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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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1075 products
1075 products
Munjebel CR Red 2020
Cornelissen
Munjebel CR is a single-plot red cuvée, certified organic (Eurofeuille), biodynamic, and natural. It is made from pure Nerello Mascalese grapes by Frank Cornelissen in the PDO (Personal Designation of Origin) Etna Rosso/PGI Terre Siciliane Nerello Mascalese. Munjebel CR comes from the Campo Re plot, which is partially ungrafted and approximately 70 years old, located in the far west of the valley at an altitude of 735 meters. The soil is deep, and ripeness is difficult to achieve in wet years. This gives a particular character to the wines from this plot, closer to Nebbiolo (a typical Tuscan grape variety) than the other reds from Azienda Frank Cornelissen.
Vinification
Grown biodynamically, the Nerello Mascalese grapes of Munjebel CR are destemmed and lightly crushed. Fermentation, starting from a starter culture and using indigenous yeasts, is accompanied by a 50-day skin maceration. No fining, light filtration before bottling.
Tasting
Munjebel CR is a deep, elegant and tannic wine. It may take a while to express itself. With its great freshness, it needs to be paired with meats with character. A roast rack of black pork from Bigorre, or a rib of beef from Wagyu or Angus from the Maison Aitana, that's the perfect match.
Learn more about Frank Cornelissen
A key and universally respected figure in natural, organic and biodynamic wine, Belgian Frank Cornelissen, a winemaker conquered by Sicily, is a classic. This man of constant questioning lives in human and cosmic resonance with his terroir: he has demonstrated that the powerful minerality of a great volcanic soil could be highlighted by the naturalness of his wines.
An ideal terroir for plot-by-plot vinification
In Passopisciaro, Sicily, in the north of the Etna valley, the 19 plots cover 24 hectares of basalt soils spread over numerous localities (contrade) between 600 and 900 meters above sea level on the side of the volcano. It is, says Frank Cornelissen, the "Night Coast of Sicily". Frank Cornelissen's contrade are all cultivated biodynamically and vinified separately: he decides on the blends based on the quality of each.
The nobility of Nerello Mascalese
Nerello Mascalese is the dominant variety and alone makes up the greatest vintages. This traditional red grape variety from the northern Etna valley produces hypermineral wines due to its long growing cycle. Other grape varieties in the azienda: Nerello Capuccio, Minella Bianco, Minella Nera, Alicante Bouschet, Malvasia, Catarratto, Moscadella, Grecanico Dorato, Carricante…
Munjebel CD Red 2020
Cornelissen
Munjebel CD is a single-plot red cuvée, certified organic (Eurofeuille) and biodynamic. Made from 100% Nerello Mascalese, it is produced by Frank Cornelissen in the DOP (AOP) Etna Rosso/IGP Terre Siciliane Nerello Mascalese. It comes from a single plot in the Calderara Sottana contrada, at an altitude of 610 m, facing north. This high-quality contrada is appreciated in cold and difficult vintages: its gravelly soil absorbs heat and re-radiates it during the coldest hours of the night.
Vinification
100% Nerello Mascalese, Munjebel CD comes from 40-year-old vines cultivated biodynamically. The grapes are destemmed and lightly crushed. Fermentation starts from a vat foot and is accompanied by a 50-day skin maceration. Aged for 18 months in epoxy vats, then 18 months in bottles. No fining, light filtration.
Tasting
This highly regarded contrada produces quite feminine wines, combining elegance and depth, especially in the best years. You can pair them with red meats, charcuterie, and great Italian, Iberian, or Gascon hams. For example, ham from black pork from Bigorre or a cecina (beef ham) from maison Aitana.
Learn more about Frank Cornelissen
A key and universally respected figure in natural, organic and biodynamic wine, the Belgian Frank Cornelissen, a winemaker conquered by Sicily, is a classic. This man of constant questioning lives in human and cosmic resonance with his terroir: he has demonstrated that the powerful minerality of a great volcanic soil could be highlighted by the naturalness of his wines.
