Last Chance

Puls’Art white 2020

Domaine Einhart
Don't confuse it with a Poulsard because of its name (Poulsard is from the region a little further south). This magical wine is called Puls’Art simply because it pulses, and Gewurztraminer macerated on the skins is a great art, we support it. The color of this splendid white macerated wine is bright orange. The first nose, very inviting, brings aromas of candied apricot and rose petals. The second nose, very fresh, evokes cardamom. The attack on the palate is full-bodied, balanced, with a velvety sensation. We find the apricot aromas of the first nose. The finish is powerful and spicy, vibrant, "a limestone lollipop" in the winemaker's words. The twenty-five-year-old Gewurztraminers are harvested by hand and then destemmed. Maceration, using indigenous yeasts, takes place between four and nine days. Aging on fine lees is ten months in barrels, before 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 mineral and charming notes, both earthy and exotic.

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

Oolithe white 2020

Domaine Einhart
Oolithe, a macerated white wine, has a pale apricot color and exudes a beautiful minerality, great freshness, and the integrity of its predominant grape variety, Sylvaner. Aromas of fresh apple enhance it. The second nose opens more fully with elderflower, lily of the valley, and citrus peel. On the palate, the attack is lively, fresh, and mineral, leading to a spicy and persistent finish. The name Oolithe is a direct allusion to the oolitic limestone that makes up the muschelkalk soil from which it is sourced (plots located in Weingarten and Oberer Altenberg). On this soil grow Sylvaner and Gewurztraminer, the two grape varieties that make up this wine, at 60 percent and 40 percent respectively. The average age of the vines is thirty years. The harvest is manual, destemmed, and the brief maceration, on indigenous yeasts, takes place for four days. The wine is aged on fine lees, in stainless steel vats, before being bottled without filtration. From the vine to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives. Decanting is recommended so that it fully expresses all its floral grace.

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 oolite limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone). Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. True to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to protecting the land and biodiversity, winemaking without inputs, refusing harmful phytosanitary products and maintaining ecological refuge areas. His estate has been certified organic since 2011. Like Jean-Marc Dreyer, he is resolutely moving towards skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvesting, destemming of the bunches, light punching down and delicate pressing are characteristic of the estate, as well as the separate vinification of each terroir, aging on lees and the absence of filtration before bottling. The wines are pure grape, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of the very beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

Pinot Noir 2020,

Domaine Einhart
A velvety, ripe red, 100% Pinot Noir, with an intense, fragrant, and gently fruity aroma. The deep, purplish color evokes black cherry. The initial nose is enhanced by aromas of black fruits (blackberry, blackcurrant, black cherry) with a hint of freshness blended into a light vanilla woodiness. The second nose is more open, with aromas of blood orange, bitter almond, and kirsch. On the palate, the berries are still present, supported by present but well-melted tannins, and lead to a velvety finish resting on a lovely freshness. Plenty of persistence and length. The Pinot Noirs from which it is made, aged around thirty years, grow on the muschelkalk (shell limestone) terroirs of Dittelsberg-Albermohn and are harvested by hand, then destemmed. Maceration, using indigenous yeasts, takes between ten and twelve days. Aging for one year on fine lees, in demi-muids, precedes bottling without filtration. From the vine to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives. Decanting is recommended so that it can fully express its finesse and grace.

To find out more
Located in the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, horizontally above Strasbourg, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family estate whose vines are located on the hillsides that rise between the Alsace plain and the Vosges mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, i.e. shell limestone and oolite limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone). Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. True to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to 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, he is resolutely moving towards skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvesting, destemming of the bunches, light punching down and delicate pressing are characteristic of the estate, as well as the separate vinification of each terroir, aging on lees and the absence of filtration before bottling. The wines are pure grape, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of the very beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

Garnatxa Wine Beer 2020, Cyclic Beer Farm

Cyclic Beer Farm
Packaged in 75 cl bottles so 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, including 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. Garnatxa (6.7% alcohol) is part of the Cyclic Beer Farm 2020 Wine Ales series, which also includes Carignan, Xarel·10 and Trepat. They are fermented with the skins of local grape varieties. All the grapes are organic and harvested by hand 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 lactic acid bacteria blend and their indigenous yeast blend), and their “funky” base (indigenous yeast and a cocktail of brettanomyces yeasts). After blending and bottling, the beers referment and mature for varying lengths of time.
Here, the garnatxa (Grenache) and carinyena (Carignan) grape varieties give this beer a lovely pink color and fruity and tannic accents, enhanced with a touch of wildness from the funky fermentation base.

