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The genesis of wine is often traced back to the seventh millennium BCE, in the Caucasus, where wine was aged in qvevris (or kvrevris), large jars of 3500 liters buried in the ground. Traditionally, wine has always been what we now consider organic, but the term "organic wine" appeared at the end of the 20th century, in reaction to the hyper-industrialization of wine. Indeed, it was in a context of wine globalization after the Second World War that wine production began to flood the global market with wines full of additives and synthetic chemicals to achieve higher yields and more standardized production, known as conventional wine. Organic wine is therefore a logical response to conventional wine; it aims to be more environmentally friendly and adheres to strict specifications governing wine production.
Organic wine is therefore a wine (red wine, white wine, rosé wine, orange wine, sparkling wine) made from organic farming. Organic wine first met the European specifications of 1991, which governed the principles of organic farming only in the vineyard. It was not until 2012 that new European specifications were published, this time stipulating organic farming regulations also in the cellar.
As mentioned above, wine from organic farming has theoretically always existed, but it is only since 2012 that it has been regulated and controlled by strict specifications in both the vineyard and the cellar. To summarize its obligations, organic wine must be made from certified organic grapes, as well as the sugar, must, or alcohol used during chaptalization and mutage. Also, its specifications prohibit certain winemaking practices such as de-alcoholization, electrodialysis, or thermovinification. The European Union also mandates a sulfite level 50 milligrams per liter lower than conventional wines, i.e., a maximum of 100 milligrams per liter for organic red wines and a maximum of 150 milligrams per liter for organic white wines.
The organic sector is booming, representing nearly 10% of global vineyard area in 2021 with growth of +3.2% compared to 2020 and +78% in 10 years. France is a leader in this field, hosting nearly a third of the world's organic vineyards, followed by its Italian and Spanish neighbors. But organic farming is not only beneficial for the environment; it is also a driver of social well-being. According to a study by Riccardo Vecchio, the organic wine industry creates 50% more jobs than the conventional wine industry, offering more stable jobs with a third of certified farms employing one or more permanent employees, compared to one in five for uncertified farms.
What are the different organic labels recognized in France?
It is INAO that delegates organic farming control and certification activities to independent and approved certification bodies, including Agrocert, Bureau Veritas Certification France, Certipaq bio, Certis, Certisud, Ecocert, Qualisud, Bureau Alpes Contrôles. Every year, certified vineyards are audited by one of these bodies, and in case of irregularity, a unique catalog of measures is applied. A label project to identify farms in the conversion phase (over one or more years) is also under study.
However, for some winemakers, the AB label is too flexible and allows for farming that claims to be organic but has some industrial deviations, notably with the support of large retailers who are trying to seize these new market opportunities. Therefore, two new labels have emerged: Nature & Progrès and Bio Cohérence have stricter specifications, including a ban on sales through mass distribution channels, a measure whose implementation aims to promote short supply chains.
It should be noted that there are many other labels categorizing organic wines that have stricter specifications. Demeter and Biodyvin regulate biodynamic wines or wines from biodynamic winemaking, an esoteric viticulture that considers the vine as a living ecosystem with more rigorous legislation on operations carried out in the cellar. Stricter than biodynamics (or biodynamic wine), the Vin Méthode Nature label proposes a charter for natural wine with an emphasis on low addition of sulfites in the wine and the use of indigenous yeasts. Terra Vitis and Haute Valeur Environnementale are two labels that promote sustainable development, through the preservation of biodiversity, phytosanitary strategies, and fertilization and irrigation management.
Finally, it should also be remembered that many winemakers refuse to be categorized under any label because it would mean denying the principle of the agricultural counter-model: emancipating oneself from standardized norms, not fitting into boxes. This can be seen as a way for the winemaker to assert themselves as unique and with a strong identity.
How is consuming organic wine better for the environment?
One of the great strengths of organic winemakers is their ability to bring life back to the soil and the surrounding flora and fauna. In France, viticulture accounts for 20% of agricultural pesticide use, compared to only 3% of agricultural land. Organic viticulture therefore emerges as an ecological hope: little to no use of phytosanitary products, recourse to organic fertilizers and compost, a reduction of up to one-third of CO2 emissions compared to conventional wine. With better respect for the vine, there is on the one hand a rebirth of the soil, which slows down erosion and promotes subterranean flora and fauna, and on the other hand, a rebirth of pollinators (bees, butterflies...) thanks to an increasing presence of life between the vines (hedges, wild plants, shrubs...).
