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On fait souvent remonter la Genèse du vin au septième millénaire avant notre ère, dans le Caucase là où le vin était élevé en kvrevris (ou qvrevris), de grandes jarres de 3500 litres enterrées dans le sol. Traditionnellement, le vin a toujours été comme ce que l'on considère aujourd'hui bio mais la mention "vin bio" apparait elle à la fin du XXe siècle, en réaction à l'hyper-industrialisation du vin. En effet, c'est dans un contexte de globalisation du vin au sortir de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale que les productions viticoles commencent à inonder le marché mondial à coup de vins remplis d'intrants et produits chimiques de synthèse afin d'obtenir des rendements plus élevés et une production plus standardisée, c'est ce qu'on appelle le vin conventionnel. Le vin bio est donc une réponse logique au vin conventionnel, il se veut plus respectueux de l'environnement et répond à un cahier des charges stricte qui encadre la production du vin.
Le vin biologique est donc un vin (vin rouge, vin blanc, vin rosé, vin orange, vin pétillant) issu de l'agriculture biologique. Le vin bio a d'abord répondu au cahier des charges européen de 1991 encadrant les principes de l'agriculture biologique seulement à la vigne. Ce n'est qu'en 2012 qu'est publié un nouveau cahier des charges européen stipulant cette fois une réglementation de l'agriculture biologique également en cave.
Comme susmentionné, le vin issu de l'agriculture bio existe théoriquement depuis toujours mais ce n'est donc que depuis 2012 qu'il est encadré et réglementé par un cahier des charges stricte à la vigne comme au chai. Pour faire un résumé succinct de ses obligations, le vin bio doit être composé de raisins certifiés biologiques, tout comme le sucre, le moût ou l'alcool qui sont utilisés lors de la chaptalisation et le mutage. Aussi, son cahier des charges interdit certaines pratiques de vinification comme la désalcoolisation, l'électrodialyse ou la thermovinification. L'Union Européenne ordonne également un taux de sulfite inférieur de 50 milligrammes par litre par rapport aux vins conventionnels, soit 100 milligrammes par litre maximum pour les vins rouges bio et 150 milligrammes par litre maximum pour les vins blancs bio.
Le secteur du bio est en plein essor, il représente près de 10% des surfaces viticoles mondiales en 2021 avec une croissance de +3.2% par rapport à 2020 et +78% en 10 ans. La France est leader dans le domaine en accueillant près d'un tiers des vignes biologiques mondiales, suivie de ses voisins italiens et espagnols. Mais l'agriculture biologique n'est pas seulement un bienfait pour l'environnement, c'est également un vecteur de bien-être social. Selon une étude menée par Riccardo Vecchio, l'industrie des vins issus de l'agriculture biologique crée 50% d'emplois en plus que l'industrie du vin conventionnel, offrant des emplois d'ailleurs plus stables avec un tiers des exploitations certifiées embauchant un ou plusieurs salariés permanents, contre un sur cinq pour les exploitations non certifiées.
Quels sont les différents labels bio reconnus en France?
C'est l'INAO qui délègue les activités de contrôle et de certification Agriculture Biologique à des organismes certificateurs indépendants et agréés, dont Agrocert, Bureau Veritas Certification France, Certipaq bio, Certis, Certisud, Ecocert, Qualisud, Bureau Alpes Contrôles. Tous les ans, les vignobles certifiés sont auditées par un de ces organismes, en cas d'irrégularité c'est un catalogue unique de mesures qui est appliqué. Un projet de label pour identifier les exploitations en phase de conversion (sur une ou plusieurs années) est également à l'étude.
Cependant, pour certains vignerons le label AB est trop souple et laisse place à une agriculture qui se veut biologique mais qui présente des dérives à certains égards industrielles, avec notamment un soutien de la grande distribution qui tente de s'accaparer ces nouvelles opportunités de marché. Dès lors, deux nouveaux labels voient le jour: Nature & Progrès et Bio Cohérence présentent un cahier des charges plus strict avec notamment l'interdiction de vente par les canaux de grande distribution, une mesure dont la mise en place vise à favoriser le circuit court.
A noter qu'il existe de nombreux autres labels catégorisant les vins bio qui présentent un cahier des charges plus strict. Demeter et Biodyvin encadrent les vins biodynamiques ou issus d'une vinification en biodynamie, une viticulture ésotérique qui considère la vigne comme un écosystème vivant avec une législation plus rigoureuse sur les opérations réalisées en cave. Plus strict que la biodynamie (ou vin biodynamique), le label Vin Méthode Nature propose une charte du vin nature avec un accent mis sur le faible ajout de sulfites dans le vin et l'usage de levures indigènes. Terra Vitis et Haute Valeur Environnementale sont deux labels qui agissent en faveur du développement durable, passant par la préservation de la biodiversité, des stratégies phytosanitaires et une gestion de la fertilisation et de l'irrigation des sols.
