Red Wines

Santenay 1er Cru Passetemps Rouge 2020,

Frédéric Cossard
Deep ruby ​​color, nose revealing candied red fruits and floral notes. A hint of violet is discernible. On the palate, it is rich, refined, and concentrated. The Passetemps climat is located between the village of Santenay and the Gravières climat, another premier cru. The soil is clay-limestone, the vines are seventy years old, and this single-plot cuvée, characteristically, has great aging qualities and deserves to be cherished.

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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted 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 which are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for a time 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 wine merchant company and purchased 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 vintages. The practice is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura, Languedoc and elsewhere. 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. 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.

Unicorn Toad, Red 2024

Danis dans la vigne

Behind this playful name lies a seriously inspired cuvée: Crapaud Licorne (Unicorn Toad) is the free and natural vision of a modern Cahors, full of brilliance and sincerity. Produced by "Danis dans la vigne," a committed artisan winemaker, this 100% Malbec challenges the norms of an appellation often associated with power. Here, the focus is on finesse, fruit vibrancy, and freedom of expression.

A pure Malbec, precise winemaking

The grapes come from clay-limestone soils typical of the Lot region, cultivated according to organic farming principles (AB certified). After a gentle two-week maceration, fermentation occurs naturally, without oenological inputs or added yeasts. Nine months of aging in stainless steel tanks preserves all the freshness and energy of the grape, resulting in a lively, digestible, and deeply sincere wine.

An elegant and distinctive profile

Upon tasting, Crapaud Licorne reveals a dark color with purplish reflections. The nose opens with aromas of black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry), pepper, and subtly herbaceous notes. On the palate, the texture is fine, almost silky, with beautiful ripeness and a fresh, spicy finish. The tannins are present but delicate, perfectly balancing the fruit's richness.

A companion for fine dining

Decanted one hour before serving, between 14 and 16°C, this wine brilliantly accompanies stews, grilled meats, or artisanal charcuterie. It can also age for 5 to 10 years in the cellar, gaining complexity while retaining its free spirit.

L'Enchanteresse Rouge 2017,

La Grapperie
A very intense nose of black fruits extends into a beautiful volume on the palate, and the length leaves one dreaming. A cuvée of old vines, L'Enchanteresse is a 100% Pineau d'Aunis with excellent aging potential. The terroir of this aptly named Enchanteresse is made up of flint clay over limestone. The Pineau d'Aunis, which makes up the entire cuvée, is harvested at full maturity, sorted, then macerated for four weeks in truncated cone-shaped vats with punching down by foot. Fermentation occurs naturally using indigenous yeasts, without any oenological additives, in order to preserve the purity of the grapes and the expression of the vintage and the soil. The wine is aged for between twelve and twenty-four months on lees in demi-muids in cellars dug into the tuffeau stone.

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La Grapperie, in the Coteaux du Loir appellation, is the name of the estate of Renaud Guettier, who can be described as a master of Chenin, but also of Pineau d'Aunis, which is one of the oldest grape varieties in the Loire Valley. His principle, he confides, is "to produce complex, rich wines with good aging potential and imbued with the minerality of their terroir." The vines are located on hillsides, between 60 and 120 meters above sea level, protected from the north winds by the Bercé forest. Depending on the altitude, the terroirs are predominantly clay (at the bottom of the slope), flint (mid-slope) or sand (on the higher ground). The 60-hectare vineyard comprises around fifteen plots. The grape varieties are the two traditionally permitted in the appellation: Chenin for the whites and Pineau d'Aunis for 90% of the reds, the remainder consisting of a few acres of Côt, Gamay, and Grolleau. The average age of the vines is seventy years, including almost two hectares of century-old vines and one and a half hectares of vines aged between sixty and eighty years. Convinced of the enormous potential that these old vines can bring to his vintages, Renaud has been meticulous in restoring the vineyard. The entire estate is farmed organically. The soils are worked, and all viticultural interventions are manual, including the harvest, which is carried out at full maturity, which is reflected in the fullness and smoothness of the wines. For the reds, the Pineaux d'Aunis are partially destemmed (depending on the plot) and the macerations are quite long, three to four weeks, with punching down, to promote aging potential. The wines are aged in barrels for between twelve and twenty-four months, then racked, blended and bottled without filtration. For the whites, the Chenins are pressed directly at low pressure and then poured into barrels by gravity. Fermentation takes place in barrels, using indigenous yeasts, with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months and sometimes up to thirty-six months.

Vin paillé Red 2012

Marie and Vincent Tricot

Marie and Vincent Tricot's Vin de paille is undoubtedly a curiosity: it's a sweet wine made from 100% Auvergne Gamay, entirely organic and natural, made like a Vin de paille from the Jura. The harvest is dried on straw in an attic before pressing. We're not used to Gamay vinified this way, or even red wine vinified this way.