Organic viticulture also allows for better water management, notably with less water stress (more organic matter in the soil allows for better water retention) and especially less artificial irrigation (the resilience of the vine is preferred). Each cuvée, each vintage, each bottle, in short, each wine from organic farming is therefore directly influenced by climatic hazards, which makes it possible to produce a wine (red wine, white wine, rosé wine, orange wine, sparkling wine) with its own distinct and marked personality.
How is consuming organic wine better for health?
No one can deny that alcohol, and therefore wine, is dangerous for health and should be consumed in moderation. Nevertheless, where conventional wine may contain pesticide residues, additives, and chemicals, organic wine reduces the presence of these harmful substances. It is also full of living bacteria and yeasts that can have benefits for the microbiota, including improved blood vessel function, improved protection of brain cells against cognitive damage, reduced risk of certain types of cancer (especially breast cancer), and better digestion thanks to the production of digestive enzymes stimulated by wine.
Another undeniable health benefit of organic wine is the reduction of sulfites, preservatives widely used in conventional wine to stabilize it. For an equivalent amount consumed, an organic wine will cause fewer headaches the next day than a conventional wine!
What are the advantages of organic farming for winemakers?
When we talk about organic wine, we often think about the health of our planet or our body, but we think much less about the health of our winemakers. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to observe cases of cancer or respiratory problems among winegrowers, due to synthetic chemicals used such as pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or fertilizers. Conversely, organic wine aims to drastically reduce these substances, so organic viticulture is beneficial for those who work the vines daily.
Although organic farming requires more physical and organizational effort, it exposes winemakers to significantly fewer toxic products. The use of alternative methods is also beneficial from a psychological point of view, as some producers state that the quality of the organic wine produced offers and brings a deep meaning to their profession, and according to a virtuous circle, this helps maintain a respectful, attentive, and intuitive relationship with their wine work.
But organic farming is also synonymous with short supply chains and therefore support for local economies with a win-win situation for all: the consumer has full traceability of the bottles consumed, and the producer has an income that better reflects the reality of their work. A virtuous system is thus created where the winemaker has more financial resources, allowing them to experiment with new things (new grape varieties, for example) and thus increase consumer satisfaction.
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1042 products
1042 products
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.
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.
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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.
Frédéric Cossard - Domaine de Chassorney
Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru Monts Luisant Red 2019
16090
€160,90
Unit price perFrédéric Cossard - Domaine de Chassorney
Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru Monts Luisant Red 2019
16090
€160,90
Unit price perMorey Saint Denis 1er Cru Monts Luisant Red 2019,
Frédéric Cossard
Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years as a wine merchant, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counterexample to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of unadulterated purity and elegance that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked as a wine broker for some time 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 since vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular 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. Reds or whites, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and coveted wines, which sometimes require waiting.
Here is a very rare vintage, dense and elegant, overflowing with aromas of fresh fruit, from a small plot above the village of Morey-Saint-Denis. The Pinot Noir planted here is of the Pinot Fin variety, a very old and increasingly rare strain. The vines are around seventy years old. This bewitching wine promises to improve for a long time.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
MO Mondeuse Rouge 2020
Patrick Bouju
Patrick Bouju, from his merchant repertoire, offers us his interpretation of the Mondeuse grape variety from Savoie, used here 100%. The grapes undergo a short maceration, followed by aging in amphorae.
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Near Billom, the Limagne clermontoise rises eastward to form a hilly area with a mild climate, dominated by volcanic hills. This is the Auvergne Tuscany, so named because of its resemblance to the Italian province. This land of mixed subsistence farming was once covered in vines and was the preferred domain of Gamay d'Auvergne, a robust ancient strain, the origin of dense, deep, and fruity wines. This is where Patrick Bouju cultivates and vinifies, on these high-quality volcanic soils and mainly on old vines. The soils vary between basalt, limestone, clay-limestone, and pozzolan. Patrick collects and cares for the best terroirs of Puy-de-Dôme, often abandoned, and gives them new life. He also preserves the indigenous grape varieties, of which he cultivates a good fifty, and simultaneously works as a wine merchant using purchased organic grapes. The current renaissance of the Auvergne vineyard (which was once the third largest in France) owes much to Patrick. The fact that he enjoys lending a helping hand to his winegrowing friends from France and elsewhere only confirms his image as a model, a leader. His partnerships are famous: with Action Bronson for the series A la Natural, with Jason Ligas in Greece for Sous le Végétal… Patrick practices long macerations, and the wines rest for up to six months after bottling. Very sensitive to sulfites in wines, Patrick has found that his own do very well without them. He has also noted that if the grapes are healthy and concentrated, balance occurs on its own, regardless of the successive phases a vintage goes through. His noble, chiseled, distinguished, never bland wines are immediately recognizable in the glass. They are straight, clean, precise, often marked by floral notes and a spicy minerality. They also constitute a formidable anthology of the terroirs and ancient vines of Basse-Auvergne and its volcanic soils.
