Red Wines

Les Larmes des Roses Red 2023

La Tribu Alonso

Les Larmes des roses is an organic and natural red wine made from 100% Pinot (several varieties), with no added sulfites, produced by Cyril Alonso in Marchampt, in the Beaujolais Vert terroir. Classified as a Vin de France, it was previously called "Les Larmes des Damas" in homage to Henry Frédéric Roch, of the Prieuré-Roch estate in Côte-d'Or, who vinified the ancient Pinot de Damas variety. From Damascus to roses, there is only one step.

Vinification

The vines grow on a 2-are plot, on gray granite soils with wild grass. They are Pinot of various varieties (Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Plant Fin or Pinot Fin, Pinot Modri from Slovenia) pruned in goblet form, aged from four to thirty years and cultivated without plowing, in organic farming and agroforestry. Fermentation is done by indigenous yeasts without starter culture. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation takes place in barrels of several wines (seven for this vintage) for 36 months. Two barrels (600 bottles) were produced. No chemical inputs were added to the vineyard or the cellar.

Tasting

This wine, which inaugurates its first vintage, is more full-bodied, less clear than Le Retour des Hirondelles, from the same estate. Beautiful ruby, red-pink color. Having aged for a long time in barrels, it is complex, patinated, polished. Notes of leather, amber, vanilla orchid. This haute couture wine will pair well with select foods: high-end grilled or roast beef, charcuterie and cured meats, Iberian bellota ham, comforting stews, for example a good cassoulet.

Learn more about Tribu Alonso

This tribal name refers to Cyril Alonso, winemaker, his wife, a naturopath, and their family. They take care, using organic farming, of a conservatory of traditional grape varieties from the Rhône-Alpes region located in Marchampt (Rhône), in the heart of Beaujolais Vert. This two-and-a-half-hectare ampelothèque, which existed since 1952, then had forty grape varieties. It currently contains one hundred and forty. This unique location gives Tribu Alonso wines their particular style. Instead of being single-varietal microcuvées, they are quite the opposite: wines by grape family, either a Chardonnay containing all the Chardonnays of the house or a multi-Gamay Gamay.

A biotope classified in 2008

The estate enjoys a unique ecological location: the house and the vineyard are surrounded by intact forests, on the steep terrain of northern Beaujolais. Three rivers cross it, and the vines, close to the bedrock, capture all the minerality of the soil. Organic farming is practiced and the work, in the vineyard as well as in the cellar, is entirely manual, without the use of any chemical additives or sulfites in the vinification.

The wines

Complantation cuvées (and for good reason), the wines of Tribu Alonso embrace all the complexity of their grape varieties and the viticultural history of Beaujolais. These are carefully crafted wines, fermented and aged to the sound of Tibetan bowls, whose alpha waves are beneficial to the liquids. The fermentation periods are short to preserve the freshness and fruit, as well as the signature of the soil and grape varieties.

Gigondas Rouge 2021

Les Grandes Serres
Gigondas! A great terroir whose very name evokes the earthiness, indulgence, and depth of a traditional wine already beloved in the time of popes and knights. Its vines of Grenache Noir (predominantly), Syrah, and Mourvèdre grow peacefully in Vaucluse, at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail, and production is exclusively red and rosé. The reds are renowned for their depth, density, and aging qualities, their notes of black cherry, and their structure. They have the characteristic of "truffing" as they age, which is hardly surprising in a country where truffles grow. This Gigonda is part of the organic and natural Comics range from the Castel-Papal des Grandes Serres estate. Unlike most Gigondas where Grenache Noir is the majority, it is composed of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache. The Syrahs are planted on sandy soil and the Grenaches grow on calcareous-gravelly soil. The quality of the grapes is exceptional and the wine conveys this information well. The harvest is manual, destemmed, and fermented in concrete vats and demi-muids. Moderate punching down is necessary for good extraction. The wine is aged for six months in vats before bottling.

