Les meilleures affaires

BB "Hondos" Red 2019,

Partida Creus
Antonella Gerosa and Massimo Marchiori, 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 found a wealth 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 heritage rescue, no: it's a matter of taste and nature. Of natural wines, which they will continue to make 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. This is why their estate is as important from a winemaking perspective as it is from a historical perspective - we are talking here about the history of the vine in Catalonia.
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, 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 but always straightforward and impeccably juicy and fruity, breathe life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits exclamations of joy. This 100% Bobal is a racy and finely wild red from the Hondos plot, built on a grape variety common in Spain but whose expression is very original here. Dark cherry red color; on the nose, candy, sweet flowers, fresh fruits, violet, thyme. On the palate, a lot of distinction: a straight acidity and morello cherry, ripe plum, black pepper, a small saline touch on the finish. Serve well chilled.

Fleurie Red 2022

Frédéric Cossard

Vinified by Frédéric Cossard, this vintage is an organic and natural red wine from Beaujolais, in the AOC Fleurie, one of the ten Beaujolais appellations located in the northern part of the country. It combines the typical characteristics of the granite soils and the Gamay grape variety of Beaujolais with the Frédéric Cossard touch, with fullness and respect for the terroir.

Vinification

100% Gamay from Beaujolais growing on granite soils, harvested by hand, it first undergoes a carbonic maceration of fifteen days in whole bunches. After pressing, it is aged for a year in concrete eggs, which rounds it out and highlights the fruit.

Tasting

A superb Cossard in Beaujolais version: this Fleurie is fruity, tangy, delicious, fine and elegant, typical of its appellation. Lovely bright color, raspberry, cherry, a touch of violet. It is made to accompany the best charcuterie, but you can also accompany any kind of cooked dish, red meats, white meats or roast poultry.

Learn more about Frédéric Cossard and the domaine de Chassorney

Frédéric Cossard and the domaine de Chassorney give the floor in organic and natural mode to the wines of Burgundy (and elsewhere), undistorted by agricultural chemicals, according to the style and convictions of this winegrower and merchant. Wherever the grapes come from, its wines bear the Cossard brand, both classic and creative.

Between viticulture and trade

Frédéric Cossard created the domaine de Chassorney in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own trading house and buys organic grapes from the greatest climates of Burgundy, but also from Jura, Languedoc and elsewhere.

A solid commitment to nature

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

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.

Toile de Fond White 2022

Fond Cyprès

Lovely texture, fluidity, citrus notes (lemon), and a seductive liveliness. We present to you for the first time Toile de Fond Blanc, the little white brother of Toile de Fond Rouge. This white wine, classified as a Vin de France, is very fresh, with non-filtration explaining its slightly cloudy color. A lovely, thirst-quenching white wine, it is made from Grenache Blanc and Roussanne grown on the same plot and therefore sharing the qualities of their native soil. These grapes are from the excellent 2022 harvest, vinified entirely in stainless steel vats and bottled in the spring. It's typically a summer wine, perfect with raw seafood, raw fish, and delicate tapas. Drink before fall.

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 had a clear objective: "to make southern wines that reflect us, wines with character, rooted in our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They want to create entirely natural wines, concentrated terroir. In the old Corbières massif, they are taking over an old heart of the estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache grapes, which have seen neither fertilizer nor pesticides for years: these clean, 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. The vinification is done without the addition of sulfites or exogenous yeasts. "We make wines for pleasure," say Laetitia and Rodolphe. For them, natural wine is first assessed by taste, from the harvest. The vintages closely follow the plots, the musts are fruity, fluid, and complex. The wines of Fond Cyprès poetically evoke the estate's ecosystem and the vegetation that protects the plots: the pine forests, the shady springs, the beauty of the natural environment that brings freshness to the wines and leaves the soil's signature. Deliciously balanced between mineral imprint, vegetal environment and expression of fruit, the wines of Fond Cyprès reflect the South: the caress of its sun, but also the freshness of its shadows.

