Gift Ideas for Rookies

Octave (exclusive vintage) White 2023,

Sous le Vegetal


Sous le Végétal, our own iconic estate on the island of Samos, delivers with Octave 2023 a pure and vibrant interpretation of Muscat Petit Grain. A new vintage of this already iconic vintage, this bottle is produced using whole-bunch maceration, this white wine reveals a fascinating complexity, both floral and mineral.

An exceptional Muscat, between freshness and depth
Thanks to natural vinification, without artifice, and meticulous work on indigenous yeasts, this wine reveals the full expression of the Samos terroir. Whole bunch maceration gives it texture and structure, while maintaining superb tension.

An expressive nose and a chiseled palate
The nose reveals intense notes of white flowers, citrus fruits and sweet spices, accompanied by a beautiful saline minerality. On the palate, it offers a fresh and ample attack, with a beautiful acidity and a lingering finish on notes of candied zest and aromatic herbs.

How to enjoy Octave?
Ideal at 10-12°C and decanted before tasting, Octave will perfectly accompany seafood, fish ceviche or poultry with citrus fruits. Its aging potential of 5 to 10 years will allow it to evolve towards even more complex aromas.

i Vicini Cortese White 2021

Jean Yves Peron

This is a dry white wine from Jean-Yves Péron, organic, biodynamic, and natural, vinified in Savoie from organic Cortese grapes harvested in Piedmont. It is a merchant cuvée from the I Vicini series. The grapes come from Asti, in a cool microclimate that allows for relatively late ripening.

Vinification

Cortese is an ancient grape variety often associated with Trebbiano or Garganega. It produces a quality wine, fresh and tangy, with a straw-yellow color with greenish highlights. Here it undergoes two weeks of carbonic maceration and spends a year aging in 34 hectoliter tuns. No fining, no filtration, no addition of sulfites.

Tasting

I Vicini Cortese is a light and fresh wine, very digestible, with an alcohol content between 10 and 11 degrees, making it easy to drink. It has a minerality due to the terroir and notes of citrus, especially lemon zest. A perfect companion for tapas and the most refined starters, shellfish and caviars.

Learn more about Jean-Yves Péron

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

High-altitude biodynamics

Jean-Yves Péron's work follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow, steep slopes, his hand-worked mountain vines in micro-plots receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The grapes are vatted in whole bunches and undergo semi-carbonic maceration. Shortly before pressing, they are foot-trodden in the vat, then transferred to two- or three-wine barrels for twelve months of aging on lees, before blending and resting in the vat. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.

Italian-Savoyard trade

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

En Rouge et Noir Red 2015

La Sorga

En Rouge et Noir, a red wine from the Faugères AOC, is a blend of black, white, and gray Grenache grapes grown on schist soils in Cabrerolles. The grapes macerate in whole bunches for twenty-nine days in a near-infusion, then are aged in vats on total lees for nine months. Its sweet notes of citrus, rose, and pepper make it the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats, charcuterie, or peppery terrines. Its aging potential is ten years.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Goes with: Charcuterie, Terrines and pâtés, Grilled meats

Divin Poison White 2021

De Vini

Divin Poison is a dry, organic, biodynamic, and natural white wine made by Christophe Bosque of Domaine De Vini from Melon de Bourgogne grapes grown in the Nantes region. Classified as a Vin de France and harvested from gabbro soils characteristic of the area, it has all the qualities of a (very good) Muscadet, except for the appellation.

Senzaniente Montepulciano Red 2021

Azienda Agricola Marina Palusci

Terroir, plot size and grape varieties

Grown in the clay-limestone soils of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, this 100% Montepulciano reveals all the lusciousness and suppleness of this great Abruzzo grape variety. Cultivated on sun-drenched slopes, it draws from its terroir a beautiful balance of fruit and finesse, offering an approachable yet well-structured red wine, true to its origins.

Cultivation methods

The Senzaniente Montepulciano 2021 is a free-spirited wine, made without any additives or added sulfites. The Marina Palusci estate cultivates its vines in complete harmony with nature, using artisanal methods that respect all living things. Here, everything is done by hand, with patience and exacting standards. The winemaking follows the same philosophy: natural fermentation, no intervention, just the fruit and time.