To find out more
Everyone knows where Châteauneuf-du-Pape is, but how well do we really know this appellation? The Domaine des Grandes Serres represents both its excellence and its vitality. Produces exceptional estate and merchant wines, both red and white, it harvests, buys grapes, vinifies, and ages over a wide area, centered around Châteauneuf and the southern Côtes-du-Rhône and including more peripheral areas such as Lirac and the Costières de Nîmes. In Châteauneuf-du-Pape itself, the estate owns twelve hectares. Created in 1977, it has long been founded on respect for the environment and the terroir. Currently, a large portion of its vintages are organic and without added sulfites, without publicly boasting 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 additives. Covering the entire range of white and red wines from the South and all their grape varieties, the estate is now committed to producing natural wines under labels that take themselves in no way seriously, but the wines contained in the bottles—each bearing the name of its appellation—are solid and serious, in addition to being fresh and tasty.

YARD Rouge, Rouge 2023

Danis dans la vigne

Avec « YARD Rouge », Danis dans la vigne propose une version décomplexée et vivante du Malbec, cépage emblématique de Cahors. Ici, pas de concentration excessive ni d’extraction musclée : ce 100 % Malbec issu de l’agriculture biologique revendique sa liberté et son accessibilité, dans une version nature pleine de charme et de personnalité.

Une vinification naturelle, fidèle au fruit

Issus de vignes plantées sur des sols argilo-calcaires du Lot, les raisins sont cultivés sans chimie, dans le respect des équilibres naturels. La vinification est artisanale : macération douce de deux semaines, fermentation en levures indigènes, sans intrants œnologiques, suivie d’un élevage de neuf mois en cuves inox. Ce choix permet de conserver toute la vivacité du fruit, sans masquer l'identité du cépage ni celle du terroir.

Un rouge souple et savoureux

À la dégustation, YARD Rouge séduit par son nez ouvert sur des arômes de fruits noirs mûrs (prune, mûre), accompagnés de touches de fruits secs. En bouche, la matière est souple, les tanins sont fins et bien intégrés, avec un joli grain et une finale qui garde de la fraîcheur. Le style est net, pur, et invite à la gourmandise sans lourdeur.

Le vin nature de toutes les occasions

Parfait à 14–16 °C, après un léger passage en carafe, YARD Rouge s’invite aussi bien à l’apéro qu’à table. Il se mariera à merveille avec des plats mijotés, des grillades ou une belle planche de charcuteries. À boire dans les deux ans pour profiter pleinement de son fruit éclatant.

Back to Blaye (cuvée exclusive), Rouge 2023

Château Frédignac

Un clin d’œil rétro pour un vin résolument ancré dans le présent : « Back to Blaye » incarne une nouvelle génération de Bordeaux rouges naturels, issus d’un travail précis à la vigne comme au chai. Le Château Frédignac, pionnier d’une viticulture propre et engagée dans l’appellation Blaye – Côtes de Bordeaux, signe ici une cuvée exclusive 2023, à la fois expressive et digeste.

Un terroir valorisé, un savoir-faire engagé

Plantés sur des sols argilo-calcaires typiques du secteur de Blaye, les cépages Merlot (65 %), Malbec (25 %) et Cabernet Sauvignon (10 %) sont cultivés selon les principes de l’agriculture biologique (certifié AB & Nature & Progrès). La vinification reste fidèle à l’esprit nature : macération égrappée de deux semaines, sans intervention œnologique ni levures exogènes, puis élevage en cuves béton pour préserver l’éclat du fruit.

Un rouge vivant et généreux

Au nez, le vin libère des arômes de fruits noirs mûrs, d’herbes fraîches et d’épices douces. En bouche, l’attaque est souple, les tanins présents mais bien intégrés, soutenus par une belle fraîcheur. Le vin gagne en intensité au fil de la dégustation, avec une matière ronde et équilibrée.