Frédéric Cossard - Domaine de Chassorney
Magnum Saint Romain Sous La Velle Red 2018
7590
€75,90
Unit price perFrédéric Cossard - Domaine de Chassorney
Magnum Saint Romain Sous La Velle Red 2018
7590
€75,90
Unit price perMagnum Sous La Velle Rouge 2018,
Domaine de Chassorney
This Pinot Noir comes from a plot with a steep, south-southeast exposure, located between 280 and 400 meters above sea level in the Saint-Romain appellation. The soils are mainly marl, limestone, and clay. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. Aging is approximately one year in barrels.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
Eveil Blanc 2023
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.
A convivial and versatile wine
Served between 10 and 12°C, this wine is perfect as an aperitif or with plant-based dishes, such as grilled vegetables or fresh salads. Its aging potential of 5 to 10 years will also allow it to evolve into even more complex notes.
A lively and sociable white wine, perfect for awakening the senses!
Fleurie Red 2022
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.
Back to Blaye Rouge 2022
Château Frédignac
Back to Blaye, a superb organic and natural red Bordeaux, has everything to seduce you: it once again reflects the excellence of organic wines produced on Bordeaux soils. You'll first admire the beautiful deep carmine color before perceiving the Blaye-Côtes-de-Bordeaux signature on the nose: black fruits, red fruits, exemplary vinosity, a delicious roundness underpinned by tannins that are still a little rustic due to the wine's youth. Bordeaux, as you know, generally requires waiting, and the fact that the wine is organic and natural doesn't change anything. You will therefore be right if you decide to keep this bottle for a few years, it will benefit from it and acquire velvety and melted. The wine needs to patinate a little in the bottle, but you can enjoy it now and accompany it with red meats, roasts, solid dishes. Obtained from a majority of Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Sauvignon as a minority grape variety (10%), Back to Blaye is categorized as a Vin de France but has nothing to envy its congeners more gratified by their appellation. The harvest is destemmed, the maceration in vat is fifteen days. The aging after pressing and blending is six months in concrete vats. Tip: Take advantage of this vintage's youth by buying several bottles that will age with distinction in your cellar.
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Château Frédignac, a 100% organic estate (Nature & Progrès), is located in the Blaye-Côtes-de-Bordeaux appellation, very close to the small town of Blaye, practically on the banks of the Gironde. Founded in 1918 by Jean-Marie L’Amouller, a Breton sailor who found happiness on the right bank of the estuary — which is called “the River” here — it became a quality wine estate a few years later by absorbing the vineyard of a property with a centuries-old reputation, Château Saugeron. The appellation is best known for its velvety, deep red wines, in which Château Frédignac excels. But the achievements of this wine estate dedicated to respecting the terroir and virtuous agricultural practices do not end there: an organic white is produced, as well as several natural cuvées of various colors, from pet'nat'rosé to still red. The red grape varieties are typical of the appellation—the two Cabernets, Franc and Sauvignon; Merlot, Carménère and Côt (Malbec)—and the whites (Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon) are similar. The clay-limestone soils promote both soil drainage and their beneficial freshness for the vines. Combined with methods deeply respectful of the soil, plants, animals and winemaking, these pedological conditions allow the Château Frédignac team to be proud of its wines: as worthy of their local tradition as they are in keeping with the desire to work as closely as possible with nature.
Toile de Fond Rouge 2022
Fond Cyprès
Velvet, full-bodied, full-bodied, with a magnificent texture and a beautiful aromatic palette of ripe red fruits: this wine has it all and will pair well with anything (moments, occasions, dishes, etc.). The tasting of this 2022 wine revealed "a real bomb," so be warned. Toile de Fond is an exclusive cuvée from Fond Cyprès for Culinaries, classified as a Vin de France. For this vintage, it consists of 80% free-run juice from Grenache du Bois-Saint-Jaume, a magnificent expression of Grenache grown on marl surrounded by pine forests, and 20% Carignan de la Source. The grapes are vinified separately before being blended in concrete vats for aging. This newcomer, which is very dear to us, is a red wine for all occasions, in the straightforward and sunny style – without excess heat – which characterizes this estate, with a full and voluptuous sensation which seems to characterize this blended cuvée since its beginnings.