Tasting & pairings

From the first whiff, the wine opens with a beautiful intensity of red and black fruits: juicy cherry, blackberry, and a few candied notes reminiscent of the Abruzzo sun. Touches of sweet spices—black pepper and subtle cinnamon—add depth. On the palate, the texture is supple and light, with melted tannins and a flavorful, almost caressing finish. This is a naturally elegant red wine, perfectly balanced, ideal as an aperitif, with a charcuterie board, sautéed mushrooms, or roast meat. It also pairs beautifully with fine Italian cuisine, without ever overpowering the dish. Best enjoyed slightly chilled to fully appreciate its fruity freshness.

Beaujolais Lancié Red 2019,

Domaine Bélicard

In the heart of the Beaujolais Villages AOP, Domaine Bélicard creates an authentic and delicious cuvée with its Beaujolais Lancié 2019. Coming from a vineyard rooted in granite soils, this wine is a true ode to the Gamay Noir grape variety, enhanced by traditional carbonic maceration vinification. With its 53-year-old vines, this cuvée perfectly illustrates the finesse and freshness characteristic of the best Beaujolais Villages.

A Gamay to taste!

Vinified using carbonic maceration, a typical Beaujolais process that enhances the fruit and supple tannins, this wine is then aged for 9 months in wooden vats, giving it both roundness and liveliness. Its controlled aging highlights all the freshness and delicacy of the terroir, without masking the aromatic purity of the Gamay.

A floral nose and a delicious palate

Upon opening, the Beaujolais Lancié 2019 reveals an expressive nose, dominated by floral notes and crisp red fruits (cherry, redcurrant). On the palate, the balance is perfect between freshness and deliciousness, with fine tannins that provide a silky texture and a juicy, thirst-quenching finish.

How to enjoy this bottle?

Served slightly chilled at 14-16°C, this wine for sharing is perfect as an aperitif, but also with summer barbecues, a charcuterie board or simple, convivial dishes. With an aging potential of 5 years, it will evolve towards even more complex aromas.

BN Blanco Natural White 2022,

Partida Creus

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

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

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

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

Canotière Red 2021

Danis dans la vigne

Canotière is an organic and natural Cahors red wine produced by Danis Bessières (Danis dans la vigne) in the Vin de France category. It is part of his "Esprit du lieu" range of single-plot cuvées. The name of this cuvée alludes to the puppies that attack the grape pickers and to the meandering Lot River near the plot.

Vinification

The plot from which Canotière comes, on the banks of the Lot, is planted with Malbec, the emblematic grape variety of Cahors. Danis' single-plot cuvées are vinified by Danis with a certain neutrality, adapted to the grape variety, in order to highlight the vintage and the place. They are often "easier" than other cuvées.

Tasting

Canotière is a beautiful red wine from Cahors that has the particularity of not emphasizing the density of the grape variety. The somewhat delicate conditions of the vintage produced a refreshing, vegetal and minty wine. The olfactory attack evokes a mentholated chewing gum and the palate is very pleasant, fresh, fruity and herbaceous, with a cherry side without excess ripeness.

Learn more about Danis dans la vigne

Under the name Danis dans la vigne, Danis Bessières vinifies organic grapes from the family property, the 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 cellar by his grandfather and then his father: making wines without additives, organic and natural, from the grape varieties of the terroir while respecting the environment. It was in 1983 that his grandfather obtained the organic label Lemaire-Boucher, followed by Nature & Progress followed by AB and Eurofeuille organic labels. Danis Bessières continues this momentum.

Malbec, but not only

Malbec reigns supreme in the Cahors 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.

Vagabond Red 2022

Benoit Camus

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

Vinification

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

Tasting

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

Learn more about Benoît Camus

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

Nature first, nature always

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

The terroir of Pierre Dorées

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

Cuvée Mourvèdre Red 2022

Fréderic Cossard

Frédéric Cossard's Cuvée M Mourvèdre is an organic and natural red wine made from Mourvèdre from the Mont Ventoux region in the lower Rhône Valley, and vinified in Burgundy. This is an excellent wine for laying down, with presence and personality.