Himmel auf Erden Blanc 2018

Christian Tschida
Heaven on Earth: this is the name of this dry white wine made from destemmed and crushed Weissburgunder, Scheurebe, and a touch of Muscat grapes, with a brief skin maceration. Aged for a year in large barrels, bottled unfiltered and unsulfured. The title of a work by Austrian artist Alfred Hrdlicka, known for his iconoclastic style, inspired the name of the cuvée. Crisp, sweet, and romantic without lacking complexity, this wine offers great aromatic precision and superb texture. A masterpiece for a romantic dinner, pikeperch with beurre blanc or grilled turbot.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

I'm Natural Don't Panic #10 From Patio White 2018

Bodegas Coruña del Conde

Julien López's I'm Natural, Don't Panic range consists of macerated wines. This dry white is based 100% on the Airén grape variety, which is very common in Spain, particularly in Castile-León. Julien created this limited edition using grapes from a friend, Samuel Cano, from Patio. Fresh and tangy, slightly cloudy (unfiltered), with beautiful notes of linden and white flowers. No additives in the vineyard or cellar. Pair with grilled fish and white meats.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Le Roi Maceration White 2019

Domaine de l'Octavin

Why the king? Because it's Riesling, the king of grape varieties, grown biodynamically in Alsace (Philippe Brand estate) on clay-limestone soils. Even better: it's a Riesling macerated for fifteen days in whole bunches to capture all the power of the grape. For fine dinners, refined dishes, and delicate gastronomy. And to drink on its own, as an aperitif or after dinner, to appreciate its thousand aristocratic nuances.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Saint-Joseph Les Hauts Red 2017,

Domaine des Miquettes

A pure Syrah from the Saint-Joseph appellation, produced by an astonishing estate that chose to vinify in qvevri, Georgian-style terracotta jars. This cuvée, produced from forty-year-old vines, was bottled after two years in jars, offering magnificent notes of pepper and violet on the nose, a satiny palate, and fruity body typical of good terracotta aging. Drink now or keep for a few more years.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.

SP Subirat Parent White 2021

Partida Creus

SP Subirat Parent, classified as Vino de Mesa (table wine), is, as its name suggests, made 100% from the native Catalan grape variety Subirat Parent. It is crisp and aromatic, with a nose of ripe white fruits, melon, and wildflowers. Agile on the palate, fresh and straightforward, lemony and slightly saline, it offers a long finish tinged with a delicate bitterness typical of the estate. Subirat Parent, one of the oldest Catalan grape varieties and a close relative of Malvasia, remains rare even in its country of origin. The clay-limestone soil enhances its freshness and integrity. The harvest is pressed after a three-day skin maceration. The must is settled and fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats. It rests for three months in vats on fine lees before bottling.

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Partida Creus is an important estate, both from a winemaking and historical perspective – we are talking here 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-known – first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug bit them, and they soon abandoned the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There they find a quantity of abandoned vineyards planted with a dizzying diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties that they passionately revive to save these varieties – and their wines – from oblivion. For them, it is not just a matter of heritage rescue, no: it is 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 give their best juice. Massimo and Antonella practice organic, biodynamic viticulture, entirely manual and natural 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, subirat parent, maccabeu, parellada, pansé, bobal, cartoixà vermell and xarel·lo: Partida Creus is a veritable conservatory of native Catalan grape varieties. It also grows moscatel, grenache, merlot and cabernet (among others). Few wineries can boast growing so many different grape varieties. The wines reflect this diversity, with the winemakers striving to best convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety: single-variety wines are common among them, alongside extensive 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 denote the vintage. 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.

Cuvée Mourvèdre Rouge 2020,

Frédéric 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 a 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 Burgundy wines, undistorted 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 wine merchant company and purchased 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 vintages. The practice is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura, Languedoc and elsewhere. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular plowing 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 sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.

Magma Red 2016

Frank Cornelissen

Frank Cornelissen's grand cru is, as expected, a wine for aging. It reveals the remarkable depth of the Nerello Mascalese grape variety, grown on the Barbabecchi plot, planted with ungrafted, pre-phylloxera vines, over a hundred years old, at an altitude of 910 meters on the slopes of Mount Etna. Skin maceration takes place for sixty days on destemmed and lightly crushed grapes. No fining, no sulfites, and light filtration before bottling. With a very dense texture, this red is more mineral than fruity (the fruit notes are candied: blackberry, prune, all roundness and melted tannins). Its depth and power are balanced by great freshness. Possibility of traces of volatile acidity, quickly vanished with decanting.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
Pairs with an exceptional product, the black pork ham of Bigorre

Rye whiskey, The Helsinki Distilling Co.

