Gift Ideas for Rookies

Volnay Qvevris Red 2020,

Domaine de Chassorney

The nose reveals beautiful notes of red fruits (strawberry), spices, and candied fruits. On the palate, it reveals warmth and power, with floral aromas and a great minerality on the finish. This warm, straightforward wine from the Volnay appellation, with notes of red and black fruits, is balanced and lively on the palate, with lovely, gently spicy notes. It comes from old Pinot Noir vines growing at the bottom of the slopes, on dense, stony soils of ferruginous red clay and limestone. The plots are steep, facing west-southeast and located between 230 and 280 meters above sea level. The vines are worked on horseback, respecting the soil and the earth. The harvest is manual and is carried out when the grapes are fully ripe. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. Aging in qvevri (buried Georgian-style terracotta jars) further develops the wine's velvety texture and depth.

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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 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 a while as a wine broker before creating the Domaine de Chassorney 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 regions. 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. Reds or whites, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.

Kikiriki Black Red 2018

Clos Lentiscus

Elegance, purity, 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 wines, red, white, and rosé.

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This Cocorico (in Catalan) is a red made from a blend of Tempranillo and Cariñena (Carignan). Aromatic and light, it comes in a one-liter bottle and is not a luxury: this distinguished gurgle, at the table and as an aperitif, will go well with everything. A very good wine for tapas and al fresco dining.

It is in Sitges, Catalonia, in the heart of the Garraf Natural Park, that 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, 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. Manel quickly earned a nickname: The Bubbleman, a tribute to his talent for making cavas, the sparkling white wines characteristic of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, from native varieties that only Catalonia has the secret to: sumoll, ull de llebre, xarel·lo, malvasia from Sitges, cartoixà vermell, cariñena (carignan), accompanied by tempranillo and muscat from 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.

Cade Meu Carnaval Sparkling Rosé 2019,

Les Valseuses

Chardonnay (50%), Grenache Gris (40%), and Trousseau (10%). But where has my carnival gone? asks this vintage, and it won't take long to find the answer: the party will begin as soon as the bottle is opened, because this undisgorged pet' nat' exudes good humor.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Crucella Red 2020,

La Vinicola di Antonio Gismondi

Crucella is known for its undergrowth, mineral, and earthy nose, a lively and acidic attack on the palate, red fruits, cherry on the retro-olfaction, and tannins less present than the deep color would suggest. Certainly a good wine for laying down that will blossom with time. The only red from the estate, it is a beautiful blend of Merlot (33%), Sangiovese (34%), and the ancient local grape variety Freisa (33%), which imparts a slight hint of musky red fruit, but the overall wine is well balanced. The harvest macerates for five or six days in stainless steel vats, then the wine is aged for seven to ten months in the same type of vat.

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Antonio Gismondi's azienda is located in Cerreto Sanita, in the Benevento region of Campania. A microclimate gives this area an almost continental feel: humid winds from the Tyrrhenian Sea collide with the first ramparts of the Apennine mountain range, causing condensation in the air and lowering temperatures, which are significantly cooler and more humid than on the coast. If we add a temperature inversion phenomenon between day and night, which is common in the Apennine climate, the freshness of the wines from the Antonio Gismondi estate is nothing mysterious in this southern Italy, which is nevertheless known for its very hot climate. The estate is family-run: for generations, the Gismondi family has cultivated vines and made wine using the most traditional and natural methods, to which biodynamic techniques are added. For a long time, of the fifteen tons of grapes produced each year, one ton was reserved for on-site winemaking for family consumption, with the rest going to the local wine cooperative. It was their meeting with Massimo Marchiori and Antonella of Partida Creus that led Antonio and his wife Anabel to start producing natural wines at home from the entire harvest. The two-hectare vineyard is located between 350 and 380 meters above sea level, on clay and stony soils, with two-thirds facing south. The grape varieties are Merlot, Freisa and Sangiovese for the reds, and Falanghina and Malvasia di Candia for the whites.x

Combe du Temps Red 2018,

Les Vignes du Domaine du Temps

A wine that stands the test of time, a preserved terroir, and natural vinification: Combe du Temps 2018 is a straightforward and vibrant red, made from a balanced blend of Syrah and Grenache. In the majestic setting of Cabardès, on the outskirts of Carcassonne, the Domaine du Temps has produced an intense, mineral, and expressive cuvée, where nature expresses itself without artifice.