À partager dès aujourd’hui ou à oublier un peu…

Back to Blaye se déguste dès maintenant, légèrement rafraîchi (14-16°C), sur une belle assiette de charcuteries, une pièce de viande rouge ou un plat de cuisine familiale. Pas besoin de carafe : ouvrez, respirez, savourez ! Ce vin peut aussi s’épanouir en cave pendant 5 ans.

Gevrey Chambertin les Genevrières Qvevris Red 2022

Fréderic Cossard

Gevrey-Chambertin "Les Genevrières" Qvevris by Frédéric Cossard is an organic and natural red wine produced in Burgundy by Frédéric Cossard and aged in terracotta containers. Made in an illustrious Burgundy appellation, it is made from 100% Pinot Noir vines growing on the plot that gave its name to the cuvée.

Vinification

The Genevrières climate, in AOP Gevrey-Chambertin, is located on clay soil on a limestone base. Vinification begins with two weeks of whole-bunch maceration, followed by gentle pressing to preserve the fruit. A year of aging in terracotta (qvevri) gives additional velvety, sensuality and complexity to a wine that already offered a lot.

Tasting

The profile of a great classic red Burgundy with the freedom and breadth of nature. Black fruits, blackcurrant, blackberry, peony, red rose, delicately spiced, a touch wild… So many distinguished notes for this “Les Genevrières” 2022 vintage. You will happily pair it with local red meats such as the fine fat Mézenc from Florian Gibaud, or the high-end Spanish meats from the maison Aitana. He will also appreciate the charcuterie, the cured meats and the beef stewed in red wine.

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.

GRA Ancestral Sparkling Red 2013

Partida Creus

Cuvée Carignan Red 2022

Fréderic Cossard

It's all in the title: this Cuvée C Carignan by Frédéric Cossard is a 100% organic and natural Carignan, vinified in Burgundy by Frédéric Cossard. The Burgundian master here takes on Carignan from the South, expressing its virtues with his usual dexterity. The blend includes a little Mourvèdre.

Vinification

The Cuvée C Carignan vines are planted at the foot of Mont Ventoux. The vinification of organic grapes is entirely natural, using indigenous yeasts, and maceration is done in whole bunches without exaggerating extraction. Aging is done in vats. No sulfites added.

Tasting

Peppery, spicy, black fruits, C Carignan offers notes of undergrowth, violet, and well-melted tannins, it is a gourmet and fresh wine for all occasions, sunny and balanced. Pair it with grilled meats, charcuterie or cured meats. If you are interested in Carignan, you will also find beautiful expressions at the estates Fond Cyprès or Le Temps retrouvé.

Learn more about Frédéric Cossard and the domaine de Chassorney

Frédéric Cossard and the domaine de Chassorney give a voice in organic and natural ways to the terroirs and wines of Burgundy and elsewhere, undistorted by agricultural chemicals, according to the style and convictions of this winegrower and merchant. Wherever his grapes come from, his wines bear the Cossard brand, both classic and innovative.

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, no chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are tended biodynamically, the harvest is manual, carried out at full maturity. Frédéric Cossard's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, always highly anticipated but which sometimes require waiting.

Terre Mere Red 2021,

Clos des B

Equipped with the Écocert organic label, Terre Mère is a natural red wine, with no added sulfites, from the Clos des B estate, located in the Bay of Saint-Tropez. Red and especially black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, blueberry) abound on the nose and palate. The wine is structured and tannic, but the tannins are supple and well-integrated, and the finish includes a very seductive note of bitter almond. It resembles an Amarone, but without the cooking note, with much more fresh fruit and freshness despite its overripeness. Terre Mère presents a beautiful liveliness upon opening, but we do not recommend decanting. It gains dimension and breadth at the end of the bottle. It comes from the finest grapes, plot by plot and vine by vine, which have been isolated vine by vine to be brought to this overripeness.

Why “Mother Earth”?