An ideal terroir for plot-by-plot vinification
In Passopisciaro, Sicily, in the north of the Etna valley, the 19 plots cover 24 hectares of basalt soils spread over numerous localities (contrade) between 600 and 900 meters above sea level on the side of the volcano. It is, says Frank Cornelissen, the "Night Coast of Sicily". Frank Cornelissen's contrade are all cultivated biodynamically and vinified separately: he decides on the blends based on the quality of each.
The nobility of Nerello Mascalese
Nerello Mascalese is the dominant variety and alone makes up the greatest vintages. This traditional red grape variety from the northern Etna valley produces hypermineral wines due to its long growing cycle. Other grape varieties in the azienda: Nerello Capuccio, Minella Bianco, Minella Nera, Alicante Bouschet, Malvasia, Catarratto, Moscadella, Grecanico Dorato, Carricante…
Vino Rosso Red 2018,
Corva Gialla
Vino Rosso, simply named, can be considered the emblematic red of Azienda Corva Gialla. Red fruits, freshness, mineral and earthy notes, tertiary aromas, spices, and tobacco: this is how we can summarize the profile of this 100% Sangiovese with the Vino da Tavola (table wine) designation. With a few years of bottle age, this 2018 offers beautiful notes of evolution and a pronounced but not excessive body. The richness, due to a high content of natural sugars during fermentation, and the polyphenolic maturity are remarkable, as well as the balance between velvety and tannicity, lightness and body, roundness and acidity. On the nose, notes of spices such as cinnamon, black pepper and fennel; on the palate, the wine is full-bodied and red fruits dominate: ripe cherry, raspberry and strawberry. Black fruits and plum are not left out, and delicious aromas of dried fruits (prune, fig) combine with spices on the finish. Vino Rosso is a classic Sangiovese from old and newer vines planted at 450 meters above sea level on a west-facing plot with volcanic soils. The harvest is destemmed. A starter culture is made from a small proportion of grapes, while the rest is directly pressed and added directly to the starter culture. The wine rests in fiberglass vats until bottling in March.
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Azienda Corva Gialla ("yellow crow") is a wine estate in Lazio, Italy, located on the edge of Umbria in the Alta Tuscia Viterbese. A volcanic region considered one of the most beautiful in Italy and characterized by its calanches, tall tuff rock formations delineating deep valleys carved by numerous rivers and streams. Corva Gialla is located in Lubriano, opposite Cività di Bagnoregio. Alta Tuscia is a breeding ground for young winemaking talents dedicated to nature who are enhancing these historically neglected lands. Founded in 2017, the estate has four hectares cultivated by Beatrice Arweiler, originally from another wine-growing region, between the Rhine and the Moselle. The new owner also planted an olive grove (Frantoio and Leccino varieties) and developed the estate for mixed farming and livestock production. The vines were planted with the help of Gian Marco Antonuzzi of the Le Coste estate. The friable volcanic soil lends itself beautifully to viticulture and the planting of grape varieties such as Grechetto d'Umbria, Trebbiano, Vermentino, Sangiovese, and Ciliegiolo. The estate's wines are quintessentially Italian, meaning they are crafted primarily for enjoyment. They are straightforward, deep, and easy to drink, expressing the strong minerality of their soils.
Magnum MC Macabeu Sparkling White 2019
Partida Creus
Warning, this is a rarity, so enjoy it: 2019 is apparently the only vintage of this sparkling wine, presented here in magnum. A veritable explosion of stone fruit (peach, apricot) and floral notes, with a magnificent texture, MC Macabeu is both a curiosity and a delectable and entirely serious wine: it comes from an old plot of Macabeu vines—well-known in Languedoc, Catalonia, and northeastern Spain—returned to a wild state and virtually abandoned before being reclaimed by Massimo and Antonella. The vines grow as vines, at an elevated position, with a limited production of small bunches. It’s a unique, concentrated, and fruity wine that grabs your soul and is a must-try. MC Macabeu, macerated on the skins for ten days, is a wine full of personality; it doesn’t mince its words.