An exceptional terroir and pure vinification

Located on stony clay-limestone soils, the vineyard benefits from a rare balance between freshness and dryness, perfect for revealing the finesse of Grenache and the depth of Syrah. Certified biodynamic since 1998 and dedicated to natural wine since 2015, the estate practices demanding viticulture: low yields, careful grape selection, and additive-free vinification. Carbonic maceration for each grape variety, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, no fining or filtration, and less than 2g of sulfur added before bottling. Aging takes place for nine months, including 20% in barrels, adding a subtle oaky touch without masking the fruit.

An intense and racy red

Combe du Temps boasts a deep garnet color that heralds beautiful concentration. The nose is a captivating blend of vibrant red fruits, sweet spices and mineral notes reminiscent of the earth and surrounding scrubland. On the palate, the freshness perfectly balances the tannic structure, offering a silky touch and a lingering, slightly salty and peppery finish.

Food and wine pairings and tasting moments

With its straight and fresh profile, this wine will pair equally well with a barbecue with friends or a refined meal. It pairs wonderfully with grilled meats, Mediterranean tapas, artisanal charcuterie, and smoky dishes. Served around 16°C, it will gain in expression after a short airing.

Digresion '20 Beer 2020, Cyclic Beer Farm

Cyclic Beer Farm
Packaged in 75 cl bottles so that everyone can satisfy their thirst, the beers from the Barcelona-based brewery Cyclic Beer Farm play between classicism and flights of inspiration, in a contrasting and creative way, in the Catalan style. Based on classic principles and a Belgian fermentation model, the two brewer-winemakers Joshua and Alberto play with ingredients, aromas, and macerations, between cereals, fruits, vegetables, and grape skins from Catalan grape varieties, to achieve flavors reminiscent of an unidentified drinkable object (OBNI). Whether they assert themselves through balance or a certain controlled dissonance, these beers will never leave you indifferent and will reveal their full potential during the summer heat, served well chilled.
This saison-style cuvée has an alcohol content of 5.5%. It is the result of a complex blend: 28% mixed saison fermentation for six months, 28% mixed saison fermentation for eighteen months, 22% tangy saison, and 22% mixed saison fermentation aged for six months in oak barrels. The resulting blend is aged for eighteen months. At this stage, we can almost speak of alchemy, even numerology. The result is as complex, while remaining accessible, as its composition. Disgresión ("Digression") was created in relation to a social context, that of Covid 19. It is the result of a collaboration between Cyclic Beer Farm and several local breweries (Cobeer-19 project). 19% of profits are donated to charitable causes. The beer itself is fresh and classic, with a good bitterness and balance.

VNB Vinel lo Blanc 2020

Partida Creus
Beautiful maturity, sharp character and acidity characteristic of the Partida Creus estate. Made for seafood, this very fresh white, easy to drink (ten degrees of alcohol), results from a very light maceration of native Catalan grape varieties: garnatxa blanca, macabeu, moscatell, vinyater, xarel·lo, parsé and parellada.

To find out more
Partida Creus is an important estate, both in terms of wine and history – here we are talking about the history of the vine in Catalonia. Massimo Marchiori and Antonella Gerosa, originally from Piedmont—and even from the Langhe region, where wine is well-versed—first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug tickled them, and they soon abandoned the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There they found a number of abandoned vineyards planted with a dizzying diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties, which they passionately revived to save these varieties—and their wines—from oblivion. For them, it's not just a matter of saving their heritage, no: it's a matter of taste and nature. Of natural wines, which they will never stop making from now on on these sandy, poor, clay-limestone or clay-gravel soils, poor and poorly irrigated, where the vines suffer to produce their best juice. Massimo and Antonella practice organic, biodynamic, entirely manual and natural viticulture in order to give new life to these wines. Vinyater, sumoll, garrut, monastrell, ull de perdiu, ull de llebre, sumoll, queixal de llop, cariñena, trepat, ceciat parent, maccabeu, parellada, pansé, vinel.lo, bobal, cartoixà vermell or xarel.lo: it is a true conservatory of the native Catalan grape varieties that Partida Creus cares for. There is also Moscatel, Grenache, Merlot and Cabernet (among others). Few wineries can boast of growing so many different grape varieties. The wines reflect this diversity, with winemakers striving to best convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety: single varietals are common among them, alongside very rich blends, all in the styles dear to Catalonia: still wine, "ancestral" sparkling wine, and even vermouth. The bottles themselves are works of art: bare glass, simply marked with two large stenciled initials that indicate the cuvée. The wines, fresh, vibrant, lush but always straightforward and impeccably juicy and fruity, breathe life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction.