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This Languedoc estate is built on solid foundations: its two winemakers, Rodolphe and Laetitia, are also descendants of winemakers. Even before planting their first vine, they already had a clear objective: "to produce southern wines which reflect us, wines of character attached to our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They want to obtain entirely natural wines, concentrates of terroir. In the old Corbières massif, they took over an old heart of an estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache vines, which had seen neither fertilizer nor pesticides for years: these clean and vibrant soils are ideal conditions for launching into natural wine. Around this historic heart, they first planted Grenache Noir and Syrah, then a plot of white grape varieties: Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 2010 and also complies with the Nature & Progrès charter. Vinification is carried out without the addition of sulfites or exogenous yeasts. "We make wines for pleasure," say Laetitia and Rodolphe. For them, natural wine is first evaluated by taste, from the harvest. The vintages closely follow the plots, the musts are fruity, fluid, and complex. Fond Cyprès wines poetically evoke the estate's ecosystem and the vegetation that protects the plots: pine forests, shaded springs, the beauty of the natural environment that brings freshness to the wines and leaves the signature of the soil. Deliciously balanced between mineral imprint, plant environment and fruit expression, Fond Cyprès wines reflect the South: the caress of its sun, but also the freshness of its shadows.
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
The Hacquet Sisters and Wine — A Natural Epic
By Hélène Merceron, 2017. 179 pages. Photographs by Jean-Yves Bardin.
This finely crafted story tells the story of the Hacquet sisters, Anne and Françoise, two pioneers of natural wine who were influential in viticulture on the banks of the Loire and elsewhere. These phenomena, as the author describes them, arrived at a very young age in Beaulieu-sur-Layon in 1935. For fifty years, they assisted their brother Joseph in defending natural viticulture without additives and without compromise, which was far from common at the time. The book is constructed as a mosaic portrait of the two sisters based on interviews conducted by Jean-Yves Bardin, who filmed and recorded them in 2013—when they were eighty-five and eighty-seven years old—and then in 2016. The author met the two sisters through Sébastien Dervieux, alias Babass, and his partner Agnès, to whom this book also pays tribute. A collection of anecdotes, a moving biography, an emotional work that is a great read. Structured in three parts and forty chapters, the book is accompanied by a photo notebook and a chronology.
Bourgogne Bedeau Rouge 2020,
Frédéric Cossard
A beautiful, refined Pinot Noir: Bedeau presents sumptuous, satiny fruit with a touch of insolence to enhance the overall effect. The harvest comes from plots of forty-year-old vines in and around Volnay, and from a plot of fifty-year-old vines in Nuits-Saint-Georges.
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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undeformed by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counterexample to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for a while as a wine broker before creating the Chassorney estate with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The exercise is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular ploughing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and coveted wines, which sometimes require waiting.
Perill Noir Rouge 2012
Clos Lentiscus
Elegance, purity, and a crisp minerality due to the limestone characterize the productions of Clos Lentiscus. The note of controlled oxidation, when present, does not dominate the tasting, and the wines are never deviant. The cavas are renowned for their exuberance, but those from Clos Lentiscus never have more than two grams of residual sugar per liter. The estate also produces still wines, red, white, and rosé.
This is a family estate that Manel Avinyo and his brother Joan inherited from their parents, in Penedès (Catalonia), in the heart of the Garraf Natural Park. It is Manel who owes its name, Clos Lentiscus. Even though Barcelona is only a half-hour drive away, the beauty of the landscape is striking and the immersion in nature is total: Mediterranean forests rub shoulders with Catalan scrubland (thyme, rosemary, rockrose, mastic tree which gave its name to the estate, etc.). The Penedès region also has a long winemaking history. Nestled in its gentle hills is Clos Lentiscus, in the Penedés appellation, on twenty hectares of sandy and clay-limestone soils facing due south at an altitude of 225 meters. According to historical documents, the family of Manel and Joan Avinyo has been established there since at least the 14th century. For a long time, the grapes were sold to local cooperatives, but as soon as the two brothers took over the estate, organic and biodynamic farming replaced conventional practices, the entire harvest goes into the house vintages, and organic and biodynamic practices have allowed this beautiful property to regain its former prestige: in the 19th century, its wines were sold in France and as far away as the Americas. Very quickly, Manel received a nickname: The Bubbleman, a tribute to his talent for vinifying cavas, these sparkling whites characteristic of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, from indigenous varieties for which Catalonia holds the secret: sumoll, ull de llebre, xarel·lo, malvasia of Sitges, cartoixà vermell, cariñena (carignan), accompanied by tempranillo and muscat of Alexandria. The vines are old, some of them centuries old. No synthetic additives are used in the vineyard, and operations such as planting, pruning, de-budding, and harvesting are dictated by the lunar phases. Pollination is facilitated by the presence of beehives; sheep contribute to fertilization and control of the plant cover. Ringo, the white horse, is responsible for working the soil.