Enfin, il convient également de rappeler que de nombreux viticulteurs refusent d'être catégorisés dans un label quel qu'il soit car cela reviendrait à renier le principe du contre-modèle agricole: s'émanciper des normes standardisées, ne pas rentrer dans des cases. On peut y voir un moyen pour le vigneron de s'affirmer comme unique et identitaire.
En quoi consommer du vin bio est meilleur pour l'environnement ?
L'une des grandes forces des vignerons bio c'est leur capacité à redonner vie aux sols ainsi qu'à la faune et flore environnante. En France, la viticulture concentre 20% de l'usage des pesticides agricoles, contre seulement 3% des surfaces agricoles. La viticulture biologique s'impose donc comme un espoir écologique: peu voire pas d'utilisation des produits phytosanitaires, un recours aux engrais organiques et au compost, une réduction jusqu'à un tiers des émissions de CO2 par rapport au vin conventionnel. Avec un meilleur respect de la vigne, on assiste d'un côté à une renaissance des sols qui vient ralentir l'érosion et favoriser la faune et flore souterraine, et d'un autre côté à une renaissance des pollinisateurs (abeilles, papillons...) grâce à une présence de vie de plus en plus accrue entre les vignes (haies, plantes sauvages, arbustes...).
La viticulture biologique permet également une meilleure gestion de l'eau avec notamment moins de stress hydrique (plus de matière organique dans les sols permet de mieux retenir l'eau) et surtout une plus faible irrigation artificielle (on privilégie plutôt la résilience de la vigne). Chaque cuvée, chaque millésime, chaque bouteille, en bref chaque vin issu de l'agriculture biologique est donc directement influencé par les aléas climatiques, ce qui permet de produire un vin (vin rouge, vin blanc, vin rosé, vin orange, vin pétillant) à la personnalité propre et bien marquée.
En quoi consommer du vin bio est-ce meilleur pour la santé ?
Nul ne peut nier que l'alcool et donc le vin est dangereux pour la santé et est à consommer avec modération, néanmoins là où le vin conventionnel peut contenir des résidus de pesticides, intrants et produits chimiques, le vin biologique lui réduit la présence de ces substances nocives. Il regorge également de bactéries et levures vivantes qui peuvent avoir des bienfaits sur le microbiote, parmi lesquels on retrouve une amélioration du fonctionnement des vaisseaux sanguins, une amélioration de la protection des cellules du cerveau contre les dommages cognitive, une réduction du risque de certains types de cancer (et notamment le cancer du sein), une meilleure digestion grâce à la production d'enzymes digestives stimulées par le vin.
Une autre qualité indéniable du vin biologique pour la santé, c'est la réduction des sulfites, ces conservateurs utilisés massivement dans le vin conventionnel pour stabiliser le vin. A quantité équivalente ingérée, un vin biologique causera moins de maux de tête le lendemain qu'un vin conventionnel !
Quels sont les avantages à faire du bio pour les vignerons ?
Quand on parle de vin bio, on pense souvent à la santé de notre planète ou de notre corps mais on pense bien moins souvent à celle de nos vignerons. Il n'est malheureusement pas rare d'observer des cas de cancers ou problèmes respiratoires chez les viticulteurs, à cause des produits chimiques de synthèse utilisés comme les pesticides, herbicides, fongicides ou engrais. A l'inverse, le vin bio a pour ambition la réduction drastique de ces substances, une viticulture biologique est donc bénéfique pour ceux qui travaillent la vigne au quotidien.
Bien que l'agriculture biologique demande davantage d'efforts physiques et organisationnels, elle expose largement moins les viticulteurs aux produits toxiques. L'utilisation de méthodes alternatives est par ailleurs bénéfique d'un point de vue psychologique dans la mesure où certains producteurs déclarent que la qualité du vin bio produit offre et apporte un sens profond à leur métier, et selon un cercle vertueux, cela permet de préserver une relation respectueuse, attentive et intuitive à leur travail du vin.
Mais l'agriculture biologique est également synonyme de circuit court et donc de soutien des économies locales avec un jeu gagnant pour tous : le consommateur dispose d'une traçabilité totale des bouteilles consommées et le producteur dispose d'un revenu qui reflète davantage la réalité de son travail. On obtient donc un système vertueux où le viticulteur dispose de davantage de moyens financiers, il peut donc se permettre d'expérimenter de nouvelles choses (nouveaux cépages par exemple) et ainsi augmenter la satisfaction de ses consommateurs.
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Cuvée 0.72+ (exclusive cuvée) White 2022,
De Vini
0.72+ is a dry, organic, natural white wine made without any added sulfites or chemical additives by Christophe Bosque of De Vini. It comes straight from the land of Muscadet, the Loire estuary. Without having the appellation (it is in Vin de France), it can be considered a muscadet and drunk as such.