It's an experiment, but the result more than justifies the boldness. Drying on straw concentrates the sugar in the grape berries and accentuates the flavors. Only a drop remains in each berry, but what a drop! Sweet, caressing, syrupy, complex, this Vin de paille is a delight. Its color is not a pure red but an amber, and the nose is a veritable basket of slightly jammy fruits: plum, prune, raisins, strawberry. It is possible that a refermentation takes place in the bottle, which can give a sparkling attack to this wine, but it disappears quickly. On the palate, a delicious sweetness, lots of strawberry and pleasantness. Very easy to drink.

To find out more

Among the generation of Auvergne winemakers who, at the dawn of the 21st century, are resurrecting the vineyards of this beautiful volcanic province of the Massif Central in organic and natural ways, Marie and Vincent Tricot are pioneers, and their name is well known to those who have long loved natural wine. After a varied winegrowing journey that took them from Beaujolais to Chile and from Chile to Costières-de-Nîmes, they landed in Auvergne, at the foot of the Puy de Dôme, in the commune of Orcet where they took over Claude Prugnard's vineyard, a land that had not seen the slightest chemical input for around thirty years. The estate is located on a hillside, on the left bank of the Allier, in a volcanic clay-limestone area neighboring the vineyards of Châteaugay, Chanturgue and Corent. They acquired it in 2003 and, since then, have been making wines from Auvergne Gamay, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with a little Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat. These rare and sought-after wines are mainly sold directly. They have a straight and flamboyant profile, and express themselves with as much character as simplicity.

Côtes du Rhône Red 2022

Les Grandes Serres

This Côtes-du-Rhône from Domaine des Grandes Serres is what its name implies: an organic and natural red wine from the lower Rhône Valley, in the AOC-AOP Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages. It is part of the estate's "Comics" natural series (see label).

Vinification

The Côtes-du-Rhône from Domaine des Grandes Serres is made from 80% Syrah, with 5% of each of the following grape varieties: Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault, all grown on limestone and sandstone soils. The harvest is manual, the grapes are destemmed and macerated on the skins for three weeks. After pressing, the wine rests for eight months in stainless steel vats.

Tasting

A good, dense, indulgent, and fruity Côtes-du-Rhône, without the slight bite of sulfites, does that tempt you? This Côtes-du-Rhône is part of the estate's organic and natural "Comics" series and will always be perfect when you want a warm, fruity red wine suitable for all occasions.

Learn more about Domaine des Grandes Serres

Domaine des Grandes Serres, created in 1977 with respect for the environment and the terroir, represents the excellence and vitality, in organic and natural mode, of the prestigious Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, where it covers 12 hectares. To make his estate and merchant wines, he harvests, buys grapes, vinifies, and ages them over a wide area, centered around Châteauneuf and the southern Côtes-du-Rhône, extending to areas such as Lirac and the Costières de Nîmes.

An organic commitment without ostentation

A large portion of the Domaine des Grandes Serres vintages are organic and without added sulfites, although the estate does not publicly boast about it. Modestly, Samuel Montgermont, the estate's general manager, explains that the geological and climatic conditions, particularly the mistral wind, promote the health of the vineyard and allow for the elimination of inputs. While the labels don't take themselves seriously, the wines are solid, fresh, and flavorful.

Yeti Rouge 2024

La Tribu Alonso

The 2024 Yeti cuvée is a wine as atypical as its name, born in Beaujolais under the passionate impetus of the collective La Tribu Alonso. This 100% Gamay, or rather, should we say "100% Gamay diversity," brings together no fewer than 31 different varieties of this grape: Gamay teinturier, white, rosé, old clones, forgotten plants... A mosaic of grapes that reflects the richness of life and the free spirit of its winemakers.

The grapes are grown on granitic soils, without synthetic products, following a completely natural approach, even without certification. After a 5-day semi-carbonic maceration in fiber tanks, fermentation occurs thanks to indigenous yeasts, without oenological input. The wine is then aged for 12 months in concrete eggs, which brings roundness, energy, and balance, without woody masking.

The result? A vibrant and juicy red wine, with a light and brilliant color. The nose reveals crisp red fruits, a herbaceous touch, some sweet spices, and a peppery hint. On the palate, it is fluid, digestible, with a beautiful texture that remains fresh and elegant. A smooth Gamay, but never simplistic.

Yeti can be enjoyed as an aperitif, with artisanal charcuterie, lightly spiced dishes, or even grilled white meats. It's a wine of immediate pleasure, which appeals to both the curious and enlightened lovers of lively natural wines, to be drunk young or within 5 years.