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Partida Creus is an important estate, both in terms of winemaking and history – we’re talking about the history of the vine in Catalonia. Massimo Marchiori and Antonella Gerosa, originally from Piedmont – and even from the Langhe region, where wine is well-known – first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug bit them, and soon they abandoned the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There they find a quantity of abandoned vineyards planted with a dizzying diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties that they passionately revive to save these varieties – and their wines – from oblivion. For them, it is not just a matter of heritage rescue, no: it is a matter of taste and nature. Of natural wines, which they will never stop making from now on on these sandy, poor, clay-limestone or clay-gravel soils, poor and poorly irrigated, where the vines suffer to give their best juice. Massimo and Antonella practice organic, biodynamic viticulture, entirely manual and natural in order to give new life to these wines. Vinyater, sumoll, garrut, monastrell, ull de perdiu, ull de llebre, sumoll, queixal de llop, cariñena, trepat, subirat parent, maccabeu, parellada, pansé, 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 cries of satisfaction.
Nails and Dust Red 2021
Behind this metallic and dusty appellation (the translation of the cuvée's name) lies a wine of character, lively and mineral, full of sap and vitality. It is made from Minervois Carignan grapes macerated and crushed for six days, resulting in a beautiful extraction of tannins that need to soften slightly. At the time of writing (March 2023), this wine still requires approximately one year of bottle aging before it can be optimally enjoyed. After this time, it will reveal all its passion and energy. An excellent companion to red meats, grilled meats, grilled sausages, and good times with friends.
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Founded and run by Claire Sage and Aimé Duveau, located in Chanteuges (Haute-Loire), Belly Wine Experiment is as much an experience as a winemaking business. The creative duo has a lot in common: Claire is the sister of Daniel Sage, a fan of underwater wine aging but above all an importer of Catalan wines. Hence the presence of Catalan grape varieties in Belly Wine Experiment's blends, alongside Burgundy, Auvergne, and Jura grape varieties, all readily found in the same bottle. Aimé is the son of Manu Duveau, a poet-winemaker from Auvergne, a former stonemason, and a great winemaker of local Gamays at his Domaine de l'Égrappille. Belly Wine Experiment's unique feature is the exoticism (in the literal sense) of its blends, with Catalan Xarello, for example, blending effortlessly with Puy-de-Dôme Gamay. The wines are made using semi-carbonic maceration, without the addition of chemical additives or excessive manipulation in the cellar. The winery is also known for its high-quality, vinous perries.
Grisou Rosé 2021
Belly Wine Experiment
Complex, refreshing, unusual, and delicious… A rosé, obviously, but with a fairly solid structure. One might guess from its name that it's a vin gris, and its color gives us the final hint. Grisou is a vin gris (therefore) quite typical of Belly Wine's experimental passion, since it is made from Carignan from the South and Pinot Gris from Heiligenstein (Alsace) grown on clay-siliceous soils. Two very different terroirs are united in one wine. Let's remember that Grisou, like Rosé, is a still wine with a pale color made from black grapes in short maceration. Here, it's a little more complicated since two-thirds of the grapes are directly pressed, the remaining third being crushed in whole bunches and macerated for four days. Disgorging takes place two months later. This wine is organically grown and has received no chemical inputs or sulfites, in the vineyard or in the cellar. As it plays on several levels, both light and straightforward, Grisou can allow for very wide pairings.
To find out more
Founded and run by Claire Sage and Aimé Duveau, located in Chanteuges (Haute-Loire), Belly Wine Experiment is as much an experiment as a winemaking business. The creative duo has it in spades: Claire is the sister of Daniel Sage, a fan of underwater wine aging but above all an importer of Catalan wines. Hence the presence of Catalan grape varieties in Belly Wine Experiment's blends, alongside Burgundy, Auvergne, and Jura grape varieties, readily found in the same bottle. Aimé is the son of Manu Duveau, a poet-winemaker from Auvergne, a former stonemason, and a great winemaker of local Gamays at his Domaine de l'Égrappille. The uniqueness of Belly Wine Experiment is the exoticism (in the literal sense) of the blends, with Xarel lo from Catalonia, for example, being able to sit alongside Gamay from Puy-de-Dôme with the utmost naturalness. The wines are made using semicarbonic maceration, without the addition of chemical additives or excessive manipulation in the cellar. The house is also known for its very high-quality, vinous perries.