Es d'aqui Casse Tête Red 2020

Jean Louis Pinto

Seductive, deep, dense, with a strong personality, Casse-Tête is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Mourvèdre. The Cabernet comes from an alluvial terrace with large pebbles in the Tarn region, and the Mourvèdre from clay-limestone soil. The harvest macerates for twenty days in whole bunches and the aging is done on lees in sandstone jars.

To find out more

A child of Ariège, Jean-Louis Pinto chose to stay in the country and make wines that resemble their terroir, hence the name Es d’Aqui (“It’s, it’s from here”) that he gave to his winemaking business, located in Moulin-Neuf, a town near Aude, between Mirepoix and Limoux. A region where vines once abounded, until the major attacks of mildew at the beginning of the 20th century. Jean-Louis buys grapes grown organically by other winegrowers, his friends, in whom he has complete confidence. He doesn’t just buy the product, he monitors the fruit set, the ripening, and makes regular visits until August, in order to know the grapes before harvesting them. He vinifies it at home using natural methods, practicing long macerations with whole bunches. A three-week maceration is common for him, as are very gentle pressings in a vertical press. He says he has "a lot of vines in common" with his friend Anthony Tortul (La Sorga). His collection area extends throughout the Languedoc, particularly in the Hérault, around Adissan, Faugères and Saint-Chinian, as well as in the Aude (Limoux) and Tarn (Gaillac), two terroirs that are dear to him. It turns out that the typical Languedoc soils – schist, basalt, pebbles, clay-siliceous – particularly appeal to him for the freshness they give to the wines. "I make wines from the South," he says. I especially look for terroirs that give freshness, even if the wines are 14 degrees. " The grape varieties are, of course, typically Languedoc: Grenache, Carignan, Mauzac, Cinsault, Braucol, Duras and Sauvignon. The most powerful reds are made in five terracotta jars, which help him control the extraction and give his wines, he says, "a very crystalline side." The soil, the place, as we understand it, are of the utmost importance to him: once again, the name of his estate Es d'Aqui was not chosen by chance.
"

Saint Romain Combe Bazin White 2021

Domaine de Chassorney

The nose is floral and beautifully mineral. White flowers, yellow fruits (Mirabelle plum, peach), and a hint of toasted brioche. On the palate, this white Saint-Romain, made from Chardonnays grown in the Combe Bazin area, is intense, long, and flavorful; it bears the imprint of its beautiful terroir. This pure Chardonnay comes from a steep, east-facing plot between 280 and 400 meters above sea level. The soils are primarily marl, limestone, and clay. After skin maceration, aging is about a year in barrels. The Combe Bazin climate is known for producing mineral, lively, sapid, and persistent wines, with the added bonus of Burgundian smoothness. If you give this wine a few years, it will develop a rich, honeyed, mellow, and distinguished note, but it is good to drink immediately.

To find out more
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 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 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 wine 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 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.

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.

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 [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.

Alberto López Calvo - Vino Tinto (Red) 2010

Bodegas Coruña del Conde
Alberto López Calvo, the estate's historic Bordeaux-style vintages are made from Tempranillo (75%), followed by Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) and Merlot (5%). These are beautiful wines with an intense garnet red color, elegant, complex, deep, and silky, with well-integrated tannins.

Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Rivo Gin 2017, Magi

Rivo
The bottle and label are sublime, as is the content (43% alcohol): on the nose, a great freshness welcomes you with notes of pine sap, citrus, and white honey. On the palate, lemon balm and juniper assert themselves, giving way to a lemony note—coriander seed—followed by a bouquet of wild plants. An elegant, tangy gin, best drunk very, very cold, whether you choose to add it to a cocktail (see our martini) or enjoy it on its own.
Our recipe: Rivo martini
The right product pairing: Organic Gravlax salmon from Ireland

Argile White 2020,

Château Lafitte

Argile is a dry Jurançon, 100% Petit Manseng, produced by direct pressing, fermented and aged in terracotta jars. This wine, with its strong personality, will surprise you with its balance, length, and frank minerality. Fresh, long, and lively, with a continuous line between tension and fruit, enhanced by a unique aromatic palette due to fermentation and aging in terracotta. It's a real companion to oysters and seafood, but it also tastes great on its own. Harvested by hand in mid-September, the grapes are healthy and meticulously sorted. Petit Manseng lends itself to the production of very fine wines, with aromas that faithfully reflect their terroir and region. No chemical additives in the vineyard or cellar, no added sulfites. Keep it in the cellar for two to five years.

Find out more
Château Lafitte is located in Béarn, on the noble terroir of Jurançon, the origin of superb sweet wines and dry wines that have nothing to envy. Since the 14th century, Monein, the commune where the estate is located, has been nestled in an exceptional natural, rich, and hilly environment. In the 16th century, vines already occupied a significant part of the property, and they have persisted to this day. Philippe and Brigitte Arraou, the current owners, have undertaken to revive viticulture on the site, helped since 2012 by their son Antoine, a winemaker as passionate as his parents. Château Lafitte is now managed biodynamically and with agroforestry: five hectares of marl-limestone soils typical of the appellation, on a hilly terrain that can become very cold in winter. The king grape varieties of Jurançon, Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng, represent the majority of the grape varieties. Also typical of Jurançon and the Pyrénées-Atlantiques in general, viticulture en hautains, that is to say raised and trained very high, is practiced. As it was in many primitive vineyards, some of which are still active (Portugal, Spain, Georgia, etc.). On this beautiful estate, winemaking experiments are legion: aging in terracotta jars for dry wines, solera for sweet wines in untopped barrels, photovoltaic roofs for the cellar, rainwater harvesting, gravity-fed vinification. Château Lafitte produces sweet Jurançons as well as still dry wines and a very successful natural sparkling wine, Funambule.

Cabernat Red 2019,

Domaine Capmartin

Cabernat is a red wine with no additives or added sulfur, made from Cabernet Sauvignon grown on east-facing plots on clay-gravel soils. The grape variety has the particularity, for this cuvée, of being harvested slightly overripe. The average age of the vines is fifteen years. The planting of cover crops allows for soil decompaction and provides nutritional support, alternating with natural grass cover. The harvest is destemmed and macerated carbonically with pressing in the first third of fermentation. Alcoholic fermentation ends in the liquid phase. Aging is six months on lees in stainless steel vats. Drink this first natural cuvée from Simon Capmartin within the year: it may surprise you upon opening with the presence of carbon dioxide and appear quite closed. The winemaker strongly recommends careful decanting, which will allow beautiful notes of ripe fruit to emerge that are "quite stunning" (we quote).

To find out more

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 cuvée, was born. In the 2000s, he 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, the Demeter label is in progress. Taking advantage of his most specific plots of the estate, Simon also undertakes to produce natural cuvées, without input and according to the principle of minimal interventionism. Labeled Vin de France or Côtes-de-Gascogne, these are the cuvées that we offer you 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.

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.

Tireur des Litres Red 2018

Domaine La Sorga

Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Cuvée 0.72+ (exclusive cuvée) Red 2019 Magnum

De Vini
Exclusive to Culinaries, 0.72+ red is a merchant cuvée produced by Christophe Bosque of the De Vini estate, located in the Nantes region. The vines from which it is produced, 80% Grenache Noir, 10% Syrah, and 10% Viognier, are located in the Côtes du Rhône region, in Rochefort-du-Gard, and grow on a pebble-rich soil similar to that of nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Classified as a Vin de France, it has its counterpart in white.

Vinification
The vines are managed biodynamically and the grapes are macerated for two weeks on the skins and fermented on indigenous yeasts: no pumping over, no crushing, as little intervention as possible. Just a little punching down. No filtration, no fining, no sulfites.