The name Mother Earth is a tribute, through the terroir, to Pacha Mama, the great earthly divinity. One clearly perceives through the tasting the producer’s desire to stick to the terroir, to extract its quintessence, in addition to the resolution to add no input to the vineyard or the cellar. This mature and evolved typicity (15% alcohol) results from particular winemaking methods: Mother Earth, a red wine in AOP Côtes-de-Provence, is composed of 50% Grenache, 20% Cinsault and 30% Mourvèdre harvested overripe in September. Vinification is carried out 90% in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and 10% in open barrels. Foot-punching is performed, as well as a few small pumping overs. Malolactic fermentation is complete. The wine is aged in 600-liter barrels and in 228-liter barrels previously used for several wines. No sulfites are added, neither in the vineyard, nor during vinification, nor at bottling. To discover other wines from the terroirs of Provence, also explore the Domaine des Grandes Serres, in the Southern Côtes-du-Rhône. And to accompany this beautiful wine, why not slice a beautiful sausage from Maison Montalet?

Learn more about Clos des B

Clos des B (initials of the two owners) is an organic and natural wine estate located in Grimaud, in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. Gwendolyn Berger and Jean-Jacques Branger are the proud producers of the very first natural cuvées from this geographical area. Before the two Bs bought these three hectares of vines, all these wines went to the cooperative cellar of the Vignerons de Saint-Tropez. Driven by a "thirst for vines," as they say, Gwendolyn and Jean-Jacques overcame administrative difficulties, restored the vineyard, and soon produced reds, rosés, and even a blanc de noirs. Their grape varieties are typical of the region: Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, growing on schist sands crisscrossed by quartz veins. The property benefits from a microclimate that protects the vines from humidity, disease, and frost. The viticulture and winemaking approach resolutely embraces organic (the estate is under the Écocert label, applied for in 2020), biodynamics, and natural methods. The wines are made without added sulfites, fining, or filtration. The wines of Clos des B are a true reflection of their terroir and climate: fresh, fruity, and very pleasant to drink, beautiful natural wines from the terroir of Provence.

Mensonge à Papa Red 2021

Belly Wine Experiment

Fresh, supple, fruity, light, and easy-drinking, Mensonge à Papa is a delicious wine for aperitifs, sharing, thirst quenching, meals, and good company. It proudly carries the banner of Gamay from two regions: Auvergne (from Châteaugay, near Riom, on calcareous-volcanic soils) and Beaujolais (from Rivolet, on blue granite). It is the result of a blend of equal parts of these two origins of the same grape variety, with a shared family resemblance, but also a marked difference: the Gamay from Auvergne has more acidity. Lie to Dad is therefore, in a way, an ode to Gamay. The grapes are first slowly pressed, then their must is added to whole bunches (of Gamay, surprise!) for a fifteen-day carbonic maceration. The aging takes place for a year in fiberglass vats. No chemical inputs are added during the cultivation and vinification, and in particular no sulfites. Classified as a Vin de France and with an alcohol content of 13.5%, it will be wonderful as an aperitif or with food, or just to have a good time.

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 a lot to live up to: 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.

Ganache Red 2021,

Domaine de l'Octavin

A complex, innovative, and delicious wine, obtained after eight weeks of whole-bunch maceration. Bottling was done in June 2022. Ganache is not far from Grenache, that's it, you get the idea, and Gamay joins the fray. The famous southern grape variety, cultivated biodynamically and harvested in Carpentras (SCEA L’Authentique by Claude Ughetto), vinified in the Jura, doesn’t feel out of place at all: nothing prevents it from unleashing its brazenly fruity notes – cherry, fresh and candied strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, plum, dried fruit – enhanced with plum, black pepper, spices and chocolate. All that? Yes. Don’t be surprised by a slight reduction upon opening: aerate the wine, decant, or let it wait a little in the glass, it will disappear.