Made entirely from the traditional Catalan Sumoll grape variety, this is a natural red whose freshness owes much to the local limestone soil. The harvest is destemmed and macerated for two weeks. Aging, in French oak barrels, lasts thirty months. Calm, deep, intense, and structured, this magnificent and chiseled wine will accompany all that is best.
SM Sumoll Red 2019,
Partida Creus
This red Sumoll, a very old Catalan red grape variety long neglected, is a favorite of Partida Creus. A low-yielding wine, Sumoll thrives on poor soils, giving it great concentration, beautiful balance, juicy, dense and generous black fruit, notes of Mediterranean spices and plants, and finally an earthy, animal, and smoky character. The short maceration preserves freshness and acidity. It will be excellent with red meats, roasts, and duck, but the range of pairings is actually very wide.
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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-versed—first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug tickled them, and they soon abandoned the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There they found a number of abandoned vineyards planted with a dizzying diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties, which they passionately revived to save these varieties—and their wines—from oblivion. For them, it's not just a matter of saving their heritage, no: it's a matter of taste and nature. Of natural wines, which they will never stop making from now on on these sandy, poor, clay-limestone or clay-gravel soils, poor and poorly irrigated, where the vines suffer to produce their best juice. Massimo and Antonella practice organic, biodynamic, entirely manual and natural viticulture in order to give new life to these wines. Vinyater, sumoll, garrut, monastrell, ull de perdiu, ull de llebre, sumoll, queixal de llop, cariñena, trepat, ceciat parent, maccabeu, parellada, pansé, vinel.lo, bobal, cartoixà vermell or xarel.lo: it is a true conservatory of the native Catalan grape varieties that Partida Creus cares for. There is also Moscatel, Grenache, Merlot and Cabernet (among others). Few wineries can boast of growing so many different grape varieties. The wines reflect this diversity, with winemakers striving to best convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety: single varietals are common among them, alongside very rich blends, all in the styles dear to Catalonia: still wine, "ancestral" sparkling wine, and even vermouth. The bottles themselves are works of art: bare glass, simply marked with two large stenciled initials that indicate the cuvée. The wines, fresh, vibrant, lush but always straightforward and impeccably juicy and fruity, breathe life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction.
Frédéric Cossard - Domaine de Chassorney
Saint Romain Combe Bazin White 2021
6500
€65,00
Unit price perFrédéric Cossard - Domaine de Chassorney
Saint Romain Combe Bazin White 2021
6500
€65,00
Unit price perSaint Romain Combe Bazin White 2021
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.
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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undeformed by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful 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.
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
Eveil Blanc 2023
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.
A convivial and versatile wine
Served between 10 and 12°C, this wine is perfect as an aperitif or with plant-based dishes, such as grilled vegetables or fresh salads. Its aging potential of 5 to 10 years will also allow it to evolve into even more complex notes.
A lively and sociable white wine, perfect for awakening the senses!
Fond Cyprès - Rodolphe Ourliac et Laetitia Gianesini
Le Blanc des Garennes White 2021
2150
€21,50
Unit price perFond Cyprès - Rodolphe Ourliac et Laetitia Gianesini
Le Blanc des Garennes White 2021
2150
€21,50
Unit price perLe Blanc des Garennes White 2021
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.
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This Languedoc estate is built on solid foundations: its two winemakers, Rodolphe and Laetitia, are also descendants of winemakers. Even before planting their first vine, they already 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.
Fond Cyprès - Rodolphe Ourliac et Laetitia Gianesini
Toile de Fond White 2022
1600
€16,00
Unit price perFond Cyprès - Rodolphe Ourliac et Laetitia Gianesini
Toile de Fond White 2022
1600
€16,00
Unit price perToile de Fond White 2022
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.
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This Languedoc estate is built on solid foundations: its two winemakers, Rodolphe and Laetitia, are also descendants of winemakers. Even before planting their first vine, they already had a clear objective: "to 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.