Crac Rosé 2021
Belly Wine Experiment
Fresh, fruity, and pleasant, Crac is a vin gris, a still rosé wine made entirely or partially from black grapes. It generally undergoes a very short maceration, hence its light color. This is obtained by slow direct pressing (forty-eight hours) of Auvergne Gamays "sur limagne," or on the dark-colored sedimentary and volcanic soils that make up the Auvergne plain. This slow pressing, replacing a short maceration, allows for a gentle extraction of the grape's constituents and gives the wine its color. To these Auvergne Gamays are added a proportion of Pinot Gris from Alsace. Categorized as Vin de France, free from any chemical or sulfite additives in the vineyard or in the cellar, Crac spends a year aging on lees before bottling. This wine is produced using organic farming methods and has received no chemical or sulfite additives, in the vineyard or in the cellar. It will go very well with charcuterie, cured meats, and tapas of all kinds.
To find out more
Founded and run by Claire Sage and Aimé Duveau, located in Chanteuges (Haute-Loire), Belly Wine Experiment is as much an experiment as it is a winemaking business. The creative duo has a lot to offer: Claire is the sister of Daniel Sage, a fan of underwater wine aging but above all an importer of Catalan wines. Hence the presence of Catalan grape varieties in Belly Wine Experiment's blends, alongside Burgundy, Auvergne and Jura grape varieties, readily found in the same bottle. Aimé is the son of Manu Duveau, a poet-winemaker from Auvergne, a former stonemason and a great winemaker of local Gamays at his Domaine de l'Égrappille. The specificity of Belly Wine Experiment is the exoticism (in the literal sense) of the blends, with Xarel lo from Catalonia being able to rub shoulders, for example, with Gamay from Puy-de-Dôme with the utmost naturalness. The wines are made using semicarbonic maceration, without the addition of chemical additives or excessive manipulation in the cellar. The house is also known for its very high-quality, vinous perries.
Bianco White 2012
A delicate amber color for a wine with an elegant and lively nose that lingers on the palate with notes of yellow fruits, enhanced here in the magnum format. This pleasant Italian macerated white, simply called "white" (bianco), is made from a blend of Procanico and Malvasia grapes grown on the volcanic soils of Lazio, on the borders of Tuscany and Umbria. After a late harvest, entirely by hand, the grapes are lightly crushed by foot and then macerated for two weeks in truncated French oak barrels. After pressing, the must is decanted for a few days before slowly completing its fermentation in tuns for about a year. The wine is then aged for seven months in barrels at the bottom of the cellar, in a natural cave, before being bottled. “This wine may not change the course of winemaking history,” writes one Italian commentator, “but it managed to give me a very good time, and that’s what matters. Believe me: we desperately need wines like this… In the glass, a beautiful yellow tending towards amber, opaque and rich. On the nose, a crackle of yellow fruits and volcanic sparks, and a beautiful acidity. After a few minutes, Bianco becomes sensorially capricious on the palate, like a chameleon, its beautiful acidity supporting the structure and highlighting its complexity. Almond, peach, hazelnut, yellow flowers, Annurca apple… Every moment in the glass reveals something new. »
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The Le Coste azienda is located in Italy, in Gradoli, in the province of Viterbo, in the northeast of Lazio. The estate was created in 2004 by Clémentine Bouveron and Gian Marco Antonuzzi. Clémentine is an oenologist and has already worked at Domaine Hauvette and Trévallon, in the Alpilles, as well as in Sauternes, at Château de Rayne-Vigneau. When Clémentine and Gian Marco took over the estate, it covered three hectares at an altitude of 450 meters and appeared as an abandoned garden of vines and olive trees. They recreated it in a traditional polycultural way with agroforestry, livestock farming, and viticulture to produce wines without additives and without deviation. The surface area has since grown to approximately fourteen hectares. The terroir overlooks Lake Bolsena. Its volcanic nature explains the lightness of its recently formed soils: lapilli tuffs, volcanic ash in varied layers, rich in minerals. This soil, very poor in organic matter, must be amended, and natural caves enlarged by older generations serve as cellars. Shared between vines, olive trees, elms, century-old oaks and wild chestnut trees, the site is a marvel of plant diversity. The biodynamic methods used at the estate include manure compost, horn silica and herbal teas that strengthen the defenses of the vines, which are trained in the traditional way, in low goblet training with a stake. The grape varieties are numerous, indigenous and ancient, reproduced by mass selection in the old vines still present on the estate. The wines express the local terroir and a strong Italian identity, with very varied profiles.