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“You don’t need anything,” says Alice Bouvot, winemaker at Domaine de l’Octavin, “just a grape that’s comfortable in its own skin.” Everything is said in favor of natural wine, it’s a perfect description. Established in 2005, Domaine d'Alice is located in Arbois, in the Jura wine region, often described as the most organic vineyard in France. The practice of producing – among other things – oxidative wines is a good preparation for nature, as this type of wine does not allow any chemical additives and especially no sulfites. It is a secret of this magnificent region. Originally spread over two hectares, the estate, managed entirely biodynamically (Demeter) since 2010, has expanded through the gradual acquisition of plots and now covers seven hectares. An accomplished musician and passionate music lover, Alice aims to apply her musical sensitivity to the wines she makes. She draws a parallel between the technical perfection of conventional wines, which risks excluding feeling, while "a musician who does not know music theory and plays with his guts creates emotion." For her, living wine is like this: instinctive, improvised, emotional. Introduced to natural wine by Stéphane Planche, sommelier at chef Jean-Paul Jeunet in Arbois, she faithfully followed this path. The sometimes whimsical names of her vintages are inspired sometimes by musical art (Dorabella, Zerline), sometimes by the numerous plots of land that make up her vineyard (En Curon, Les Corvées, En Poussot, etc.), and do not disdain a pun from time to time. Likewise, the labels adorned with happy and salacious little gnomes are a signature of the estate. As for the grape varieties, they are the classics of the Jura: Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir for the reds, and Chardonnay, Savagnin for the whites. Alongside her Arbois wines, Alice has created a business selling "on the vine" grapes (Ecocert certified) with her winegrower friends in the region. Natural, committed, joyful and highly drinkable, Alice Bouvot's wines are all the more sought-after as the vintages, produced in plot-by-plot mode, appear, disappear and reappear depending on the vintage and inspiration.

Magnum Munjebel MC Red 2013,

Frank Cornelissen

The color is superbly intense, a deep, saturated red. Notes of red rose and wild red berries are very pronounced and powerful. A rich texture, body, and depth, with a rich and aromatic palate supported by fresh acidity. This is an already venerable vintage of this pure Nerello Mascalese, which comes from the Contrada Monte Colla (the meaning of the initials MC), a very steep, terraced plot with magnificent sun and wind exposure, directly opposite Mount Etna. The soil is sandy-clay. The vines, planted in 1946, produce a rich, powerful, and elegant wine. It's a bit like the hermitage of Etna. The harvest is destemmed and lightly crushed, then macerated for sixty days. No fining, light filtration before bottling.

To find out more
A key figure in natural wine, a universally respected figure in this category of wines, Frank Cornelissen is a classic. This man of constant questioning lives in human and cosmic resonance with his contrasting terroir: he has demonstrated that the powerful minerality of a great volcanic soil could be highlighted by the naturalness of his wines. The brilliance, the directness and the exquisite fruitiness of his vintages earn him the admiration even of those reluctant to go "natural." They are good introductory wines.
His Sicilian azienda is located in Passopisciaro, in the northern Etna valley. It is, he says, the "Night Coast" of Etna for the great diversity of its wines spread over many locations (contrade) at different altitudes. The climate is continental and harsh, even snowy, in winter, but very warm and sunny from June to September. The altitude gives the wines tension and elegance. The vines coexist with a Mediterranean polyculture: olive trees, almond trees, vegetable gardens... (Frank also produces olive oil). The age of the vines ranges from forty years to over one hundred years. The plots, nineteen in number, on twenty-four hectares in total, are all at altitude, between 600 and 900 meters, on several volcanic flows. They are all vinified separately: Frank decides on the blend based on the quality of the wines from each plot. In general, seven or eight vintages are made in addition to the generic wines (rosé, basic red and white). The soils are made up of different types of basalt, between powder and rock, with perfect drainage that allows for the production of concentrated and fine wines.
Nerello Mascalese dominates the estate's grape varieties. This great traditional red grape variety from the northern valley of Etna is the only grape variety used in the great vintages. Its growing cycle is long, which allows the vine to work the soil and capture its minerality in the fruit. Other grape varieties include: Nerello Capuccio, Minella Bianco, Minella Nera, Alicante Bouschet, Malvasia, Cattaratto, Moscadella, Grecanico Dorato, Carricante…