Vintage Spirit Garage

You don't need to live in Kentucky to make a good rye whiskey: the three makers of the Helsinki Distilling Company—two Finns, one Irish—do it very well. Rye is, in Finnish tradition, a symbol of power and vitality; it was therefore only natural that they pay homage to it. This three-year-aged whiskey (47.5%, 70% Finnish rye, 30% Finnish barley) is a pure masterpiece, straightforward and controlled, with a nose of toasted rye, honey, and dark chocolate. Rich and deep on the palate, it offers notes of caramel, licorice, and spices, with a hint of coffee. A big favorite of the Culinaries team.

MUZ Rouge 2021

Partida Creus
Here's a great organic and natural vermouth from Partida Creus, an Iberian classic from Baix-Penedés (Catalonia). Made without additives or sulfites, MUZ Ver-Mut is a fortified sweet wine with plant maceration. Vermouth in the Spanish sense is not a mixology ingredient but a table wine made to accompany tapas and the finest dishes.

Vinification
To achieve this alchemic work that is MUZ Catalan vermouth, Partida Creus brings together a barrel of red wine, another of young wine and a third of dry white wine, all with the addition of a secret blend of macerated aromatic herbs. The rest? That's also a secret.

Tasting
MUZ vermouth from Partida Creus is a fruity, smooth and original treat, to share with friends. Black berries, blackcurrant, blackberry, a fine bitterness and a slight sweet sensation. Packaged in a one-liter bottle, MUZ will pair with all imaginable tapas, zakouskis, mezes and other kemias. We will also like it with Iberian charcuterie or smoked sardines.

Learn more about Partida Creus
Partida Creus is an organic, biodynamic and natural estate in southern Catalonia (Bonastre, Baix-Penedés) cultivated by Massimo Marchiori and Antonella Gerosa, formerly architects in Barcelona. By recovering abandoned vines, they saved a stunning diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties from oblivion. On these sandy, clay-limestone or clay-gravelly soils, they produce natural wines without added sulphites.

A Catalan ampelothèque
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 (among others): it is a true conservatory of native Catalan grape varieties that Partida Creus takes care of in natural mode. The wines reflect this diversity, with the winegrowers striving to best convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety. The wines, fresh, vibrant, lush, and straightforward, breathe life.

The Partida Creus look
Single varietals are common at Partida Creus, alongside blends, all in the styles dear to Catalonia: still wine, sparkling wine (cava), or even vermouth. The bottles are instantly recognizable: plain glass or covered with ivory labels, the vintage being indicated by two large stenciled initials.

SK Muscat d'Alexandrie Blanc 2020,

Partida Creus


Deliciously fragrant, fresh, and incredibly aromatic, SK Muscat d'Alexandrie is a sumptuous dry white wine with a hint of orange, a color due to well-controlled maceration. The lack of filtration gives it a slightly cloudy appearance. The nose opens frankly with a whiff of marzipan, a sensation confirmed in the mouth with complex notes: apricot, honeysuckle, pear, lychee, white guava, mango, passion fruit, flowering meadow, abundant freshness and crispness, all balanced by a slight herbaceous touch reminiscent of cucumber and fresh white peach, and an earthy side reminiscent of fresh walnut. In short, SK Muscat d'Alexandrie offers all the aromas of a grape variety that generally promises much, and even more. A long, satiny finish. The grapes are fermented using indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats, and aged for nine months in the same type of container. This wine will go very well with raw, grilled, or sauced fish, spicy dishes such as fish or poultry curries, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Sichuan cuisine, but we'll stop the list of pairings there given the adaptability of this exceptional wine.

Find out more
Partida Creus is an important estate, both from a winemaking and historical perspective—we're talking here 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-known—first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug tickles them, and soon they abandon the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There they find a quantity of abandoned vineyards planted with a dizzying diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties, which they passionately revive to save these varieties – and their wines – from oblivion. For them, it's not just a matter of heritage rescue, 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 viticulture, entirely manual and natural to give new life to these wines. Vinyater, sumoll, garrut, monastrell, ull de perdiu, ull de llebre, sumoll, queixal de llop, cariñena, trepat, subirat parent, maccabeu, parellada, pansé, vinel·lo, bobal, cartoixà vermell or xarel·lo: Partida Creus is a veritable conservatory of native Catalan grape varieties. It also grows moscatel, grenache, merlot and cabernet (among others). Few wineries can boast growing so many different grape varieties. The wines reflect this diversity, with the winemakers striving to best convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety: single-variety wines are common among them, alongside extensive 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 denote the vintage. The wines, fresh, vibrant, lush yet always straightforward and impeccably juicy and fruity, exude life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction.

