Gift Ideas for Rookies

Back to Blaye Rouge 2022

Château Frédignac
Back to Blaye, a superb organic and natural red Bordeaux, has everything to seduce you: it once again reflects the excellence of organic wines produced on Bordeaux soils. You'll first admire the beautiful deep carmine color before perceiving the Blaye-Côtes-de-Bordeaux signature on the nose: black fruits, red fruits, exemplary vinosity, a delicious roundness underpinned by tannins that are still a little rustic due to the wine's youth. Bordeaux, as you know, generally requires waiting, and the fact that the wine is organic and natural doesn't change anything. You will therefore be right if you decide to keep this bottle for a few years, it will benefit from it and acquire velvety and melted. The wine needs to patinate a little in the bottle, but you can enjoy it now and accompany it with red meats, roasts, solid dishes. Obtained from a majority of Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Sauvignon as a minority grape variety (10%), Back to Blaye is categorized as a Vin de France but has nothing to envy its congeners more gratified by their appellation. The harvest is destemmed, the maceration in vat is fifteen days. The aging after pressing and blending is six months in concrete vats. Tip: Take advantage of this vintage's youth by buying several bottles that will age with distinction in your cellar.

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Château Frédignac, a 100% organic estate (Nature & Progrès), is located in the Blaye-Côtes-de-Bordeaux appellation, very close to the small town of Blaye, practically on the banks of the Gironde. Founded in 1918 by Jean-Marie L’Amouller, a Breton sailor who found happiness on the right bank of the estuary — which is called “the River” here — it became a quality wine estate a few years later by absorbing the vineyard of a property with a centuries-old reputation, Château Saugeron. The appellation is best known for its velvety, deep red wines, in which Château Frédignac excels. But the achievements of this wine estate dedicated to respecting the terroir and virtuous agricultural practices do not end there: an organic white is produced, as well as several natural cuvées of various colors, from pet'nat'rosé to still red. The red grape varieties are typical of the appellation—the two Cabernets, Franc and Sauvignon; Merlot, Carménère and Côt (Malbec)—and the whites (Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon) are similar. The clay-limestone soils promote both soil drainage and their beneficial freshness for the vines. Combined with methods deeply respectful of the soil, plants, animals and winemaking, these pedological conditions allow the Château Frédignac team to be proud of its wines: as worthy of their local tradition as they are in keeping with the desire to work as closely as possible with nature.

The Hacquet Sisters and Wine — A Natural Epic

By Hélène Merceron, 2017. 179 pages. Photographs by Jean-Yves Bardin.

This finely crafted story tells the story of the Hacquet sisters, Anne and Françoise, two pioneers of natural wine who were influential in viticulture on the banks of the Loire and elsewhere. These phenomena, as the author describes them, arrived at a very young age in Beaulieu-sur-Layon in 1935. For fifty years, they assisted their brother Joseph in defending natural viticulture without additives and without compromise, which was far from common at the time. The book is constructed as a mosaic portrait of the two sisters based on interviews conducted by Jean-Yves Bardin, who filmed and recorded them in 2013—when they were eighty-five and eighty-seven years old—and then in 2016. The author met the two sisters through Sébastien Dervieux, alias Babass, and his partner Agnès, to whom this book also pays tribute. A collection of anecdotes, a moving biography, an emotional work that is a great read. Structured in three parts and forty chapters, the book is accompanied by a photo notebook and a chronology.

Toile de Fond Rouge 2022

Fond Cyprès
Velvet, full-bodied, full-bodied, with a magnificent texture and a beautiful aromatic palette of ripe red fruits: this wine has it all and will pair well with anything (moments, occasions, dishes, etc.). The tasting of this 2022 wine revealed "a real bomb," so be warned. Toile de Fond is an exclusive cuvée from Fond Cyprès for Culinaries, classified as a Vin de France. For this vintage, it consists of 80% free-run juice from Grenache du Bois-Saint-Jaume, a magnificent expression of Grenache grown on marl surrounded by pine forests, and 20% Carignan de la Source. The grapes are vinified separately before being blended in concrete vats for aging. This newcomer, which is very dear to us, is a red wine for all occasions, in the straightforward and sunny style – without excess heat – which characterizes this estate, with a full and voluptuous sensation which seems to characterize this blended cuvée since its beginnings.

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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 had a clear objective: "to produce southern wines which reflect us, wines of 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.

Bourgogne Bedeau Rouge 2020,

Frédéric Cossard


A beautiful, refined Pinot Noir: Bedeau presents sumptuous, satiny fruit with a touch of insolence to enhance the overall effect. The harvest comes from plots of forty-year-old vines in and around Volnay, and from a plot of fifty-year-old vines in Nuits-Saint-Georges.

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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undeformed by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counterexample 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 a while 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 own 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 exercise is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular ploughing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and coveted wines, which sometimes require waiting.

Adonis Red 2022,

La Grapperie

Adonis is the red counterpart of Aphrodite and a superb organic (Ecocert) and natural dry white wine from the Coteaux du Loir, vinified by Renaud Guettier of La Grapperie, without additives, sulfites, or chemical additives.

Vinification

Adonis is made from Pineau d'Aunis, one of the oldest grape varieties in the Loire Valley Western. The vines, pruned in goblet form, are on average seventy-five years old and grow on black silt and limestone (tuffeau) soils. The harvest is manual, transported on horseback. Aging is twelve months in barrels.