In the vineyard and in the cellar
0.72 + white from De Vini is made from 100% melon de Bourgogne (another name for the muscadet grape variety) planted in Maisdon-sur-Sèvre (Loire-Atlantique) on gabbro soils characteristic of the region. Gabbro is an igneous rock with a grainy texture resting on a granite subsoil, and this produces splendid, lively and mineral white wines. Gabbro and granite are Vinilibre's preferred soils and constitute a precious wine-growing heritage. The wine was aged in buried cement vats (traditional in this region) for a year, on lees, without any additives.
If you want to know...
The name of the cuvée comes from an anecdote: originally, due to a small technical incident during bottling, it did not contain exactly the standard quantity. The error has since been corrected (0.72 + of De Vini is in its fourth vintage).
Tasting
Let's hear from the winemaker: "It tastes like the fire of God!" Three years in the bottle have only polished, chiseled, and improved it. "The older the gabbro, the better it is," also confides its author. This wine is excellent to drink now or later, very cold. An elegant acidity mixed with a balancing roundness, a saline and salivating side make 0.72 + an unfailing companion to raw seafood, oysters, sashimi and sushi, fish tartare and carpaccio, or smoked fish. This cuvée also exists in red.
Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini
De Vini, along with the Vinilibre winery, is the multi-faceted 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 vineyard of some two hectares and fermented in buried vats in the Nantes style - a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in natural mode.
Gabbro Fondu
After spending years as a merchant, importer, then wine merchant, this former cameraman with a BTS in oenology-viticulture acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in Gorges, in Loire-Atlantique, near Clisson in 2017. The soils there are made up 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.
Palli et Genesia (exclusive vintage) White 2022
Fine, delicate, fresh, and deliciously muscatel-like, Palli & Genesià is an organic, biodynamic, and natural wine with no additives or sulfites. It is one of five white vintages in the Sous le Végétal series, and, like three others, is made from small-grain Muscat grapes from the island of Samos (an archipelago in the eastern Aegean). It expresses all the minerality of the pink granite soil from which it is made. Palli & Genesià Genesià comes from vines planted near the village of Platanos, pruned en goblet on an old vineyard, abandoned and brought back to life—hence its name, derived from palingenesià, “rebirth” in Greek. The vines are cultivated organically in conversion to permaculture, without any additives in the vineyard or the cellar, and the harvest is manual. As with all other Sous le Végétal cuvée, fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats and terracotta amphorae. The wine is bottled by gravity and sealed with a black beeswax cork. The black glass bottle guarantees aging. Palli & Genesià is the perfect accompaniment to seafood and Eastern Mediterranean meze. You can open it with friends to enjoy tapas or seafood starters: we suggest, for example, preserves from Calle El Tato. Palli & Genesià will also go very well with cheeses, for example the Auvergne tommes and fourmes from Ferme Pradel.
Learn more about Sous le Végétal
Beneath the plant lies the mineral: this is the meaning of this concept of natural vintages exclusively from Culinaries, created in Greece, on the island of Samos, by a team gathered around Patrick Bouju. Sous le Végétal also takes under its wing the vintages A la Natural signed Patrick Bouju.
History
Sous le Végétal marks the rebirth of the thousand-year-old vineyard of this island in the eastern Aegean Sea with its dense, wooded vegetation. This rich plant life covers a unique and varied subsoil: volcanic rocks (basalts), limestone, quartz, pink granites, schists, iron cast iron... In Sous le Végétal, the winemakers of Samos rediscover the wine they made in their childhood, proving once again that natural wine allows, through innovative projects, to reconnect with forgotten traditions.
Grape varieties and vinification
Four of the seven vintages of Sous le Végétal — Livia, Hüpnos, Octave, Palli & Genesia and Auguste — are produced on around sixty plots of Samos muscat à petits grains between 400 and 910 meters above sea level. The other vintages, Auguste, Alexandre and Sémélé, are respectively based on avgoustiatis, asyrtiko and a blend of Samos muscat and avgoustiatis. Each plot is vinified separately. Four types of winemaking containers are used: amphorae, concrete eggs, stainless steel vats, and 500-liter barrels. Each plot is vinified in at least two of the four containers, and the wine is aged in black, wax-sealed bottles. No sulfur is added or filtration is performed.