Arôme Maiden Rouge 2018,

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 scope 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 love at first sight, and each of these loves 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 boast such a wide variety of grape varieties: the entire south of France is represented, with muscats, grenaches, picpoul, mauzac, carignan, cinsault, marsanne, alicante, braucol, duras, viognier, len-de-l’el, and all the rest.
It comes from the clay-limestone terroirs of Montels, in the Gaillac appellation area, and is composed of seventy percent syrah and thirty percent sauvignon blanc. Vinification is carried out by blending whole bunches, manually destemmed berries, and a little press wine. Maceration takes place in vats for sixty days, followed by ten months of aging in sandstone jars and then a year in bottles. The nose is smoky, floral, with violets, and the palate is full of tension, with a fresh herbaceous note where we find the flowers announced by the nose. The finish is very tangy, deep and dense.
Natural wine without added sulfites.

JC 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 scope 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 love at first sight, and each of these loves is a vineyard. The result is a dizzying 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 on their menu: 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.
The Villafranchian terroirs of Aspiran, in the high country of Hérault, produced the white grenache (sixty-two-year-old vines) from which this Jean-Claude, a natural white sparkling wine, is made, the label of which is inspired by a Van Damme who is more aware than ever. The harvest is pressed directly, and only the "heart of the press," which has not been settled, is retained. Bottling is carried out by gravity, at the full moon. The wine is aged for one year on slats, and disgorged manually by the winemaker. On the nose, lemon, pear, and anise immediately assert themselves: a pleasant start heralding a well-taut palate, a fine effervescence, plenty of clarity, and brightness. A pet' nat' that is not without depth and can be enjoyed from aperitif to dessert and for all celebrations.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Tireur des Litres Rouge 2017

Domaine La Sorga
Tireur des Litres is a blend of the Sereibroc, Noir Métal, and Yggdrasil cuvées from four different terroirs in Lagrasse, Carcassonne, Cessenon, and Volvic. The grapes are vinified in whole bunches, half in a vat, the other half in stoneware jars. The multiple grape varieties that make up this cuvée (Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Gamay d'Auvergne, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, etc.) give it notes of blueberry, blackcurrant, and slightly smoky accents. Perfect with charcuterie or barbecue. Its aging potential is ten years.
Ideal serving temperature: 14/16°

Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Le Pressoir de Saint Pierre Blanc 2020

La Grapperie
Le Pressoir de Saint-Pierre is a magnificent expression of Chenin Blanc, a grape variety that is the hallmark of the central Loire Valley region. On the nose, it reveals fruity and citrus aromatic treasures, and already a hint of smoke and flint that promises wonders. On the palate, it confirms with notes of white and yellow fruits (apricot, apple, peach, mandarin) and rare and splendid smoky, earthy, and siliceous accents. Its voluptuous texture will wonderfully envelop smoked fish, white meats, and mushrooms. The elegance and maturity of the wine reflect the old vines from which it comes, planted in 1935 on tuffeau, marl limestone and flint clay soils on the left bank of the Loire. Despite aging for twenty-four months in barrels, this wine has a low alcohol content and retains a very nice minerality. The harvest is processed directly by pressing and the aging is one year in barrels.

To find out more
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. His principle, he confides, is "to produce complex, rich wines, with good aging potential and imbued with the minerality of their terroir." The vines are located on hillsides, between 60 and 120 meters above sea level, protected from the north winds by the Bercé forest. Depending on the altitude, the terroirs are predominantly clay (at the bottom of the slope), flint (mid-slope) or sand (on the higher ground). The 60-hectare vineyard comprises around fifteen plots. The grape varieties are the two traditionally authorized varieties in the appellation: Chenin for the whites and Pineau d'Aunis for 90% of the reds, the remainder consisting of a few ares of Côt, Gamay and Grolleau. The average age of the vines is seventy years, including almost two hectares of century-old vines and one and a half hectares of vines aged between sixty and eighty years. Convinced of the enormous potential that these old vines can bring to his vintages, Renaud undertakes meticulous work to restore the vineyard. 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 Pineaux d'Aunis are 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 and then poured into barrels by gravity. Fermentation takes place in barrels, on indigenous yeasts, with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months and sometimes up to thirty-six months.