Fruit Salad Rosé 2020,

Domaine Capmartin
Here's a lovely natural rosé, without sulfur or additives, another success from Simon Capmartin: Fruit Salad alludes to the fruity richness we love in this estate's wines. One hundred percent Syrah, it comes from rolled pebble soils on red clay. The average age of the vines is twenty years. The use of cover crops helps loosen the soil and provides nutritional support, alternating with natural grass cover. The harvest is destemmed and macerated for about three days until fermentation begins: then a bleeding is performed, followed by liquid-phase vinification. Aging is six months in vats. Simon defines it as a "strong rosé." He confides that he hesitated to make this wine before Anthony Tortul, from La Sorga, gave him the following advice: "If you don't try it now, you'll never try it." Notes of redcurrant, raspberry, strawberry, crushed wild strawberry... This wine is more than pleasant, a real fruit juice. It has all the graces of rosé plus a few others.

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Guy Capmartin settled in 1985 in the former convent of Maumusson-Laguian, in the Gers, to exploit the magnificent surrounding soils, from which he would soon produce highly acclaimed wines in the Madiran and Pacherenc-du-Vic-Bilh appellations. In 1987, Tradition, his first vintage, was born. By the 2000s, he had decided to work exclusively in organic and biodynamic agriculture, a decision reinforced and entrenched by his son Simon, who took over. The wines were noted and received numerous awards. Certification was obtained in 2013, and the Demeter label is in progress. Taking advantage of his most specific plots on the estate, Simon also began to produce natural vintages, without inputs and according to the principle of minimal interventionism. Labeled Vin de France or Côtes-de-Gascogne, these are the vintages we offer at Culinaries.
The estate's grape varieties are organized around Tannat, the king of Madiran, surrounded by a palette as rich and diverse as the estate's soils: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, a little Syrah and Grenache Noir, plus a few old red vines currently being identified. A plot of tannat, located on a very fine and very supple clay-marl soil with gravel, is pre-phylloxera. For the white, Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng and Petit Courbu, as well as, for the Côtes-de-Gascogne, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Viognier.
The main objective of the Capmartin estate is to make frank, fruity, authentic and honest wines, perfectly reflecting their terroir, which explains the parcel-based nature of the wines under the appellation: one parcel corresponds to one vintage, and vice versa. This also explains the number and variety of vintages.

Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Malvasia Sparkling White 2017

Clos Lentiscus
In Sitges, Catalonia, Clos Lentiscus is a winery located 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 complete: Mediterranean forests rub shoulders with Catalan scrubland (thyme, rosemary, rockrose, and the mastic tree, which gave the estate its name, 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.

Made entirely of Malvasia (Malvasia), an ancient Mediterranean grape variety that thrives particularly well in Sitges, this cava offers fine, creamy bubbles and a pale gold color, deeper than that of 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 is worth trying with foie gras.