L'Arroseur Rosé 2021,
De Vini
L’Arroseur is an atypical rosé with a high drinkability, the kind of wine its creator, Christophe Bosque, calls a "4 X 4," that is, an all-terrain vehicle, equally at home as an aperitif, with a meal, or in any other circumstance. "It's a good conversation wine; it goes with everything," he says. Christophe had once said to himself, "I'll never make a rosé," because he had drunk few that he really liked. For him, a rosé is very hard to make, often with disappointing results. Yet, he made one, and it doesn't disappoint anyone! “You expect a rosé on the palate, but what you get is something completely different, drier and more varietal: it’s one of those wines that, for me, are neither a rosé, nor a white, nor a red. I call them blouge or rouange.” Whichever category you choose, this cuvée is interesting in its own right. It’s a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Colombard, and Grolleau, with a complement of Melon de Bourgogne. “The big surprise,” says Christophe, “was the Colombard, a very acidic grape variety with varietals, which was once used to give aroma to Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne is as neutral as you can get, and that’s precisely what makes it so magical). We blended grape varieties from three different estates, and since it lacked a bit of volume, we added Melon de Bourgogne.” This varietal Colombard paired well with the Cabernet Franc and Merlot. I have no hesitation in saying that this wine is a UFO." All the grape varieties that make up L'Arroseur are pressed directly. The must is fermented in buried vats in the Nantes style, lined with sandstone tiles, and its aging also takes place in vats, on lees. Bottling was done in spring 2022.
To find out more
The De Vini, Vinilibre estate is the multi-faceted business of Christophe Bosque, originally from Saint-Nazaire. He has always been passionate about wine, and after spending years as a merchant, importer, and then wine merchant, this former cameraman trained in oenology and viticulture acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in Gorges, in 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's vintages may come from grapes purchased from the best French terroirs, notably in Languedoc, but the winemaker retains a particular 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. We are particularly interested in his local creations, produced from his vineyard of some two hectares and fermented in underground vats in the Nantes style - a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in natural mode.
Morgon Côte du Py Red 2020,
Plum, cherry, flesh, structure: this is a Gamay that's full of Morgon, and for good reason. Juice, sap, gurgling, and pleasure: the famous Côte du Py has struck again, with all its spices, fruit, and overflowing minerality. This is the result of the combined work of winemakers Damien Coquelet and Frédéric Cossard. This wine is the result of semi-carbonic maceration of whole bunches, and is aged for ten months in concrete eggs.
Find out more
Les En-Hauts is not strictly speaking a wine estate but a project of vintages produced in partnership between Damien Coquelet and Frédéric Cossard. These two great figures of Burgundy viticulture—yes, Beaujolais is in Burgundy—had every reason to join forces to produce colorful and flavorful vintages together.
Frédéric Cossard is a biodynamic and natural star of Burgundy winemaking, who gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undeformed by agricultural chemicals. His vintages are pure and elegant without artifice and are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. His practice is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in other regions. His vines are tended 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. Damien Coquelet, for his part, is the worthy successor of the great organic winemakers to whom we owe the advent of nature in the Beaujolais region: he is the son-in-law of Georges Descombes, and Jean Foillard was his mentor, who continued the pioneering work of Jules Chauvet and Marcel Lapierre. Owning nine hectares in Morgon on granite-sandy soils, he cultivates two and a half hectares plus a few leased vines: in all, four hectares on the legendary Côte du Py. A specialist in Morgons qui morgonnant and Chiroubles qui chiroublent, he embodies the true nature of Beaujolais.
Cuvée 0.72+ (exclusive cuvée) White 2023
De Vini
Vinified without additives or sulfites by Christophe Bosque of De Vini, 0.72+ is an organic and natural dry white wine. It comes straight from the land of Muscadet, the Loire estuary. Without having the appellation (it is classified as Vin de France), it can be considered a Muscadet and drunk as such.
In the vineyard and in the cellar
0.72+ white from De Vini is made from 100% Melon de Bourgogne (another name for the Muscadet grape variety) planted in Maisdon-sur-Sèvre (Loire-Atlantique) on gabbro soils characteristic of the region. Gabbro is a grainy igneous rock resting on a granite subsoil, contributing to the production of splendid, lively and mineral white wines. Gabbro and granite are Christophe Bosque's favorite soils. The wine was aged for one year on lees in buried cement vats (traditional in this region), without any additives.
If you want to know...
An anecdote explains the name of the cuvée: originally, due to a small technical incident during bottling, it did not contain exactly the standard quantity. The error has since been corrected (0.72+ of De Vini is in its fifth vintage).
Tasting
0.72+ white is excellent to drink now or later, well chilled. An elegant acidity mixed with a balancing roundness, a saline and salivating side make 0.72+ an unfailing companion to raw or smoked fish and seafood, especially oysters. This vintage also exists in red.
Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini
De Vini, along with the Vinilibre winery, is the dual activity 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 vineyard of some two hectares and fermented in buried vats in the Nantes style - a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in natural mode.
Gabbro Fondu
After spending years as a merchant, importer, then wine merchant, this former cameraman with a BTS in oenology-viticulture acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in Gorges, in Loire-Atlantique, near Clisson in 2017. The soils there are made up 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.