Saint Joseph Cuvée Madloba Red 2020

Paul Estève

Rhône Valley - Saint-Joseph AOC AOP

The fruit is dense, clean, and precise, the tannins are fine, smooth, and full of freshness, and the minerality is subtle. Even the intensity of a Rhône Syrah reveals that "taste of water," that thirst-quenching fluidity that is the hallmark that Chrystelle Vareille and Paul Estève seek to give to their wines. With its floral and spicy notes, its mineral tension over a full texture and intense sapidity, this wine is reminiscent of Georgian qvevri wines aged in terracotta. Madloba ("thank you" in Georgian), in AOP Saint-Joseph, is a 100% Syrah. The vines, almost forty years old, are planted at an altitude of 350 meters, on a hillside plot with granite and black mica soils. The harvest ferments in tinajas, unburied terracotta jars, and after pressing the wine returns to the tinaja for a year of aging. This aging method enhances the wine's texture, softens the tannins, and develops the fruit. As versatile as it is for pairings, Madloba red can do anything.

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Paul Estève and Chrystelle Vareille are the creators of the Domaine des Miquettes, whose great specialty is the use of Georgian techniques. They are passionate about this Caucasian country, the cradle of wine, where eight-thousand-year-old winemaking techniques are still used. At the heart of this viticulture is the qvevri, the buried jar where all the winemaking takes place: fermentation with skin maceration and aging. They set out to explore this country and returned with the decision to age all their wines in buried jars. They have twenty-six, but distinguish between tinajas (Spanish jars) for fermentation-maceration and buried "amphorae" for aging. No sulfur is added. For both reds and whites, the terracotta erases astringency and transmutes it into a velvety texture, a fruity and supple material.

The estate, located in Ardèche, is south of the Saint-Joseph appellation. Paul trained with René-Jean Dard and François Ribo, two great figures of natural wine in the Rhône Valley. With Chrystelle, he began by taking over Paul's family farm with two ares of vines, then in 2004 the entire estate, which now covers 4.3 hectares. The white grape varieties are located around the house, the red grape varieties are planted on steep hillsides, between 300 and 450 meters above sea level. The plots rest on a granite base with light soils: black mica granite, schist and gneiss. Everything is cultivated organically (Ecocert) with biodynamic practices. The vines are cared for and fortified using plant decoctions and clay. The soils are worked by horse or winch and pickaxe. No chemical inputs are added to the vineyard work. The harvest is entirely manual.

Pauvre Diable Red 2020,

Domaine Serre Besson

Gourmet, deep, and velvety, this wine offers lovely, well-integrated tannins. The notes of black cherry and blackberry are assertive, while the mid-palate is characterized by touches of spice and rose. A beautiful natural red from the Vinsobres terroir, with a bright, clear ruby color. Don't be swayed by what you read on the label: Pauvre Diable, endowed with all the graces mentioned above, is nothing to be pitied. The name alludes to the state in which Victor Taylor, the current owner of the Serre Besson estate, found the estate when he bought it in 2011. A restoration of the vineyard followed, as well as a conversion to organic farming which is now bearing fruit: in this case this natural cuvée, without adding any inputs to the vineyard or the cellar, a pure expression of the estate's varied soils (sand, limestone, clay) and the oldest Grenache vines planted there. You can drink it now, in its youth and freshness, or let it age for three to five years.

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In 2011, Victor, a Californian sommelier who had settled in Nyons after leaving his position as restaurant director at the Carlyle Hotel in New York, became passionate about the Serre Besson estate, then a small, abandoned wine estate nestled around an old stone building. He bought the whole property, renovated it, and revitalized the vineyard. A few years later, the red wines from the Serre Besson estate, in the Vinsobres appellation, were making waves, were noticed in competitions, and won several medals. Victor, upon taking over the estate, began his conversion to organic farming, which now allows him to produce an entirely natural cuvée based on Grenache: this is the Pauvre Diable that we offer you. In addition, it produces a Vinsobres appellation of origin whose grape varieties bring together Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Grenache. As well as a rosé macerated with Grenache Noir, Syrah and Viognier. The owner's ambition is not to impose a new style but to respect the terroir and nature in an environment that offers all the possibilities to make exceptional wines.