Feu III Blanc 2019,

La Sorga
Antony Tortul loves old vineyards: he devotes his life to finding and vinifying them. Just as there are landless shepherds, he can be defined as a landless winegrower, in other words, a wine merchant whose area of ​​activity extends throughout Languedoc and, eastward, as far as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in search of the best terroirs. Born in Foix, with six years of experience as a viticultural technician and oenologist in various vineyards in the south of France, he founded La Sorga in 2008. His enthusiasm leads him on a path filled with favorites, and each of these favorites is a vineyard. The result is a stunning mosaic of natural, lively, and spirited wines, reinvented each year with around thirty cuvées per vintage. Few winemakers can include such a variety of grape varieties: the entire south of France is included, with muscats, grenaches, picpoul, mauzac, carignan, cinsault, marsanne, alicante, braucol, duras, viognier, len-de-l’el, and all the rest. Two terroirs contributed to this very southern white wine: the Villafranchian limestone of Pézenas, in the Hérault valley, and the clay-limestone soils of Marseillan, on the Languedoc coast. The blend is composed of eighty percent Grenache Blanc (vines aged sixty years) and the rest Grenache Gris (vines aged twenty years). The two Grenaches are vinified separately in "dip" (maceration of berries or whole bunches in the must obtained by direct pressing), twenty days for the white Grenache and fifteen days for the gray Grenache. Aging is seven months in vats. With a nose of pear, slightly fennel, a hint of camphor, with the delicious notes of the infusion, we feel that this wine is made for grilled fish and seafood dishes from the Languedoc coast. The palate is full, round, very energetic, aromatic, also carried on white fruits.
Natural wine without added sulfites.

Xarel-10 Wine Beer 2020, Cyclic Beer Farm

Cyclic Beer Farm
Packaged in 75 cl bottles so that everyone can satisfy their thirst, the beers from the Barcelona-based brewery Cyclic Beer Farm play between classicism and flights of inspiration, in a contrasting and creative way, in the Catalan style. Based on classic principles and a Belgian fermentation model, the two brewer-winemakers Joshua and Alberto play with ingredients, aromas, and macerations, between cereals, fruits, vegetables, and grape skins from Catalan grape varieties, to achieve flavors reminiscent of an unidentified drinkable object (OBNI). Whether they assert themselves on balance or on a certain controlled dissonance, these beers will never leave you indifferent and will reveal their full potential in the summer heat, served well chilled.
Xarel·10, with 6.7% alcohol, is part of the Cyclic Beer Farm 2020 Wine Ales series, which also includes Carignan, Garnatxa and Trepat. They are fermented with the skins of local grape varieties. All the grapes are organic and hand-picked before being pressed or macerated for winemaking. The resulting marc (skins and stems) is then added to already fermented and aged beers, selected for each type of grape variety. A maceration of one to six months follows to allow the residual sugar to complete its fermentation and the character of the grape variety to be communicated to the beer through infusion. Before bottling, brewers decide whether or not to add beer to achieve the desired flavors, based on acidity, the natural taste of the grape variety, tannins, complexity, and drinkability.
Brewers choose beers from three bases: their saison, their sour base (fermented from their blend of lactic acid bacteria and their blend of indigenous yeasts), and their "funky" base (indigenous yeasts and a cocktail of brettanomyces yeasts). After blending and bottling, the beers referment and refine for varying lengths of time.
Here, maceration is done on the skins and stems of the famous Catalan grape variety xarel·lo. The result is floral, moderately acidic, and delicately vinous.

Esprit Attila Red 2016

La Sorga

This blend is composed of 60% Syrah (from thirty-five-year-old vines), with the remainder consisting of Carignan, Grenache, Merlot, and Alicante Bouschet. The grapes macerate in whole bunches for ninety days in a near-infusion and are aged in concrete vats and amphorae for one year. Its aromas of violet and red fruits will pair well with red meats, especially lamb. Aging potential: twenty years.

Pairs with: Red Meats, Roasted Meats, Grilled Meats

Auxey Duresses Les Crais Blanc 2020,

Domaine de Chassorney
This Auxey-Duresses white, produced on the Les Crais plot, is remarkably pure. The ripeness of the grapes (obviously all-Chardonnay) is exceptional and is felt in the form of a pleasant roundness and generous fruit. Plenty of integrity, elegance, complexity, and tension.

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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years as a wine merchant, 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 regions. 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. Reds or whites, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.