Vinification

One hundred percent organic Mourvèdre from the southern Rhône Valley, harvested by hand, M Mourvèdre is macerated in whole bunches in a prefermentative manner, then fermented for a long time using indigenous yeasts and aged for one year in concrete eggs. No sulfites are added.

Tasting

Nicely structured, M Mourvèdre offers very fresh fruit (blackberry, raspberry) and ripe, fine tannins. Secondary notes of Mediterranean plants. Elegant and dense, yet fluid, this very tasty natural wine will be perfect for all your dinner parties, barbecues, and gourmet celebrations. He likes grilled Red Meats, black truffles, cold meats and cured meats, but you can make a (high-end) all-terrain table wine with it.

Learn more about Frédéric Cossard and the Domaine de Chassorney

Frédéric Cossard and the Domaine de Chassorney gives voice in organic and natural mode to the terroirs and wines of Burgundy and elsewhere, undistorted by agricultural chemistry, according to the style and convictions of this winegrower and merchant. Wherever his grapes come from, his wines bear the Cossard brand, both classic and innovative.

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, no chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are tended biodynamically, the harvest is manual, carried out at full maturity. Frédéric Cossard's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, always highly anticipated but which sometimes require waiting.

Divin Poison White 2020,

De Vini

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

Château Bonnet Eden Red 2021

Les Vignobles Andre Lurton

We first discover a beautiful, deep, vermillion color, a lovely cherry red with some purple highlights that will fade as the wine ages. The nose of this Eden cuvée offers notes of peony and crisp red fruit (cherry, morello cherry) enhanced with a touch of pepper. On the palate, the wine attacks frankly, with plenty of fruit and freshness. The tannic structure is medium, and the tannins are well-integrated. There is a very nice volume on the mid-palate. The olfactory sensation of crisp, juicy cherry is confirmed on the palate. This is a very indulgent, digestible, and very easy-drinking wine, where the fruity notes express themselves freely, with the fullness of the unsulfured wine. It will be appreciated as an aperitif and on any other occasion, but we see it especially at the table, with dishes that are not too sophisticated, dishes of good humor - beautiful grilled red meats, golden duck breasts, country salads: with confit duck gizzards, lentils... The digestibility of wines is a concept that is increasingly close to our hearts; red Bordeaux have long held the torch and we invite you to experience it with this lovely red Entre-Deux-Mers. Château Bonnet cuvée Eden is produced, for the cultivation and vinification, in biocontrol (set of plant protection methods based on the use of natural mechanisms). It is vinified in concrete eggs and classified as Vin de France. No sulfite has been added, either in the vineyard or in the cellar.

To find out more
Lurton is a name that resonates strongly throughout the Bordeaux region: this dynasty of winegrowers, currently represented in France by around ten owners of wine châteaux and a company (Les Vignobles André Lurton) bringing together several estates, has distinguished itself at the head of prestigious properties including several classified growths, from Château-Cheval-Blanc to Château-d'Yquem via Château-Climens... Château Bonnet is the cradle of the Lurton dynasty, planted at the end of the 19th century by the liqueur maker Léonce Récapet, a visionary of viticulture who passed on the virus to most of his descendants. This beautiful estate in the Entre-Deux-Mers has one hundred and twenty hectares of vines. It is traditionally planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, and produces white, rosé and red wines. Under the leadership of its new director Mathilde Bazin de Caix and on selected plots, it has recently taken over the management of biocontrol viticulture and vinification, as well as natural wine without chemical or exogenous inputs added to the vineyard or the cellar. For the moment, this is the only Eden vintage, but we hope to produce others in the near future.

We Are Young Rouge Beaujolais Nouveau 2024,

Domaine de la Sorbiere
We Are Young is an organic and natural red wine from the Beaujolais terroir produced by Cyril Alonso (winemaker) and Jacques Juillard (winemaker) exclusively for Culinaries and in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation. This is indeed a Beaujolais Nouveau — our Beaujolais Nouveau! — vinified without sulfites or any additives. A pure, natural Gamay juice bursting with youth!