Palli et Genesia White 2019,
Fine, delicate, fresh, and deliciously muscatel-like, Palli & Genesià expresses the minerality of the granite soil (pink granite) from which it comes. It is one of five white wines in the Sous le Végétal series, and like three others, it is made from small-grain muscat native to the island of Samos (an archipelago in the eastern Aegean). Palli & Genesià Genesià comes from vines planted near the village of Platanos, pruned into goblet-shaped rows on an old vineyard, abandoned and brought back to life—hence the name of the cuvée, derived from palingenesià, “rebirth” in Greek. The vines are cultivated organically in conversion to permaculture, without any additives in the vineyard or cellar, and the harvest is manual. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats and terracotta amphorae. The wine is bottled by gravity and sealed with a black beeswax cork. The black glass bottle guarantees aging. This wine will pair perfectly with seafood and Eastern Mediterranean meze.
Find out more
Beneath the plant lies the mineral: this is the meaning of this concept of natural cuvées created in Greece, on the island of Samos, by a team of friends gathered around winemakers Jason Ligas and Patrick Bouju. The successful venture marks a renaissance for the ancient vineyards of this island in the North Aegean Sea, which owes its dense, wooded vegetation to various nicknames received in Antiquity, from Dryoussa (“covered with oaks”) to Kyparissia (“covered with cypresses”) and Melamphyllos (“With dark foliage”). This natural wealth covers a unique and varied subsoil: volcanic rocks, including basalt, limestone, quartz, pink granite, schist, iron cast iron, etc. The idea was born from Jason’s meeting with the Samos Wine Cooperative. Patrick Bouju soon joined the project. The five vintages of Sous le Végétal — Livia, Hüpnos, Octave, Palli & Genesia, and Auguste — are produced on around sixty plots of Samos Muscat à petits grains (and Avgoustiatis for the red vintage), between 400 and 910 meters above sea level. Each plot is vinified separately. Four types of containers are used for vinification: amphorae, concrete eggs, stainless steel vats, and 500-liter barrels. Each plot is vinified in at least two of the four containers, and the wine is aged in black bottles sealed with wax. No added sulfur, no filtration: the winemakers of Samos rediscover wine as it was made in their childhood. This is one of the wonders of natural wine: it allows, through the most innovative projects, to reconnect with forgotten traditions. Sous le Végétal also takes under its wing the A la Natural cuvées by Patrick Bouju.
I'm Natural Don't Panic #8 Red 2018
Bodegas Coruña del Conde
Julien López's I'm Natural, Don't Panic range consists of macerated wines. This 100% Tempranillo red is both powerful and supple; its freshness is the result of a high-altitude climate that subjects the vines to significant temperature variations. A lovely bouquet of red fruits and a beautiful balance of sweetness and minerality. Serve with tapas, grilled meats, or poultry.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.
Gentiane
"Auvergne is more of a secret than a province; we never seek it as much as when we've already found it." This beautiful phrase by Alexandre Vialatte expresses, in a way, the research of the creators of La Jeannette. These pure Auvergnats had the wonderful idea of reviving gentian, this traditional Auvergne liqueur, which is mainly drunk as an aperitif and blends well with blackcurrant liqueur. You know it: it has lit up many a bar counter with its bright yellow flash, tinged slightly with green, in the clinking of ice cubes. You may have found it, from one brand to another, a little too sweet. It is precisely on its flavor that the creators of La Jeannette have worked.
Many traditional liqueurs have been dusted off in recent years. Generally, this dusting consists of a reduction in sugar content, accompanied by an intensification of flavors and a firm intention to focus on wild, organic, and natural ingredients. For La Jeannette, it's a success. The products are 100% Auvergne: first, fresh gentian roots harvested on the slopes of the Auvergne volcanoes. This is the main element. Next, lemon verbena, also known to Auvergne liqueur makers, an infusion of vine peaches, and a touch of peppermint.
One small sip and you immediately understand that this is no longer Grandpa's gentian, even if it's a grandmother laughing at you on the label. You first perceive that no excess sugar hides the freshness of the ingredients. Because the attack is fresh: the peppermint overlaps the continuous bitter note of the gentian. It's very balanced and very successful. In the mid-palate, the verbena asserts itself and adds to the overall sensation of freshness. It's a beautiful bitterness, the flavor that cures all and lifts the spirits. Needless to say, any cocktail with a hint of bitterness is allowed (negroni, americano, spritz, etc.), but we find it so delicious that we enjoy it on its own over ice, or with one of our favorite tonics, Hysope.
What's more, Jeannette is involved: she's working to save wild gentian. During an Ulule campaign, one euro per bottle sold was donated to an Auvergne association dedicated to preserving this precious root, promoting its replanting in its natural environment. If our aperitif can also be eco-friendly, who's going to complain?
Côtes du Rhône Red 2022
This Côtes-du-Rhône from Domaine des Grandes Serres is what its name implies: an organic and natural red wine from the lower Rhône Valley, in the AOC-AOP Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages. It is part of the estate's "Comics" natural series (see label).
