamic viticulture method, fermentation by indigenous yeasts, unfiltered, unclarified, no sulfites added in the vineyard or in the cellar.

Tasting

Tri-Aux is a lovely, seductive and fresh wine, aromatic and floral, delicious and dry at the same time. It offers spicy notes (cinnamon, dried fruits), a round and complex, saline body, and a finish of white fruits. Lots of energy and character. For all occasions, from the most relaxed to the most distinguished. Offer it roasted white meats, pata negra ham and other high-end cured meats. It will also be very comfortable with shellfish and oysters.

Learn more about Jean-Marc Dreyer

Jean-Marc Dreyer, biodynamic and natural Alsace winemaker (AB organic certification label), succeeds several generations of his family at the Dreyer & Fils, created in 1830 between Obernai and Molsheim. Upon taking over the estate, he immediately opted for biodynamics. In 2009, upon returning from a pilgrimage to Compostela, he decided to never again add sulfur to any wine. Having made this decision, he asserted his style around skin-to-skin maceration, accentuated and chiseled, bringing out the soul of the Alsatian grape varieties. Jean-Marc also works with direct pressing and often with single varietals. He also produces Pinot Noir reds of surprising depth.

Maceration and Direct Press

Jean-Marc Dreyer's wines are characterized by whole-bunch maceration (but you should also taste his direct-press whites). "Maceration in Alsace," he says, "is an ancestral tradition! In the past, we worked by hand and let the grapes macerate before sending the marc to the press. » Gentle oxidation is also a particular feature of his wines, generally vinified without topping up. Jean-Marc is best known for his "Origin" series, a finely macerated expression of Alsace grape varieties, but we invite you to discover his other wines.

Vervain by Stephane Spirits

Liqueurs Granier

After Vincent Granier created his vervain, his brother Stéphane wanted to make his own version: here it is. Entirely organic and artisanal, sourced locally, it's the big brother's vervain. Its production is different, as is its taste.

The Plant

Lemon verbena (Aloysia citriodora) is a favorite in cottage gardens. A member of the Verbenaceae family, it is cultivated for its fragrant leaves, with a slight hint of lemon peel. It is tonic, calming, fever-reducing, antispasmodic, and digestive. The one infused for this liqueur was grown organically and harvested by hand in the Alps.

Production

Stéphane's initial recipe is identical to that of Vincent's Vervain (link), but it is aged for six months in vats to "settle," then it is passed through a barrel of arranged rum, which gives it a different, more sophisticated taste and olfactory envelope. Lemon zest from Menton, biodynamic Egyptian lemongrass, and organic coriander seeds are also present.

Tasting

The reddish-brown color is more intense and deeper, the nose more vanilla and caramelized due to the aging in wood. More powerful on the palate too: roasted aromas of old rum coat those of the plants. To be enjoyed as an aperitif over ice, as a digestif, as a long drink and to be paired with high-end hams: Ibérico de bellota from Don Bardem, the Gascon from Porc Noir de Bigorre, or the delicious beef hams from Maison Aitana. But if you want to pair it with chocolate, that works very well too!
To the vervain are added organic lemon zest (from Menton), organic coriander seeds and lemongrass grown biodynamically in Egypt (the closest and most eco-friendly place to find 100% natural lemongrass). The plants and spices are infused in natural water from the Boubioz spring, near Lake Annecy, and the alcohol is made from 100% organic wheat. Organic sugar is produced in the Palatine Forest.

Learn more about Granier liqueurs

The Granier liqueur factory—two brothers, Vincent and Stéphane Granier—makes artisanal liqueurs from the Haute-Savoie region. Flavor, sweetness, and balance are their great qualities, resulting from a meticulous and measured infusion technique to minimize extraction.

Wild or organically grown

Plants grown organically, or picked in the mountains surrounding Annecy, are obtained through short supply chains and, for this reason, reflect the flora of the steep meadows or gardens of Haute-Savoie. Everything is organic and additive-free, from the initial infusion to bottling.

Intact flavors

During the tasting, we were amazed by the Granier liqueurs, one after the other. Never before have such fresh plant flavors been conveyed to us by liqueurs. We have the sensation of tasting the plant itself, infused in all its singularity, supported by just the right amount of organic sugar (that is to say, little) produced in the Palatine Forest and just the right amount of alcohol. An organic beer alcohol that allows the plant to convey its message without interference. Not only is it delicious, but it's also an excellent digestif. Vervain, genepi, gentian, mint, or meadowsweet, we guarantee you: you'll have a good time.