Vinification
The organic Gamay grapes that produced this We Are Young cuvée are grown in Saint-Lager (Rhône) on the granite soils of the Domaine de la Sorbière, owned by winemaker Jacques Juillard, and vinified by Cyril Alonso at the same estate. The two winemakers are used to collaborating together on certain vintages. This 100% Gamay Beaujolais Nouveau is the result of hand-harvesting, a short semi-carbonic maceration (five days) followed by an equally short aging (four days) in stainless steel vats. It is a new wine with all the clarity and indulgence that this implies. No inputs, no chemicals in the vineyard or cellar.

Tasting
We Are Young by Cyril Alonso and Jacques Juillard is an exquisite, delicate and indulgent wine, with a beautiful balance of acidity, fruitiness and sweetness. Its clear and bright light coral color already whets the appetite, and the nose evokes white flowers, a cottage garden in bloom, fresh grapes, raspberries and strawberries. On the palate, we savor Montmorency cherries, Gariguette strawberries, and fresh orange or mandarin peel. It's surprisingly easy to drink, and since its season is short, make the most of it!

Learn more about Tribu Alonso
This tribal name refers to Cyril Alonso, a winemaker, his wife, a naturopath, and their family. They maintain, using organic farming methods, a conservatory of traditional grape varieties from the Rhône-Alpes region located in Marchampt (Rhône), in the heart of the Beaujolais Vert region. This two-and-a-half-hectare vineyard, which existed since 1952, contained forty grape varieties. It currently contains one hundred and forty. This unique location gives Tribu Alonso wines their distinctive style. Instead of being single-varietal microcuvées, they are quite the opposite: wines by grape family, either a Chardonnay containing all the Chardonnays of the house or a multi-Gamay Gamay.

A biotope classified in 2008
The estate enjoys a unique ecological location: the house and the vineyard are surrounded by intact forests, on the steep terrain of northern Beaujolais. Three rivers cross it, and the vines, close to the bedrock, capture all the minerality of the soil. Organic farming is practiced and the work, in the vineyard as well as in the cellar, is entirely manual, without the use of any chemical additives or sulfites in the vinification.

The wines
Complantation cuvées (and for good reason), the wines of Tribu Alonso embrace all the complexity of their grape varieties and the viticultural history of Beaujolais. These are carefully crafted wines, fermented and aged to the sound of Tibetan bowls, whose alpha waves are beneficial to the liquids. The vatting periods are short, to preserve the freshness and fruit, as well as the signature of the soil and grape varieties.

Combe du Temps Red 2020,

Les Vignes du Domaine du Temps

La Combe du Temps rouge is a powerful but not heavy wine: red fruits are layered with notes of undergrowth, earth, garrigue, and mineral, on a rather full-bodied and tannic structure. Natural and elegant, not lacking in freshness, La Combe du Temps rouge was fermented naturally with indigenous yeasts, without filtration or fining, then aged 20% of the total volume in barrels. The wine has more than moderate oak. Very balanced, it is a Languedoc blend (equal parts Syrah and Grenache) that plays on freshness with a beautiful chewiness.

To find out more

The Domaine du Temps is located in Cabardès, a small region of Languedoc that was once a subdivision of the Cathar Country. Starting 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, rich in Mediterranean flora, it is a preserved ecosystem, especially since the Domaine du Temps, in the place called Font Juvénal, 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 freshness 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 determined 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.

Nuria Montanega-Parellada White 2017

Clos Lentiscus

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

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

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

Nuria Cartoixa Vermell Sparkling White 2018

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

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

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

Mérens Red 2019,

Domaine Bois Moisset

The Mérens 2019 cuvée from Domaine Bois Moisset is a magnificent expression of Southwestern grape varieties. A balanced blend of Duras and Syrah, this natural wine reveals a fresh and peppery profile, carried by aromas of crisp red fruits and a delicately spiced structure. A characterful red, ideal for enjoying convivial moments around a beautiful table or a barbecue with friends.

A meticulous terroir and vinification

Made from vines aged 30 years for the Duras and 16 years for the Syrah, Mérens draws its identity from rich and diverse soils: the Duras thrives on a north-facing gravelly slope, while the Syrah grows on boulbènes and silts dotted with rolled pebbles. The 2019 vintage was marked by a rainy spring followed by a hot summer, precipitating the harvests which began on September 7 for Duras and September 18 for Syrah. The vinification follows a natural approach: fermentation with indigenous yeasts, no added sulfites, and aging for several months in cement barrels, allowing for a beautiful expression of the fruit and terroir.