Vinification
The Côtes-du-Rhône from Domaine des Grandes Serres is made from 80% Syrah, with 5% of each of the following grape varieties: Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault, all grown on limestone and sandstone soils. The harvest is manual, the grapes are destemmed and macerated on the skins for three weeks. After pressing, the wine rests for eight months in stainless steel vats.
Tasting
A good, dense, indulgent, and fruity Côtes-du-Rhône, without the slight bite of sulfites, does that tempt you? This Côtes-du-Rhône is part of the estate's organic and natural "Comics" series and will always be perfect when you want a warm, fruity red wine suitable for all occasions.
Learn more about Domaine des Grandes Serres
Domaine des Grandes Serres, created in 1977 with respect for the environment and the terroir, represents the excellence and vitality, in organic and natural mode, of the prestigious Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, where it covers 12 hectares. To make his estate and merchant wines, he harvests, buys grapes, vinifies, and ages them over a wide area, centered around Châteauneuf and the southern Côtes-du-Rhône, extending to areas such as Lirac and the Costières de Nîmes.
An organic commitment without ostentation
A large portion of the Domaine des Grandes Serres vintages are organic and without added sulfites, although the estate does not publicly boast about it. Modestly, Samuel Montgermont, the estate's general manager, explains that the geological and climatic conditions, particularly the mistral wind, promote the health of the vineyard and allow for the elimination of inputs. While the labels don't take themselves seriously, the wines are solid, fresh, and flavorful.
Moscatell Blanc 2019,
Cyclic Beer Farm
Cyclic Beer Farm is a duo of Barcelona friends, Alberto and Joshua. Based in the Catalan capital, they have two sides to their business: beer (Cyclic Beer) and wine (Cyclic Wine). The beers, inspired by the Belgian model, come in surprising and colorful ranges where expertly blended yeast cocktails and house brews combine with varied macerations of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and grape marc from traditional Catalan varieties, the latter collected after the fermentation of their wines—because the second side is the wine, made exclusively from native Catalan grape varieties. As merchant winemakers, Alberto and Joshua personally harvest by hand from organic vineyards throughout Catalonia and bring the harvest back to their brewery-cum-winery workshop in La Sagrera (Barcelona). There, they sort the grapes, tread them by foot, and ferment the must using exclusively indigenous yeasts. Depending on the type of wine, skin maceration takes place on the skins and stems for between one and three days for whites and between six and fifteen days for reds. The free-run juice is then transferred without pressing into stainless steel tanks where fermentation continues before bottling. The skins and stems, and sometimes part of the juice, are then used for the maceration of saison beers: an interesting synergy between beer and wine. No sulfites are added during vinification; nothing is added or removed from the wine, which is never filtered. The harvest and other viticultural operations are decided according to the lunar calendar.
Moscatell is made entirely from Muscat de Frontignan (a variant of the white Muscat à petits grains) grown in Haut-Penedès, in Sant Pere de Ribes, on limestone soils. The age of the vines is not specified, but the altitude of the plot is 80 meters. The harvest is foot-trodden and macerates for a day on the skins and stems. It is then gently crushed again before finishing its fermentation in stainless steel vats. If this wine seemed to need a little time to develop when we tasted it upon arrival, it promises a lot: dry, aromatic, beautiful crisp acidity, lemon zest on the nose and palate, floral and highly drinkable. Decanting recommended.
MC Macabeu White 2019,
Partida Creus
MC Macabeu 2019 from Partida Creus is a rarity worth grabbing: this vintage may well be the only one of this unique cuvée. A true tribute to the Macabeu, an emblematic grape variety of Catalonia and northern Spain, this wine comes from an old and wild plot, where the vines grow tall, like lianas, offering a reduced and ultra-concentrated production.
A maceration wine with a strong character
Grown biodynamically and vinified without additives, MC Macabeu is a natural and lively wine, which boasts a strong identity. Maceration on the skins for ten days gives it a fine tannic structure and a beautiful aromatic intensity. Unfiltered and without added sulfites, it is a pure reflection of the Catalan terroir and the artisanal expertise of Massimo Marchiori and Antonella Gerosa.
An aromatic explosion and captivating texture
To the eye, it displays a bright amber color, characteristic of macerated wines. The nose is an explosion of stone fruit, with intense notes of peach, apricot, orange peel, and white flowers. On the palate, the texture is full, silky, and slightly tannic, balanced by vibrant freshness and a beautiful mineral tension. A long, saline finish adds even more depth to this characterful wine.
Food and Wine Pairings and Tasting Notes
Served around 12-14°C, MC Macabeu pairs wonderfully with Mediterranean dishes, mature cheeses, or fish in sauce and grilled seafood. It will also surprise with spicy or Asian cuisine, thanks to its balance between power and freshness. An authentic and vibrant wine, you absolutely have to try it before it disappears.