Mint Spirits

Liqueurs Granier

This organic, artisanal mint liqueur is produced locally by the Granier liqueur factory, near Annecy, in Haute-Savoie. It is made from peppermint, faithfully reproducing its fresh flavor.

The Plant

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is a member of the large mint family, belonging to the Lamiaceae family. A spontaneous hybrid between water mint and spearmint, it was first cultivated in England in the 17th century. Peppermint is present in many aromatic and medicinal products.

Production

The mint is grown organically by growers-gatherers in Auvergne, dried, and infused in 40% organic alcohol. It is blended by the Granier liquorist factory with an organic sugar syrup produced in the Vosges and the Palatine Forest.

Tasting

Refreshing and reassuring—it doesn't taste like toothpaste at all—this mint is also powerful and long-lasting. A slight hint of pepper on the finish. It has a 26% alcohol content with less than 5g of sugar per liter. Drink it neat with a few ice cubes; it will put your mind and stomach back in place. It will go very well with a square (or two) of chocolate or a stuffed lamb breast from the Ferme de Mayrinhac.

Learn more about Granier liqueurs

The Granier liqueur factory — two brothers, Vincent and Stéphane Granier — produces artisanal liqueurs from the Haute-Savoie region. Flavor, smoothness, and balance are their great qualities, resulting from a meticulous and measured infusion technique to minimize extraction.

Wild or organically grown

Plants grown organically, or picked in the mountains surrounding Annecy, are obtained through short supply chains and for this reason reflect the flora of the steep meadows or gardens of Haute-Savoie. Everything is organic and without additives, from the initial infusion to bottling.

Intact flavors

During the tasting, we were amazed by the Granier liqueurs, one after the other. Never have such fresh plant flavors been restored to us by liqueurs. We have the sensation of tasting the plant itself, infused in all its singularity, supported by just the right amount of organic sugar (that is to say, little) produced in the Palatine Forest and just the right amount of alcohol. An organic beer alcohol that allows the plant to convey its message without interference. Not only is it delicious, but it's also an excellent digestif. Verbena, genepi, gentian, mint, or meadowsweet—we guarantee you'll have a great time.

Gentian Spirits

Liqueurs Granier

Granier Gentian is an organic and artisanal liqueur, sourced locally and produced by the Granier brothers near Annecy, in Haute-Savoie. It is part of a long tradition of wild gentian liqueur from the French mountains (Massif Central and the Alps), whose harvest is subject to rigorous controls to ensure the plant regenerates normally.

The Plant

Yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea) is a tall mountain plant whose root, extracted by specialized gatherers, the "gentianaires," is used in herbalism and liqueur making. Difficult to extract, it was nicknamed "the poor man's quinquina" because of its beneficial and digestive bitter ingredients. The gentian used for this liqueur comes from a sustainable development sector, controlled by the Gentiana Lutea association, which manages the exploitation of this wild plant.

Production

The gentian root is infused in 96% organic wheat alcohol, before blending with an organic sugar syrup made by a landowner harvesting in the Palatine Forest. The water comes from the Boubioz spring, near Lake Annecy. No additives are added during production. The liqueur, aged in rum barrels, includes coriander seeds and lemon zest. Unlimited aging potential.

Tasting

This gentian has everything going for it, starting with its bitterness. This is indeed the desired flavor in this liqueur, and the Granier brothers know how to let it express itself with frankness and simplicity in order to preserve the strong identity of this noble plant. A few drops on a sugar cube, or a small glass as an aperitif, or as a digestif (with or without ice). Sovereign in case of stomach problems, tones the liver. Despite its bitterness, it can be paired with various dishes, especially as an aperitif. Try it with a ham and butter sandwich! It goes well with charcuterie, cured meats, dry sausages for example. Idea: pour a few drops into your coffee! Or in the batter of a chocolate cake.

Learn more about Granier liqueurs

The Granier liqueur factory — two brothers, Vincent and Stéphane Granier — produces artisanal liqueurs from the Haute-Savoie region. Flavor, sweetness, and balance are their great qualities, resulting from a meticulous and measured infusion technique to minimize extraction.

Wild or organically grown

The plants grown organically, or picked in the mountains surrounding Annecy, are obtained through short supply chains and for this reason reflect the flora of the steep meadows or gardens of Haute-Savoie. Everything is organic and additive-free, from the initial infusion to bottling.