Southern Red Version 2024

Fleurie Red 2023

Santenay 1er Cru Passetemps Red 2023

Fredo'Trousses Red 2023

Pinot Noir Red 2023

Cuvée YARD Champs Elysées Rouge 2022

Les Souriants

Les Souriants present a single-plot interpretation of Pinot Noir with their Cuvée YARD Champs Élysées 2022, sourced from a unique granite terroir in Beaujolais. This natural wine, certified organic, explores the finesse and depth of this grape variety, often underestimated in the region, yet finding superb resonance in these poor, mineral soils.

The Champs Élysées plot benefits from an ideal exposure and a light granite soil that forces the vines to root deeply, concentrating the aromas in small berries brimming with energy. The winemaking process remains true to the estate's philosophy: one month of maceration, gentle extraction, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, and one year of aging in old barrels to respect the identity of the place.

In the glass, the wine offers a pure and charming nose: black cherry, candied red fruits, faded rose, with a subtle vegetal touch reminiscent of ripe stems. On the palate, the texture is fine, linear, fresh, almost crystalline. The Pinot Noir expresses itself in an elegant, slender version, with a light tannic structure and a floral and mineral finish.

YARD Champs Élysées is a gastronomic red, ideal with roasted meats, farm-raised chicken with chanterelles, or elaborate vegetarian dishes. It can be enjoyed now without decanting, or can evolve harmoniously over 5 years. Serve it lightly chilled, between 16 and 18°C, to reveal its full complexity.

A sincere, distinguished, and poetic single-plot cuvée.

Beaujolais Lancié, Magnum Red 2018

Domaine Bélicard

With this Beaujolais Villages 2018 in magnum format, Domaine Bélicard offers a generous and gourmet version of its 100% Gamay noir, AOC certified, grown on the light sands of Lancié. A full-bodied, expressive red wine, made for sharing and festive gatherings, in a decidedly natural yet always accessible style.

A supple natural wine

The grapes are vinified with a short maceration to preserve the fruity momentum of the grape variety. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, without oenological inputs, followed by 9 months of aging in concrete vats, which respects the integrity of the juice while giving it a beautiful roundness. This wine has nothing to hide: it shines with its frankness and conviviality.

Ripe and juicy fruit

The nose evokes bright red fruits, but also notes of pomegranate, black fruits, and candied fruits. On the palate, it is supple, smooth, with a generous texture and a beautiful freshness. The tannins are melted, the whole remains tonic and carried by a beautiful energy. This magnum is enjoyed in its breadth, unpretentious but with great pleasure.

The magnum of simple happiness

Serve at 14–16 °C, without decanting, this Lancié 2018 is perfect for dinner aperitifs, charcuterie boards, bistro dishes, or generous picnics. A friendly wine as we like them, to drink now or within 5 years.

Amphore Rouge, 2023

Philippe Chatillon

With Amphore 2023, Philippe Chatillon delivers a rare and unique red cuvée, blending the typicality of the Jura with an ancestral aging method. This certified organic natural wine, classified as Vin de France, comes from a subtle blend of Pinot Noir and Trousseau, two emblematic grape varieties of the Jura, grown on clay-limestone soils and vinified with a spirit of purity and respect for the fruit.

After a short one-week maceration, the wine is aged for two years in amphorae (qvevris), these terracotta jars traditionally used in Georgia. This aging choice allows for slow and natural oxygenation, without the transfer of woody aromas, thus preserving the frankness of the fruit, the floral delicacy, and the complexity of the wine.

On the nose, Amphore 2023 immediately captivates: crisp red fruits, violet, a fresh herbaceous note, and a slightly earthy touch that recalls the very material of the amphora. On the palate, it is a light, fluid, yet structured wine, with a natural tension and a beautiful aromatic persistence. The balance between the finesse of Pinot Noir and the vitality of Trousseau is remarkable, supported by an aging process that acts as a revealer rather than a disguise.

At the table, this vibrant red will accompany grilled red meats, root vegetable dishes, or fine charcuterie. It will express itself fully at around 12 to 14°C, after decanting, and can be kept for 5 to 10 years.

With this cuvée, Philippe Chatillon creates an author's red wine, free and inspired, where the terroir of the Jura meets the millennial wisdom of amphora winemaking.

Covenant Red 2020

Danis dans la Vigne

An exceptional Malbec, matured in the silence of the cellar

Covenant 2020 embodies the philosophy of long-term patience. A truly unique cuvée by Danis dans la Vigne, crafted with rare precision. This 100% Malbec, organically grown on the clay-limestone soils of deep Cahors, is naturally vinified without unnecessary oenological intervention, with a short maceration, then aged for three years in barrels, topped up only once a year. This demanding, bold method allows the wine to concentrate, oxidize slowly, and round out in a near-oxidative dynamic, before a year in stainless steel tanks, then a year of rest in the bottle.