Skin-Contact Rafling White 2020,
Fruit, balance, elegance, roundness, and integrity all at once, this Riesling has a lot to tell. Our own Frédéric Cossard, equally at home in Burgundian-style winemaking (but without additives) as he is in the multi-hued refinements of merchant winemaking, now offers us a Riesling vinified with skin-contact maceration. Don't nitpick too much about food and wine pairings, this one is tailored for all circumstances.
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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 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 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.
Rum Symphonie Batch 10, 48.7° - 70cl
This Symphonie Batch 10 rum is a blend of very old agricultural rums aged over three years in cognac barrels and new oak barrels. It asserts itself, on the nose and palate, with boldness and complexity. It is a magnificent old rum with notes of caramel and spices, aged and matured to perfection. The symphony is made up of the different tones of the old vintages that compose this fine and intense rum. A meditation rum, made for Havana cigars and great dark chocolates.
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The Longueteau distillery, located in Capesterre-Belle-Eau (Guadeloupe), is the oldest distillery on the island still in operation. It has the distinction of being entirely self-sufficient in sugarcane production, which it uses to create its magnificent terroir-based agricultural rums. Agricultural rum, we should point out, is made from pure sugarcane juice, unlike many other Caribbean rums, which are produced from cane molasses. It is a specialty of the French Antilles. The estate is currently in the hands of François Longueteau, a distiller since 1979. Production is, as it was originally, artisanal and traditional, but the sugarcane terroirs are cultivated using plot-by-plot methods—this is Longueteau's great originality, the first distillery on the island to have adopted this approach. Two varieties of sugarcane, blue cane and red cane, are cultivated, as well as fruits from the Guadeloupe region. Longueteau rums and the resulting preparations (punches, shrubberies, etc.) are refined, aromatic, deep, and fragrant.
Sumoll Ferestec Sparkling White 2010,
From the Sumoll grape variety, rare and emblematic of Catalonia, Sumoll Ferestec 2010 from Clos Lentiscus is a sparkling white that stands the test of time with elegance. Made using the ancestral method, this natural wine reveals a fascinating complexity, combining freshness and aromatic depth.
A unique sparkling wine, sculpted by the years
Unlike young and lively sparkling wines, this 2010 vintage has gained complexity over the years. Its fine, delicate bubbles carry a evolved and refined bouquet, where notes of honey, orange peel and bitter almond mingle with a touch of red fruits, evoking ripe strawberries. This maturation gives it a silky texture, while retaining a beautiful freshness and impeccable length.
A gastronomic and versatile wine
Served well chilled, at 10-12°C, Sumoll Ferestec 2010 pairs well with fruits of sea, refined tapas, or even mature cheese. Its subtle balance between roundness and tension makes it an ideal companion for special occasions or more intimate tasting moments. A natural, elegant, and unique sparkling wine that proves that Catalonia is full of unsuspected treasures.
Magnum BB "Hondos" Red 2018
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.