Tasting
0.72+ red has a slightly dark ruby ​​color, with faded rose tones. This floral note is found on the nose and palate. The presence of white Viognier in this red blend gives this wine a floral side, a rather rare note of white flowers. A little prune, a complex yet light aromatic structure, a pleasant salivating side. This is a beautiful wine that still has good years ahead of it, especially in the magnum format which polishes all its qualities. Great length, great structure on the palate. 0.72+ is a robust wine that will pair well with solid dishes and anything containing truffles. Let's pair it without further ado with a nice grilled meat (a rib of beef from Maison Aitana) and let's heat up for the occasion a good truffle sauce from Maison Pébeyre.

Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini
De Vini, along with the Vinilibre winery, is the multifaceted business of Christophe Bosque, originally from Saint-Nazaire. He has always been passionate about wine. We are particularly interested in his local creations, produced from his two-hectare vineyard and fermented in underground vats in the Nantes style—a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in natural form.

Gabbro Fondu
After spending years as a wine merchant, importer, and then wine merchant, this former cameraman, who holds a BTS in oenology and viticulture, acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in Gorges, Loire-Atlantique, near Clisson, in 2017. The soils there consist of gabbro on a granite substrate, a pedological configuration specific to the Nantes region and particularly to Clisson. Christophe is full of praise for this type of soil.

Muscadet for the better
Christophe's vintages may come from grapes purchased from the best French terroirs, particularly in Languedoc, but the winemaker retains a special affection for his vines, which he maintains with passion and attention to the terroir. A touch of humor and a sense of pun can be seen on his labels and in his appellations, but in the bottle, they are serious, off-the-beaten-track wines, just the way he likes them.

BB "Las Hoces" Red 2019

Partida Creus
Partida Creus is the creation of two Piedmontese natives from the Langhe (where wine is well-known), Antonella Gerosa and Massimo Marchiori, who 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 found a wealth 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 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. This is why their estate is as important from a winemaking point of view as from a historical point of view - we are talking here about the history of the vine in Catalonia.

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, 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 but always straight and impeccably juicy and fruity, breathe life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits exclamations of joy.

This 100% Bobal is a racy and finely wild red from the Las Hoces plot, built on a grape variety common in Spain but whose expression here is very original. Dark cherry red color; on the nose, candy, sweet flowers, fresh fruits, violet, thyme. On the palate, a lot of distinction: a straight acidity and morello cherry, ripe plum, black pepper, a small saline touch on the finish. Serve well chilled.

La Barbacana Red 2019,

La Senda
La Bodega La Senda is the creation of Diego Losada, a native of Bierzo, a region northwest of the province of León, bordered to the north by Asturias and to the west by Galicia. Pilgrims traveling to Santiago de Compostela via the Camino Francés or the Camino de Invierno can admire its magnificent landscapes, where ancient vineyards cover the hilltops. Viticulture dates back to Roman times, but the region was so traumatized by the phylloxera crisis that vines were not replanted until the mid-20th century, without massive uprooting, giving these vines an average age of forty to seventy years. Born in Ponferrada, in the northern Bierzo, Diego was never one for compromise. Resolutely radical, with a love of freedom and rigor, he first applied this disposition to music in the heavy metal band he formed with his high school friends. It was to wine, later, that he would devote this same passion, studying organic chemistry at university and learning the scientific aspects of viticulture. But the scientific rigidity and conventional methods, discovered on some of the estates where he worked, did not satisfy him. Attracted by a viticulture closer to the land, Diego recovered a few plots to showcase, as naturally as possible, the terroir of Bierzo. In 2012, he created the La Senda estate on the outskirts of his hometown, whose name means "the path." His wines will be like him: honest, frank, natural and expressive. Without the appellation of origin, they are the pure reflection of their soils and climate, of the personality and energy of their creator. La Barbacana is named after the plot that produced the grapes, a vineyard more than a century old planted on schist, ferrous and quartz soils at an altitude of 650 meters. The grape varieties are mainly Garnacha Tintorera (90%), with ten percent Mencia. The harvest is macerated in chestnut barrels and pressed before the end of fermentation, after which the must rests for eleven months in 650-liter chestnut barrels. Pure, deep, complex, this wine has a beautiful acidity and an equally beautiful length. It is a fruity and juicy red that will accompany the most rustic specialties of the Spanish terroir.
Natural wine without added sulfites.