Volnay Red 2018

Frederic Cossard

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

Magnum Munjebel VA Red 2016

Frank Cornelissen
This pure Nerello Mascalese produced under the IGP Terre Siciliane comes from the basalt soils of the three highest plots (Vigne Alte) of the Cornelissen estate, rich in biodiversity: Tartaraci (1,000 m above sea level), Monte Dolce (870 m), and Pettinociarelle (890 m). It perfectly expresses the excellence of the old, ungrafted Nerello Mascalese vines grown on the high terraces of the northern valley of Etna. It is the estate's most Burgundian vintage, with the most pronounced acidity. A balanced, structured, gourmet, and easy-to-drink cuvée, it offers plenty of crisp fruit without ever being too easy. A certain bite and freshness typical of the estate. A perfect table red, it pairs well with roasted farm-raised chicken.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Régnié la haute ronze Red 2017

Nicolas Chemarin

La Haute Ronze is one of two plots cultivated by Nicolas in the Régnié appellation; it is considered of very high quality, with deep clay soils that produce full-bodied wines. This 100% Gamay is obtained through semi-carbonic maceration and aged for approximately twenty months (half in barrels, half in stainless steel vats). It offers notes of leather, earth, and Mediterranean herbs (oregano, rosemary), through its red fruits.

A natural wine with no added sulfites.

The Wine Witch White 2024,

Les Grandes Serres

In the heart of Vaucluse, between Saint-Maurice-sur-Eygues and Visan, the Grandes Serres vineyard thrives on deep clay-limestone soils bordered by garrigue. The Wine Witch 2024, a subtle blend of Clairette, Marsanne, and Vermentino, is a generous white, both powerful and balanced, faithful to its terroir.

A bold and natural vinification

The uniqueness of this cuvée lies in a 24-hour maceration of the Vermentino grapes before pressing, providing structure and depth. Spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel vats preserves the purity of the fruit, while partial aging in barrels (10% of the Marsanne) enriches the texture. Like all the house wines, The Wine Witch is unfiltered, with a light addition of sulfites to stabilize the whole.

A charming nose and a full palate

The nose opens with notes of ripe, even exotic fruits, accompanied by slightly buttery nuances. On the palate, the attack is supple and round, revealing a remarkable amplitude, carried by a rich and balanced structure. The finish is long, with a beautiful aromatic persistence.

What to enjoy with this bottle?

Served around 10-12°C, this racy white wine goes wonderfully with roasted white meats, grilled fish or even hard cheeses. With its aging potential of 5 years, it will evolve towards even more complex aromas.

Puls'Art White 2022

Domaine Einhart

Here's Puls'Art from Domaine Einhart, a natural, organic (Ecocert) macerated white wine classified as AOC Alsace. Don't confuse it with a Poulsard because of its name (the Poulsard grape variety is found in the Jura region, a little further south). This magical wine is called Puls’Art simply because it pulses, and skin-macerated Gewurztraminer is a great art—we affirm it.

Vinification

The Gewurztraminers used to produce Puls’Art, aged twenty-five years and sourced entirely on the estate, are harvested by hand and then destemmed. Maceration lasts one week, and fermentation is carried out using indigenous yeasts. Aging on fine lees is ten months in barrels, followed by unfiltered bottling. From the vine to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives.

Tasting

Puls’Art has a bright orange color. The first nose, very appealing, brings aromas of candied apricot and rose petals. The second nose, very fresh, evokes green cardamom. The attack on the palate is ample, balanced, with a velvety sensation. On the palate, we find the aromas of ripe apricot from the first nose. The finish is powerful and spicy, vibrant, "a limestone lollipop," according to the winemaker's expression. Decanting is recommended so that your Puls'Art spreads its wings and expresses its mineral and charming notes, both earthy and exotic. For pairings, it is all-terrain but also capable of the most delicate associations: do not hesitate to pair it with smoked fish, fine poultry, white meats, game birds, a wild mushroom risotto, and cheeses.

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 on the foothills of the Vosges mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, or shell limestone and oolite limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone).