A vibrant and delicious wine

From the moment it is opened, Mérens 2019 reveals a expressive nose with accents of blackcurrant, morello cherry and black pepper. On the palate, freshness dominates, with a lively attack, followed by a beautiful fruity depth and a spicy structure that lengthens the wine into a persistent finish. Its balance between acidity, richness, and fine tannic structure makes this a red that is as accessible as it is captivating.

Food Pairings and Tasting Moments

After a light decanting, Mérens reveals itself in all its splendor. Served around 16°C, it will go wonderfully with grilled meats, red meats, charcuterie and artisanal cured meats. Perfect for a summer barbecue, a gourmet aperitif or a warm meal with friends, it is a wine for sharing and pleasure, to be enjoyed now or kept for a few years.

I'm Natural Don't Panic #7 Red 2018

Bodegas Coruña del Conde
Julien López's I'm Natural, Don't Panic range consists of macerated wines. This 100% Tempranillo red is powerful, dense, and generous, but not lacking in freshness, the result of a high-altitude climate that subjects the vines to significant temperature variations. A lovely bouquet of red and black fruits. Decanting will allow it to express its full opulence. For grilled meats, roast lamb, grilled octopus, stews, cocido.
Ideally a wine to be decanted.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.

Cuvée Mourvèdre Rouge 2021

Fréderic Cossard
From the southern Rhône Valley, this beautifully structured red wine offers very fresh fruit and ripe, fine tannins. Elegant and dense, yet fluid, it is a 100% Mourvèdre vinified in whole bunches and aged for one year in concrete eggs. A good wine for laying down.

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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and wines of Burgundy, undistorted 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 for some time as a wine broker 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 trading house and bought 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, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura, Languedoc, and elsewhere. At his farm, the soil and vines are worked as naturally as possible: regular horse-drawn ploughing, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are tended 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. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.

Le Grenache du Bois Saint Jaume Rouge 2021

Fond Cyprès
Fresh, delicious, supple, intense, balanced, and with a surprising length on the palate, this beautiful red Grenache in Vin de France is perfect for drinking or keeping. Delicate and velvety, it offers beautifully blended tannins and a magnificent balance with notes of undergrowth and garrigue plants. It has the generous and caressing character of its grape variety. It is a good example of the "forest" wines of Fond Cyprès, marked not only by their grape varieties but also by the wooded and windy environment that refreshed the grapes' growth. After hand-harvesting, destemming the grapes, and fermenting for four weeks in concrete vats, the wine spends ten months aging in old barrels. It comes from a sandy plot of Grenache vines surrounded by a forest and a biodynamic olive grove. It is aged for nine to twelve months in old 228-liter demi-muids, which have the advantage of not oaking the wine but ensuring a comfortable, gentle aging process.

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This Languedoc estate is built on solid foundations: its two winemakers, Rodolphe and Laetitia, are also descendants of winemakers. Even before planting their first vine, they already have a clear objective: "to produce southern wines that reflect us, wines with character, attached to our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They want to obtain entirely natural wines, concentrates of terroir. In the old Corbières massif, they took over an old heart of an estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache vines, which had seen neither fertilizer nor pesticides for years: these clean and vibrant soils are ideal conditions for launching into natural wine. Around this historic heart, they first planted Grenache Noir and Syrah, then a plot of white grape varieties: Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 2010 and also complies with the Nature & Progrès charter. Vinification is carried out without the addition of sulfites or exogenous yeasts. "We make wines for pleasure," say Laetitia and Rodolphe. For them, natural wine is first evaluated by taste, from the harvest. The vintages closely follow the plots, the musts are fruity, fluid, and complex. Fond Cyprès wines poetically evoke the estate's ecosystem and the vegetation that protects the plots: pine forests, shaded springs, the beauty of the natural environment that brings freshness to the wines and leaves the signature of the soil. Deliciously balanced between mineral imprint, plant environment and fruit expression, Fond Cyprès wines reflect the South: the caress of its sun, but also the freshness of its shadows.