Intact flavors

During the tasting, we were amazed by the Granier liqueurs, one after the other. Never before have we been given such fresh plant flavors by liqueurs. We have the sensation of tasting the plant itself, infused in all its singularity, supported by just the right amount of organic sugar (that is to say, little) produced in the Palatine Forest and just the right amount of alcohol. An organic beer alcohol that allows the plant to convey its message without interference. Not only is it delicious, but it is also an excellent digestif. Verbena, genepi, gentian, mint or meadowsweet, we guarantee you: you will have a good time.

Armagnac The Morning Dew Spirits

Hootch

Entirely organic (Demeter, AB, and Eurofeuille labels), biodynamic, and artisanal, The Morning Dew can challenge your Armagnac experience with its transparency. It is indeed a young Armagnac, which owes its paleness to four years of aging in oak barrels. Classified VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale). Developed by Maurice de Mandelaëre (Domaine de Saoubis), the only biodynamic Armagnac producer, it is distributed by Hootch and has an alcohol content of 44%.

Development

The Morning Dew is made from 100% Baco grapes grown biodynamically in Bas-Armagnac and aged in 200-liter microbarrels. It is neither reduced nor filtered, and is free of coloring. No fertilizers or pesticides are used in the vineyards, and no additives are used in the cellar. Cuvée limited to 390 bottles.

Tasting

It's a real treat, a delicacy. Dried fruits, honey, and spices, an irresistible taste and floral notes. The silky, round palate reveals fruit, vanilla, and caramel. In its prime, it is suitable for all occasions: digestif, anytime tasting, dessert, or mixology. With this, dare to try a Iberian bellota ham, that's good, we have some. Or a ham from porc noir de Bigorre, a pastry or a dessert with Agen prunes.

Learn more about Hootch

Hootch is not a distillery but a distillery discoverer: created by two childhood friends, Martin and Thomas, it is dedicated to organic and artisanal French spirits, especially Armagnac. Its mission is to discover small Armagnac producers who have been made invisible by competition from foreign spirits. Hootch packages and distributes these Armagnacs to make them accessible to a wider audience.

Armagnacs by Maurice

Maurice de Mandelaëre is the only biodynamic Armagnac producer (Demeter and AB certified). Its sublime spirits are made with the utmost respect for the soil, the ecosystem, and the environment. Whether old, hors d'âge, or blanche Armagnac (not aged in barrels), Armagnacs by Maurice form the basis of Hootch's catalog. It follows that the entire production is organic, biodynamic, and artisanal.

Discover Armagnac

This alcohol, the oldest in France, is so much more than a drop to flavor a Landes tourtière or prune ice cream (even if we love those too)! Armagnac is complex, deep, multidimensional, the pure fruit of its terroir, and Hootch gives you a wonderful opportunity to discover it.

Pastis 2022 Spirits

Garagai
Garagaï is an organic and artisanal pastis from the Provençal region, produced by Maixent Dubois. All the plants that compose it were either picked in the Sainte-Victoire mountain region, in the Aix region in the spring of 2022, or grown organically at the distillery. It's a distinctive and delicious pastis that will be a welcome change from industrial versions.

Production
The plants, picked at the time of flowering, are macerated while still fresh. The maceration time depends on each plant, depending on how the macerates are tasted. The macerates are then filtered and the remaining plants distilled. The blend is carried out over about twenty macerations, after which the mixture rests to marry the aromas and is filtered before bottling. The sweetening is very light, at a rate of 6 g of Butinarello lavender honey per liter of pastis. Here is the composition: star anise, licorice, wild thyme, lemon thyme, rosemary, savory, fennel, tarragon, lemon balm, lemon basil, Marseille basil, absinthe, mugwort, bay leaf, peppermint, spearmint, dill, coriander, green anise, oregano, hyssop, agastache.

Tasting
You can immediately taste the difference, this Garagaï pastis has nothing to do with the mass-market versions: no overly sweet notes; the blend is subtle, the plants form a harmonious bouquet. The aging potential is unlimited, but it is recommended to drink an opened bottle within two months to preserve all its aromatic qualities. What do you serve this pastis with? Peanuts. But also small antipasti from Olio di Serra, Mediterranean starters, tapas, Spanish canned fish, cured meats, the bottarga…

Learn more about the Garagaï distillery
Garagaï is the name of a chasm (or rather two chasms, the large and small Garagaï) located at the top of the Sainte-Victoire mountain. It follows that the products of the Garagaï distillery display a strong Provençal identity. The distillery was born in 2019, created by Maixent Dubois, a local boy who went from working in winemaking to working with spirits.