Saint Joseph Red 2019

Thierry Alexandre

A feast of violets, blackcurrants, black fruits, morello cherries, magnificent smoky and roasted notes, pepper, and spices; a crisp palate with a hint of astringency. This beautiful, dense, and mineral red from the Saint-Joseph appellation, produced biodynamically, is made from 100% old Syrah vines growing on well-exposed slopes in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, on the right bank of the Rhône. The soils are complex: loess, decomposed granite, and gneiss. The harvest is entirely manual, and no additives are used in the vineyard or winery. The grapes are lightly crushed and macerated for three weeks in whole bunches, and aged for one year in old barrels. No filtration is carried out before bottling.

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Thierry Alexandre produces little (two hectares in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols, in Ardèche, and a few vines north of Crozes-Hermitage), but he produces well and carefully, entirely biodynamically and without additives in the vineyard or cellar. His bottles are in the Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage blanc and Vin de France appellations. The grape varieties are typical of this northern Rhône Valley: Marsanne, Roussanne, Syrah, Viognier. The estate lies on quite varied soils, mainly decomposed granite, as well as gneiss, sandy clay and loess. He practices semicarbonic fermentation in whole bunches for fairly long periods and aging, depending on the vintage, in stainless steel or old barrels. His wines are as rare and sought-after as the winemaker is humble and discreet, but there is nothing haughty or inaccessible about them: pleasant, warm, fluid and well balanced between fruit and mineral, they are wines of pleasure that should be reserved for the most friendly gatherings.

Magnum BB "Cerrailla" Red 2019

Partida Creus
The Partida Creus estate is the brainchild of two Piedmontese natives from the Langhe (where wine is well-known), Antonella Gerosa and Massimo Marchiori, who initially 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 cries of satisfaction. This 100% Bobal is a racy and finely wild red from the Cerrailla plot, built on a grape variety common in Spain but whose expression here is very original. Dark cherry red color; on the nose, candy, sweet flowers, fresh fruits, violet, thyme. On the palate, a lot of distinction: a straight acidity and morello cherry, ripe plum, black pepper, a small saline touch on the finish. Serve well chilled.

Réhoboam Contadino Red 2016

Frank Cornelissen

This entry-level red from Azienda Frank Cornelissen is made from Nerello Mascalese and a few other varieties grown on the estate: Malvasia, Moscadella, and Catarratto. The grapes are destemmed, lightly crushed, and undergo approximately sixty days of skin maceration. It is the aromatic expression of Etna, a vintage produced and blended traditionally, mixing plots and grape varieties. The result is a wine with a rich and voluptuous nose, elegant and fluid, with structure and a strong personality. Aging potential: ten years. Serving temperature: 14-15°C. Open twenty minutes before serving. Pairs well with all summer dishes, from marinated red peppers to grilled lamb and appetizers.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Jéroboam TP Trepat Damajuana Red 2018

Partida Creus

Delivery possible only in the Île-de-France region
Made from Trepat, an ancient Catalan grape variety, this red wine offers plenty of freshness with notes of red and black fruits (plum, pomegranate, cherry, raspberry), Mediterranean herbs, and well-integrated tannins, with leathery touches and a supple texture, accentuated in this large format by aging in a demijohn. On the palate, it is lively, light, and balanced, with suppleness. A very wide range of flavor pairings.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Saint-Romain Sous Roche Qvevris Red 2018, Frederic Cossard

This Pinot Noir from the Qvevris series (aged in Georgian-style terracotta jars) comes from a plot whose sloping terroir, facing south-southeast, is 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. Plenty of fruit and roundness supported by a sumptuous minerality. The Pinot Noir benefits greatly from the velvety texture brought by aging in qvevri.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.