Riesling Blanc 2021
Domaine Einhart
The color of this Riesling from Domaine Einhart is a beautiful orange-yellow. The initial nose is delicate, slightly musky, with notes of grapefruit and dandelion flower. The second nose is fresher and more mineral, with aromas of thyme, aromatic herbs, and flint. The palate begins with vivacity and beautiful verticality; the minerality is typical of limestone. Dried herbs return before a lingering finish with remarkable salinity. Riesling, the lord of Eastern grape varieties, finds here an expression worthy of its nobility. Light skin maceration is successful for this grape variety, and this one is no exception. The twenty-five-year-old vines grow on the muschelkalk (oolitic limestone) soils of the Kreutzweg area. The grapes are harvested by hand and then directly pressed. Maceration, using indigenous yeasts, takes between four and eight days. Aging on fine lees is ten months in century-old beer barrels (an Alsatian specialty) and precedes bottling without filtration. From the vineyard to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives or sulfites. Decanting is recommended so that it can spread its wings and express its mineral notes.
To find out more
Located in the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, horizontally above Strasbourg, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family property whose vines are located on the hillsides that rise between the Alsace plain and the Vosges mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, i.e. shell limestone and oolitic limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone). Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. Faithful to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is a 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 firmly focused on skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvests, destemming of the grapes, 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.
Sans ordonnance White 2021,
Les Vignes du Domaine du Temps
The nose of Sans ordonnance is fine, complex, exotic without being excessive: the musky notes of the Muscat à Petit Grain are initially very discreet and then develop in the glass. The aroma unfolds on the palate with very controlled notes of ripeness, wisteria, honey candy, and yellow peach on a lovely acidic base. The freshness is wonderful, tempered by a touch of richness. A rich and expressive wine, excellent with fish and seafood. Sans ordonnance is composed of 60% Muscat à petits grains and 40% Viognier, grown on the clay-limestone soils of the Carcassonne region, near the Montagne Noire. The harvest ferments naturally in stainless steel vats before aging for nine months in oak barrels. Sans ordonnance is neither fined nor filtered.
Find out more
Domaine du Temps is located in Cabardès, a small region of Languedoc that was once a subdivision of Cathar Country. Stretching from the southern slope of the Montagne Noire to the city of Carcassonne, it is bordered to the west by the Lauragais and to the east by the Minervois. Hilly, wild, rich in Mediterranean flora, it is a preserved ecosystem, especially since the Domaine du Temps, in the place called Font Juvénal, is a magical place: around a former 18th-century priory, sixty hectares of forests and scrubland protect thirteen hectares of vineyards on stony clay-limestone soils. The balance between dryness and coolness is a boon for viticulture, with a wide range of grape varieties. In addition to the Languedoc grape varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Viognier, Muscat), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sémillon and Chenin are grown. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 1998, is entirely managed biodynamically, and has dedicated itself to natural wine since 2015. The work in the vineyard and cellar is methodical, rigorous, and attentive: only the best grapes are kept, resulting in small yields, and destemming is determined based on the ripeness of the bunch. The reds are vinified using carbonic maceration of individual grape varieties, with the blending taking place before the year's aging. The whites are slowly and gently pressed to extract only the best from the grapes. These precautions result in smooth, controlled wines with great integrity and very supple tannins. They are fresh, delicious, and expressive.
Fond Cyprès - Rodolphe Ourliac et Laetitia Gianesini
Backdrop - Exclusive Red Cuvée 2021
1720
€17,20
Unit price perFond Cyprès - Rodolphe Ourliac et Laetitia Gianesini
Backdrop - Exclusive Red Cuvée 2021
1720
€17,20
Unit price perToile de Fond - Cuvée Exclusive Rouge 2021,
Fond Cyprès
Velvet, full-bodied, full-bodied, and a beautiful aromatic palette: this red has it all and will pair well with anything (moments, occasions, dishes, etc.). Toile de Fond is an exclusive cuvée from Fond Cyprès for Culinaries. It consists of eighty percent free-run juice from Carignan de la Source and twenty percent pressed juice from the Corbières blend, renamed this year Le Cordières des Andes (one-third Carignan de la Source, one-third Syrah de la Pinède, and one-third Grenache du Bois Saint-Jaume). The grapes are vinified separately before being blended in concrete vats for aging. This newcomer, which is very dear to us, is a red wine for all occasions, in the straightforward and sunny style – without excess heat – which characterizes this estate.
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 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 are taking over an old heart of the estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache, which have seen neither fertilizer nor pesticides for years: these clean and living soils are an ideal condition 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.
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.
Chestnut Mead,
L'Arbre aux Abeilles' chestnut mead is a unique semi-dry wine. On the palate, it's a dialogue between the sweetness and bitterness characteristic of chestnut honey: woody, forest, and caramelized notes. Serve it as an aperitif or with desserts, game, pâtés, foie gras, and other charcuterie.