A mature, complex, accomplished wine that contrasts with the sometimes raw image of Malbec. Covenant lives up to its name: a true pact between time, matter, and the winemaker's craft.

Deep, enveloping, meditative

Upon serving, the wine reveals a dark color with deep garnet reflections. The nose is captivating: bitter cocoa, sweet spices, stewed black fruit, truffle, almost a hint of leather. On the palate, it's a unique experience. The texture is velvety, full-bodied, yet perfectly balanced. The length is remarkable, persistent, with a saline finish. One senses a wine in full maturity, ready to be enjoyed, but also built for aging.

Covenant 2020 is perfect for noble red meats, game, a truffle dish, or even a dark chocolate dessert for the most adventurous. Serve at 16-18°C, without decanting, in a large glass that allows it time to breathe.

Ambre dissous Red 2020

The Alonso Tribe

Terroir, plot size and grape varieties

Born in the vibrant Beaujolais region, La Tribu Alonso's 2020 Ambre Dissous is a distinctive red wine, a wine of character that breaks with established norms. While Gamay takes center stage, it is an uncommon Gamay, made from teinturier grapes – a rarity in the region. This bold choice results in a captivatingly deep color, almost cloudy like the ink of mystery, and already hints at a singular expression of the terroir.

The vineyard stretches across granite soils typical of Beaujolais, in an area where the influences of the nearby Rhône are felt, bringing darker, spicier notes and a welcome tension. It is a land of contrasts, between the freshness of the north and the generosity of the south, which La Tribu Alonso has managed to tame with rare sensitivity.

Cultivation methods

The Alonso Tribe is, above all, a philosophy. It's a return to the essentials, a work in symbiosis with nature, far removed from artifice. The vines are cultivated without chemical inputs, respecting living organisms, lunar cycles, and the energies of the land. Here, each bunch is hand-picked, in an almost ritualistic gesture, then vinified with minimal intervention. Fermentation occurs naturally, with indigenous yeasts taking the reins to best express the identity of the grape and its terroir.

This artisanal approach yields a free, vibrant, unadorned wine, where the grape variety can sing without a false note. Ambre Dissous is a reflection of nature embraced, sometimes wild, but always sincere.

Tasting & pairings

By the glass, Ambre Dissous 2020 immediately captivates with its deep, almost violet color, hinting at a wine with a strong character. The nose is a poem of spices: freshly ground black pepper, clove, with a delicate note of violet as a subtle reminder of Rhône influences. On the palate, the structure is assertive, the tannins present yet elegantly polished, offering a mouthfeel that is both firm and silky.

This wine is not meant to flatter; it challenges, questions, and invites contemplation. It can be enjoyed as an aperitif, to awaken the taste buds, or at the table, alongside a generous dish: a matured rib of beef, a lamb tagine with prunes, or even a wild mushroom risotto.

Ambre Dissous is a wine for sharing, but also for meditation. A bottle that tells a story, that of a marginalized grape variety, a reinvented terroir, and a tribe that, far from the beaten track, forges its own path with heart and conviction.

Morey Saint Denis les Champs de la Vigne Qvevris Red 2022

Fréderic Cossard

This great organic and natural red Burgundy wine is produced by Frédéric Cossard. Made entirely from Pinot Noir (a Pinot Fin variety), it is produced in the Morey-Saint-Denis appellation and comes from the "Les Champs de la Vigne" climate. Its distinctive feature is its terracotta aging, which suits it well.

Vinification

The vines grow on a clay-limestone plot and are around sixty years old. They are made from Pinot Fin grapes, an old strain of Pinot Noir that is increasingly rare in Burgundy. The harvest macerates in whole bunches and the wine is aged in qvevri (Georgian-style terracotta jars) for at least a year. This maturation gives it a velvety patina and allows its red fruit aromas to flourish.

Tasting

Typical of the Morey-Saint-Denis climate, this Champs de la Vigne is a powerful and complex wine, offering notes of violet and red fruits. It expresses opulent fruit and remarkable minerality. Great elegance and finesse, silky and satiny with a lovely earthy and mineral nuance. The qvevri accentuates its fruitiness and the melting tannins. It will be a pleasure to pair it with grilled duck breast, grilled meats, beef, charcuterie and salted meats.

Learn more about Frédéric Cossard and the domaine de Chassorney

Frédéric Cossard and the domaine de Chassorney give the floor to organic and natural wines from Burgundy (and elsewhere), undistorted by agricultural chemistry, according to the style and convictions of this winegrower and merchant. Wherever the grapes come from, his 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.