Allé Canto Sweet Red 2016
Antony Tortul loves old vineyards: he devotes his life to finding them and making wine from them. Just as there are landless shepherds, he can be defined as a landless winegrower, in other words, a wine merchant whose area of activity extends throughout Languedoc and, eastward, as far as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in search of the best terroirs. Born in Foix, with six years of experience as a wine technician and oenologist in various vineyards in the south of France, he created La Sorga in 2008. His enthusiasm leads him on a path filled with favorites, and each of these favorites is a vineyard. The result is a dizzying mosaic of natural, lively, and spirited wines, which reinvents itself each year with around thirty cuvées per vintage. Few winemakers can list such a variety of grape varieties on their menu: the whole of southern France is there with muscats, grenaches, picpoul, mauzac, carignan, cinsault, marsanne, alicante, braucol, duras, viognier, len-de-l’el, and all the rest.
This single-varietal wine made from Alicante Bouschet comes from the ferruginous clay-limestone soils of Cessenon-sur-Orb, in the Saint-Chinian appellation area. The vines grow on a very old plot (seventy years old). The late harvest is sorted berry by berry and the vinification is carried out in open amphorae. Maceration takes place for three months, and the wine is aged in demijohns for four years. All this produces a very powerful and aromatic wine, with a kirsch, vegetal and fresh nose, smoky and chocolatey, black olive, which will not leave you indifferent. The palate is full, with very little tannin for an Alicante, and it's hard to get fresher with a late harvest. The wine's ageing is remarkable (more than six months) and the aging potential is a good twenty years.
Magnum Que Pasa Red 2012, Domaine Leonine
Seventy-year-old Grenache noir and gris combine to create this highly drinkable red. The harvest spends fifteen days in carbonic maceration before spending five months in barrels before being bottled by gravity without added sulfur. Juicy, sappy, and delicious, it smells and tastes of the garrigue and the Mediterranean, enhanced by flawless freshness. So what's going on? Only very pleasant things.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
€112,00
Unit price per€112,00
Unit price perSkin Contact Combe Bazin White 2016
Domaine de Chassorney
This Chardonnay comes from a steep, east-facing plot between 280 and 400 meters above sea level. The soils are mainly marl, limestone, and clay. After skin maceration, the wine is aged for about a year in barrels. This climate is known for producing mineral, lively, sapid, and persistent wines, with the added bonus of Burgundian smoothness.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
Magnum Munjebel Red 2014
Frank Cornelissen's Munjebel 2014 is a pure and intense immersion in the volcanic terroir of Etna. Made exclusively from Nerello Mascalese, this red wine aptly expresses the identity of northern Sicily. It comes from several exceptional plots, notably those used for the estate's vintages, such as Zottorinoto-Chiusa Spagnolo, Feudo di Mezzo-Porcaria, and Pontale Palino, as well as from vines specifically dedicated to this cuvée (Rampante Sottana, Piano Daini, and Crasà).
In the glass, its translucent ruby color evokes the refinement and finesse of a great Pinot Noir, while preserving the energy and intensity characteristic of Etna wines. The nose is a true olfactory journey, revealing aromas of wild red fruits, black cherry, and raspberry, accompanied by subtle spicy and mineral notes, indicative of the basaltic influence of the soil. On the palate, it is both structured and vibrant: its tannins are present yet silky, and the ripeness of the fruit is balanced with a beautiful acidity. A slight salty touch prolongs the finish and recalls the volcanic origins of the terroir.
A natural wine with no added sulfites, the Munjebel 2014 reflects Frank Cornelissen's non-interventionist philosophy. This rich and expressive wine is ideal for aging (5 to 10 years), but is already splendid today after aeration in a carafe. Served between 16 and 18°C, it will pair wonderfully with grilled meats, Mediterranean dishes, or a porcini mushroom risotto.
Unatantum Liquoreux Red Still 2009
This sweet red is 100% aleatico, grown on the volcanic soils of the Azienda Le Coste estate. The grapes are air-dried for a month, hung in whole bunches from wires, and the wine is slowly fermented for three years. This produces a wine that is sweet without being syrupy, and wonderfully complex.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.