Farmhouse Cider 2017,

Florian Bourrienne

Florian Bourrienne makes ciders for aging, intended to evolve over the years, and this sets him apart from most other producers. His orchard is located in the heart of Calvados, in the Pays d'Auge, but outside the AOC (Protected Designation of Origin) in order to preserve the freedom and uniqueness of his ciders. We can, without hesitation, call it natural cider, because the cider maker goes beyond organic to respect the traditional production method, which is delicate, patient, and requires a tremendous amount of work. From his fifteen-hectare orchard planted with tall stems, he produces ciders for aging, excellent to drink in their youth but sumptuous after several years. The blend is carefully measured according to the characteristics of each vintage. The fruit production is entirely organic and the fermentation processes—there are two for traditional cider—are slow and patient, so that the cider is made the right way, using natural yeasts. These are preserved in the cider thanks to a light filtration that respects all the living elements capable of polishing the taste and aromas, but also facilitates the formation of foam, which must be just right: neither too strong nor too weak. It's difficult to manage, but the result is well worth it. These are mastered ciders, eminently delicious, marked by an extraordinary sweetness and roundness of apple. Over time, they acquire notes of acidity and astringency that gracefully reinforce their beautiful aromatic palette. These are ciders of taste and pleasure, as delicious at the table as they are as an aperitif.

Obviously more evolved than the 2018, this 2017 vintage has a more sustained acidity in an overall still very marked by sweetness. Round, full-bodied, slightly astringent, it is approaching adulthood and you can drink it now or keep it for three to five years. The apple flavor is enhanced with a remarkable freshness. A sunny cider that puts you in a good mood.

Es d’aqui Danslezetoiles Rouge 2015

Jean-Louis Pinto
This blend of Braucol, Carignan, and Muscat grown on clay-limestone soils was vinified in amphorae. Notes of candied black fruit and leather are added to the fruity and herbaceous notes, to the delight of natural wine adventurers. Plenty of aromatic presence, character, and originality.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
Serves with: Organic Cul Noir pork sausage

Eveil Blanc 2023

Domaine Einhart

A dry and vibrant white, combining freshness and conviviality

The Domaine Einhart, a rising star in natural wine in Alsace, offers us here an exclusive cuvée full of character: Éveil 2023. This dry and balanced white, labeled organic, is a tribute to the limestone terroirs and emblematic Alsatian grape varieties. Composed of 35% Riesling, 35% Auxerrois, and 30% Gewurztraminer, this wine expresses all the richness of its loamy, clayey, and limestone soil, grown on plots located on cool, windswept hillsides.

A Tasting Experience in Elegance

With a luminous pale gold color, Éveil 2023 opens with a delicate nose blending subtle aromas of bergamot and white flowers. On the palate, the freshness is pronounced, with a lovely mineral tension and a slight salinity. Its ample texture and slightly spicy aromatic profile make this a white wine that is both lively and generous, supported by beautiful acidity and a lingering finish.

Authentic winemaking

The grapes, hand-harvested in 20kg crates, undergo meticulous treatment in the cellar. After a short 24-hour maceration to initiate fermentation, they are pressed directly. Fermentation is carried out by indigenous yeasts, guaranteeing a pure expression of the fruit and terroir. It is then aged for 8 months in Pinot Noir barrels, on fine lees, to give the wine its balance and depth.