A family estate

Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. Faithful 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 additives, refusing harmful phytosanitary products and maintaining ecological refuge areas. Its 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 grape, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of these very beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

Falgueyras Red 2018,

Domaine Bois Moisset

Vigne Vieille du Falgueyras is a fruity and indulgent red wine, rich in notes of red fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, morello cherry) and beautifully peppery. Its profile is enhanced by sweet spices, prune on the nose, black olive, as well as more mineral accents (smoke, natural incense). It has character, oak without exaggeration, and a very beautiful body. Typical of the Gaillac terroirs, this is a red wine made 100% from old Syrah vines aged thirty and forty years, planted on boulbènes (gravelly, loamy sand) on the second terrace of the Tarn. The destemmed harvest macerates in cement vats with two punching down of the marc. The fermentation temperature did not exceed 21°C. Aging continues for nine months before bottling without filtration and, of course, without the addition of sulfites.

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The name Gaillac, the region where the Bois-Moisset estate is located, owned by Sylvie Ledran and Philippe Maffre, has been associated with wines since Antiquity; it is the oldest vineyard in France, with two thousand years of history and an impressive collection of ancient indigenous grape varieties. It is also a region of dazzling beauty, nicknamed "French Tuscany" because of its gentle hills planted with groves and its almost Florentine luminosity. Many estates, including that of Bois-Moisset, showcase this uniquely rich winemaking heritage. Along with an estate planted with vines, it is an organic mixed farm that directly sells its production of lentils, sunflower oil, cereal flours, and grape juice. A herd of old local breed cows also thrives there, and guest rooms are available in the summer. It is in this small rural paradise that natural wines typical of their origin and terroir are born, on fifteen hectares of boulbènes, gravelly and sandy-loam soils carried by the Tarn for thousands of years. The grape varieties are dominated by Syrah and Duras, but the ampelographic richness of Gaillacois (braucol, prunelart, loin-de-l'œil, etc.) is also evident in the vintages of the Bois-Moisset estate, which consist particularly of red wines with crisp fruitiness, concentrated but with smooth and delicate tannins.

Lune Rayée Red 2020,

Pic Epeiche

Lune Rayée, vintage 2020, is a natural red wine from the Pic-Épeiche estate (Haut-Layon, Anjou), produced traditionally and entirely by hand by Jean-Baptiste Peltier. It is made from Cabernet Franc (80%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) planted in the same plot on clay-limestone soil.

Vinification

Lune Rayée was made without any additives in the vineyard, except for a little Bordeaux mixture as needed, and without sulfites added during vinification. Semicarbonic maceration (13 days) is followed by a long fermentation in vats using indigenous yeasts. Aging, at Domaine Pic-Épeiche, is done on lees for eleven months, with passage through a vertical press in between.

Tasting

The color of Lune Rayée 2020 is bright, clear, limpid, a beautiful transparent coral red. The palate is intensely sapid, fruity, and one would speak of gurgling if it weren't for a minerality that gives structure and a remarkably saline finish, as well as the touch of bitterness typical of Cabernet. Lune Rayée 2020 from Domaine Pic-Épeiche is easy to drink yet intense, full of red fruits—fresh strawberry—, an energizing sensation of fresh fruit and a beautiful length. It is a wine without additives, deceptively simple, that will be able to measure up to the finest cuisine - such as a rabbit stew of first quality - as well as local charcuterie and salted meats. Seafood rillettes will suit it like a glove. Best enjoyed chilled.

Learn more about Domaine Pic-Épeiche

Entirely natural, produced in a traditional, artisanal manner, Domaine Pic-Épeiche is located in Haut-Layon, in Anjou. It is run by Jean-Baptiste Peltier, who learned the trade from Jérôme Lambert and Patrick Desplats: another fine example of a natural, non-interventionist wine estate in this Loire region where there are many.

In the vineyard and in the cellar

No intervention, but a lot of vigilance: "We work with the grapes," says Jean-Baptiste about his natural wines. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin and Grolleau, all from old vines, cultivated and vinified without additives. Macerations are short but aging is long, almost a year in vats, entirely on lees.

The style

All the freshness and liveliness of the clay-limestone soils are intact in the wines of the Pic-Épeiche estate, which offer the full typicity of the Anjou terroirs worked naturally. Red and white wines are fruity and flavorful, offering a lively and nuanced expression of the local grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grolleau and Chenin.