Back to Blaye Rouge 2022
Château Frédignac
Back to Blaye, a superb organic and natural red Bordeaux, has everything to seduce you: it once again reflects the excellence of organic wines produced on Bordeaux soils. You'll first admire the beautiful deep carmine color before perceiving the Blaye-Côtes-de-Bordeaux signature on the nose: black fruits, red fruits, exemplary vinosity, a delicious roundness underpinned by tannins that are still a little rustic due to the wine's youth. Bordeaux, as you know, generally requires waiting, and the fact that the wine is organic and natural doesn't change anything. You will therefore be right if you decide to keep this bottle for a few years, it will benefit from it and acquire velvety and melted. The wine needs to patinate a little in the bottle, but you can enjoy it now and accompany it with red meats, roasts, solid dishes. Obtained from a majority of Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Sauvignon as a minority grape variety (10%), Back to Blaye is categorized as a Vin de France but has nothing to envy its congeners more gratified by their appellation. The harvest is destemmed, the maceration in vat is fifteen days. The aging after pressing and blending is six months in concrete vats. Tip: Take advantage of this vintage's youth by buying several bottles that will age with distinction in your cellar.
Find out more
Château Frédignac, a 100% organic estate (Nature & Progrès), is located in the Blaye-Côtes-de-Bordeaux appellation, very close to the small town of Blaye, practically on the banks of the Gironde. Founded in 1918 by Jean-Marie L’Amouller, a Breton sailor who found happiness on the right bank of the estuary — which is called “the River” here — it became a quality wine estate a few years later by absorbing the vineyard of a property with a centuries-old reputation, Château Saugeron. The appellation is best known for its velvety, deep red wines, in which Château Frédignac excels. But the achievements of this wine estate dedicated to respecting the terroir and virtuous agricultural practices do not end there: an organic white is produced, as well as several natural cuvées of various colors, from pet'nat'rosé to still red. The red grape varieties are typical of the appellation—the two Cabernets, Franc and Sauvignon; Merlot, Carménère and Côt (Malbec)—and the whites (Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon) are similar. The clay-limestone soils promote both soil drainage and their beneficial freshness for the vines. Combined with methods deeply respectful of the soil, plants, animals and winemaking, these pedological conditions allow the Château Frédignac team to be proud of its wines: as worthy of their local tradition as they are in keeping with the desire to work as closely as possible with nature.
Toile de Fond Rouge 2022
Fond Cyprès
Velvet, full-bodied, full-bodied, with a magnificent texture and a beautiful aromatic palette of ripe red fruits: this wine has it all and will pair well with anything (moments, occasions, dishes, etc.). The tasting of this 2022 wine revealed "a real bomb," so be warned. Toile de Fond is an exclusive cuvée from Fond Cyprès for Culinaries, classified as a Vin de France. For this vintage, it consists of 80% free-run juice from Grenache du Bois-Saint-Jaume, a magnificent expression of Grenache grown on marl surrounded by pine forests, and 20% Carignan de la Source. The grapes are vinified separately before being blended in concrete vats for aging. This newcomer, which is very dear to us, is a red wine for all occasions, in the straightforward and sunny style – without excess heat – which characterizes this estate, with a full and voluptuous sensation which seems to characterize this blended cuvée since its beginnings.
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 had a clear objective: "to produce southern wines which reflect us, wines of character attached to our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They want to obtain entirely natural wines, concentrates of terroir. In the old Corbières massif, they took over an old heart of an estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache vines, which had seen neither fertilizer nor pesticides for years: these clean and vibrant soils are ideal conditions for launching into natural wine. Around this historic heart, they first planted Grenache Noir and Syrah, then a plot of white grape varieties: Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 2010 and also complies with the Nature & Progrès charter. Vinification is carried out without the addition of sulfites or exogenous yeasts. "We make wines for pleasure," say Laetitia and Rodolphe. For them, natural wine is first evaluated by taste, from the harvest. The vintages closely follow the plots, the musts are fruity, fluid, and complex. Fond Cyprès wines poetically evoke the estate's ecosystem and the vegetation that protects the plots: pine forests, shaded springs, the beauty of the natural environment that brings freshness to the wines and leaves the signature of the soil. Deliciously balanced between mineral imprint, plant environment and fruit expression, Fond Cyprès wines reflect the South: the caress of its sun, but also the freshness of its shadows.
Orange White 2019
This Orange cuvée is made from Petit Manseng, the emblematic grape variety of Jurançon. It is macerated for 21 days in terracotta jars, which gives it its beautiful tawny color, powerful nose, and supple, melting tannins. A true treasure to keep in the cellar for up to ten years (if you can manage that).
Natural wine with no added sulfites
Pairs with: Asian cuisine, Roasted meats
Argile Blanc 2018
Chateau Lafitte
This 100% Petit Manseng, fermented and aged in terracotta jars, will surprise you with its balance and frank minerality. Fresh, long, and lively, with a continuous line between tension and fruit. A true companion to oysters and seafood, but it also tastes great on its own. Cellar it for two to five years.
Natural wine with no added sulfites