A desire for pastis
Maixent has long dreamed of making pastis. He will interpret the recipe with love and finesse, growing his organic plants on site or having them picked in the Aix region, around the Sainte-Victoire mountain. The result is a first distinctive and emblematic product, Garagaï pastis, released in 2020. It is made using entirely artisanal methods and organic products, and distilled in a Charentais-style still. Other pastis will follow, as well as syrups made from Mediterranean plants.

The aperitif of the sun
Obtained using various techniques (hot infusion, cold maceration, bain-marie distillation), Garagaï pastis are subtle, complex, and aromatic thanks to the meticulous work of blending the distillates. This will be a change from industrial pastis; it's time to rediscover this aperitif liqueur that so beautifully evokes summer and sunshine.

Morey Saint Denis les Champs de la Vigne Rouge 2017

Frédéric Cossard
This magnificent organic and natural magnum red Burgundy wine is produced by Frédéric Cossard. Made entirely from Pinot Noir (a Pinot Fin variety), it is produced in the Morey-Saint-Denis appellation and comes from the "Les Champs de la Vigne" vineyard.

Vinification
The vines grow on a clay-limestone plot and are around sixty years old. They are made from Pinot Fin grapes, an ancient strain of Pinot Noir that is increasingly rare in Burgundy. The harvest macerates in whole bunches and the wine is aged in barrels for at least a year.

Tasting
Typical of the Morey-Saint-Denis climate, this Champs de la Vigne is a powerful and complex wine, offering notes of violet and red fruits. It offers opulent fruit and remarkable minerality. Great elegance and finesse, silky and satiny with a lovely earthy and mineral nuance. The magnum format accentuates its velvety texture and depth. It will be a pleasure to pair it with duck breast, grilled meats, beef, charcuterie and cured meats.

Learn more about Frédéric Cossard and the Chassorney estate
Frédéric Cossard and the Chassorney estate give the floor in organic and natural fashion to Burgundy wines (and elsewhere), undistorted by agricultural chemicals, according to the style and convictions of this winegrower and merchant. Wherever the grapes come from, his wines bear the Cossard brand, both classic and creative.

Between viticulture and trade
Frédéric Cossard created the Chassorney estate 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 trading house and buys organic grapes from the greatest climates of Burgundy, but also from Jura, Languedoc and elsewhere.

A solid commitment to nature
At Frédéric Cossard, the work of the soil and the vines is done naturally: plowing by horse, biodynamics, no chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The harvest, by hand, is carried out at full maturity. Frédéric Cossard's vintages are rare and sought-after, wines that are always highly anticipated but which sometimes require waiting.

Chateau Roulant Red 20/21

Benoit Camus
Château Roulant is a Beaujolais red wine, organic and natural (Ecocert certified), made from Gamay. Classified as a Vin de France, it is produced by Benoît Camus at his Pierre Dorées estate, in the south of the appellation. Its name evokes the itinerant life once led by the winemaker, a former seasonal agricultural worker.

Vinification
The Gamay vines of Beaujolais grow on clay-limestone soils. The very steep plots prohibit any mechanized work. The harvest, carried out by hand, undergoes a three-week semi-carbonic maceration. The wine is aged in concrete vats for fifteen months.

Tasting
The Beaujolais wines from Pierre Dorées are structured, long-lasting, and beautifully fruity. Here, after admiring a bright garnet color, we find strawberry, raspberry, red cherry, and cranberry, with a beautiful acidity in the mid-palate giving way to a rich and voluptuous finish. Freshness and acidity, leather, earth, and some animal notes. Wonderful richness in the mouth that we will enjoy accompanying with cold meats and cured meats, poultry such as pigeon or duck. Or even Red Meats .

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 before, nature always
Before purchasing his seven-hectare estate from an old winemaker, the vines had not yet seen pesticides or chemical additives. Many in Beaujolais worked this way. He made his first vintage in 2006, "natural without knowing it," he says. A brief attempt at chemical spraying to treat grape worm definitively dissuaded him from adding anything to the vineyard or the cellar. He acquired Ecocert organic certification and continues to make natural wines.

The Pierre Dorées terroir
The southern Beaujolais, with its clay-limestone soils, produces wines that are more structured and powerful than those from the granite soils of the North. This is the profile presented by the reds of Benoît Camus, natural wines that are straight, dense and long-aging, with good acidity and well-integrated tannins, not forgetting abundant, rich and seductive fruit.