Tasting

Draped in a beautiful garnet color, Adonis offers a complex nose of red fruits: strawberry, cherry, smoked blackberry, sweet herbs… On the palate, a beautiful structure between black pepper and raspberry. Spicy, fruity and peppery, with a lovely sweet and yeasty note on the attack that adds to its deliciousness, it is a gastronomic wine. You can pair it with oily fish (tuna, mackerel, sardines), sea or freshwater fish stews with red wine, but also roasts or grilled beef, charcuterie and traditional stews.

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.

In the vineyard and the winery

The entire estate is cultivated organically. The soils are worked and all viticultural interventions are manual, including the harvest, carried out at full maturity, which is reflected in the fullness and smoothness of the wines. For the reds, the Pineau d'Aunis is partially destemmed (depending on the plot) and the macerations are quite long, three to four weeks, with punching down, to promote aging potential. The wines are aged in barrels for between twelve and twenty-four months, then racked, blended and bottled without filtration. For the whites, the Chenins are pressed directly at low pressure then put into barrels with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months, malolactic included, and sometimes up to thirty-six months.

Le Blanc des Garennes White 2021

Fond Cyprès

A beautiful texture, with notes of citrus and exotic fruits. Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and Viognier grown on the same plot: a southern blend that produces a truly southern white, classified as a Vin de France, original, balanced, fresh, structured by light maceration, fermented and aged in barrels. Its profile is atypical in Corbières. A distinctive feature: the plot was planted according to the desired wine, and chosen to face north to ensure good acidity. The three grape varieties are harvested at different ripeness levels. As soon as the Viognier (later) is ripe, everything is harvested together: the white Grenache is often overripe. This produces a very particular taste balance, between freshness, richness, and roundness. After direct pressing, the must is vinified in old 225-liter barrels, then aged for ten months. It can be kept for around ten years, if given time: all pairings suit it.

To find out more

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.

Brut Nature Blanc de Noirs Malvasia Sparkling White 2020

Clos Lentiscus
This sparkling cava from Catalonia is unrivaled in its distinction and stands up to even the most respectable champagnes, despite being classified as a Vino de Mesa (table wine). Made entirely from Malvasia, an ancient Mediterranean grape variety that thrives particularly well on the limestone soils of Sitges, this festive wine offers fine, creamy bubbles and a pale gold color, deeper than most wines of its style. Its olfactory notes of white fruits and lemon peel, its creamy, intense, and fresh flavor with tropical accents have everything to seduce. Its aromatic persistence is remarkable. It can be tried with foie gras, for example, but also with so many other delectable things!

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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. The 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. Located in Sitges, Catalonia, Clos Lentiscus is a winery 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.

L'intrépide White 2021

Domaine Einhart

It's undeniable: L'Intrépide, a full-bodied, long, and delicious wine, truly lives up to its name and is fearless. A 100% Pinot Gris macerated wine exists, and it can soar to great heights when vinified with care. Its color is already astonishing, and the rest is just as impressive. Totally magical, on the palate, the lively and full-bodied attack is supported by a lemony freshness characteristic of great limestone terroirs. The lingering finish is highlighted by tannins melted during maceration. The twenty-five-year-old vines, all located on the estate, are harvested by hand; the grapes are destemmed. Maceration, using indigenous yeasts, lasts four to eight days. Aging for eight months in Alsatian barrels on fine lees precedes bottling without filtration. From the vine to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives. Decanting is recommended so that it can spread its wings and express its powerful and complex notes.

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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 the protection of the land and biodiversity, winemaking without inputs, the refusal of harmful phytosanitary products and the maintenance of ecological refuge zones. His estate has been certified organic since 2011. Like Jean-Marc Dreyer [link], he is resolutely moving towards skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a red Pinot Noir. 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.

L’Intrépide blanc 2020

Domaine Einhart
A Pinot Gris maceration wine exists, and it can reach incredible heights when vinified with care. The twenty-five-year-old vines are harvested by hand; the grapes are destemmed. Maceration, using indigenous yeasts, takes between four and eight days. Aging in foudres on fine lees precedes bottling without filtration. From the vineyard to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives. Decanting is recommended so that it can spread its wings and express its powerful and complex notes.

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, he is firmly focused on 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 made from pure grapes, lively, powerful, invigorating, and reflect the minerality of the beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

CHUCK Sparkling Red 2018

Domaine La Sorga

While Chuck sports a muscular label, this sparkling red from Antony Tortul of Domaine de la Sorga hides a beautiful finesse beneath its apparent insolence. A natural and sparkling Gamay, lively and fruity, perfect for an aperitif or a delicious dessert.

An exceptional sparkling wine

Made from vines planted on sandstone soils in the southern Ardèche, Chuck is a cuvée crafted with meticulous care. The winemaking process follows a natural, artisanal approach: after a whole-bunch maceration, a direct-press juice is added, allowing for a gradual infusion of the berries for a further 24 days. Once fermentation is complete, the wine is bottled by gravity, without fining or filtration. The effervescence is created naturally in the bottle, and each bottle is disgorged by hand by the winemaker himself.

A lively and delicious wine

Behind its deep red color and fine bubbles, Chuck reveals an expressive nose dominated by frank notes of strawberry and crisp red fruits. On the palate, the texture is invigorating and refreshing, supported by beautiful acidity and delicate effervescence. The balance between fruit and liveliness makes it an irresistible wine, as surprising as it is thirst-quenching.

Pairings and Tasting Notes

Served chilled, between 10 and 12°C, Chuck is the ideal companion for a convivial aperitif, where it pairs perfectly with artisan charcuterie or a cheese platter. It also excels with fruity or creamy desserts, which it will brighten up with its tangy sparkle. A bold natural sparkling wine, to be enjoyed now or kept for a few years to see its aromas evolve.