Seafood

La Diablesse White 2020

La Grapperie

La Diablesse is an organic (Ecocert) and natural dry white wine made by Renaud Guettier of La Grapperie from old Chenin Blanc vines. Classified as a Vin de France, it comes from the Coteaux du Loir appellation region.

Vinification

La Diablesse is a pure Chenin Blanc from vines planted in 1935 on flint-clay soils. The grapes are pressed directly at low pressure and then transferred by gravity before undergoing fermentation in barrels using indigenous yeasts.

Tasting

The nose of La Diablesse surprises with notes of almonds, followed on the palate by white fruits (pear, reinette apple), citrus fruits and a beautiful acidic finish. Very mineral, black pepper, smoke, thyme and earthy notes. The acidity is considerable, marked by a slight oxidative touch. This wine will go well with cooked fish, oysters and all seafood. Also enjoy it with smoked fish and cheese.

Learn more about Renaud Guettier and La Grapperie

In the Coteaux du Loir appellation, La Grapperie 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.

The estate

Renaud's 60 hectares of hillside vines are protected from the north winds by the Bercé forest. Depending on the altitude, the terroirs are predominantly clay, flint or sand. The grape varieties are the two traditionally authorized in the appellation: Chenin for the whites and Pineau d'Aunis for 90% of the reds, the rest consisting of a few ares of Côt, Gamay and Grolleau. Some vines are more than a hundred years old.

In the vineyard and the winery

The entire estate is cultivated organically. The soils are worked and all viticultural interventions are manual, including the harvest, carried out at full maturity, which is reflected in the fullness and smoothness of the wines. For the reds, the Pineau d'Aunis is 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 then put into barrels with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months, malolactic included, and sometimes up to thirty-six months.

Divin Poison White 2020,

De Vini

Divin Poison is an organic, biodynamic, and natural dry white wine made by Christophe Bosque of the De Vini estate using melon de Bourgogne grapes from the Nantes region. Classified as a Vin de France and harvested on gabbro soils characteristic of the region, it has all the hallmarks of a (very good) Muscadet, except for the appellation.

Atelier 3 Rosé 2020

Belly Wine Experiment
Fresh, fruity, lively, and supple, Atelier 3 is officially a red, or at least that's how it's classified by customs because the blend contains white wine. Unofficially, it's a rosé, made from a direct press of underripe Gamay grapes and a few bits of Syrah and hybrid grape varieties. The whole is blended with carbonic maceration juice from Gamay and Riesling must. No chemical additives are used, either in the vineyard or in the winery. Classified as a Vin de France and with an alcohol content of 12.4%, this wine is a cocktail of grape varieties for a brilliantly lively result, perfect as an aperitif and when you need to wake up a sleeping atmosphere. A wine to wake the dead, as they say on such occasions.

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 Adrien 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 unique feature of Belly Wine Experiment is the exoticism (in the literal sense) of the blends, with Xarel lo from Catalonia, for example, blending naturally with Gamay from Puy-de-Dôme. 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.

Magnum Nuria Muscat of Alexandria White 2017,

Clos Lentiscus

In Penedès (Catalonia), in Sitges, in the heart of the Garraf Natural Park, Manel Avinyo and his brother Joan have taken over the family estate, which Manel has renamed Clos Lentiscus. Even though Barcelona is only a half-hour drive away, the beauty of the landscape is striking and the immersion in nature is total: Mediterranean forests rub shoulders with Catalan scrubland (thyme, rosemary, rockrose, mastic tree which gave its name to the estate, etc.). The Penedès region also has a long winemaking history. Nestled in its gentle hills is Clos Lentiscus, in the Penedés appellation, on twenty hectares of sandy and clay-limestone soils facing due south at an altitude of 225 meters. According to historical documents, the family of Manel and Joan Avinyo has been established there since at least the 14th century. For a long time, the grapes were sold to local cooperatives, but since the two brothers took over the estate, organic and biodynamic farming has replaced conventional practices, the entire harvest goes into the house vintages, and organic and biodynamic practices have allowed this beautiful property to reconnect with its former prestige: in the 19th century, its wines were sold in France and as far away as the Americas. Very quickly, Manel received a nickname: The Bubbleman, a tribute to his talent for vinifying cavas, these sparkling whites characteristic of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, from native varieties for which Catalonia holds the secret: sumoll, ull de llebre, xarel·lo, malvasia of Sitges, cartoixà vermell, cariñena (carignan), accompanied by tempranillo and muscat of Alexandria. The vines are old, sometimes centuries old. No synthetic additives are used in the vineyard, and operations such as planting, pruning, de-budding and harvesting are dictated by the lunar phases. Pollination is facilitated by the presence of beehives; sheep contribute to fertilization and control of the plant cover. Ringo, the white horse, is responsible for working the soil.

Purity, elegance and a crisp minerality due to limestone characterize the productions of Clos Lentiscus. The note of controlled oxidation, when it is felt, does not dominate the tasting and the wines are never deviant. Cavas are known for being exuberant, but those of Clos Lentiscus never have more than two grams of residual sugar per liter. The estate also produces still wines, red, white and rosé.

Núria is the name of Manel's daughter, who assisted her father in the creation of this beautiful aperitif wine that will go wonderfully with all Mediterranean cuisines, with the added pleasure and conviviality that the magnum format allows. 100% Muscat of Alexandria, a sweet, large-berry grape, this is a fresh and aromatic sparkling white wine from direct pressing. The first fermentation using indigenous yeasts takes place in 55-liter demijohns and the second fermentation takes place in bottles. Twenty-four months of aging on fine lees and manual disgorgement.

Ma' Carotte Blanc 2020,

Frédéric Gounan
Lively, fruity, balanced, fresh, and mineral, Ma'Carotte reveals citrus (dried and roasted orange peel), pineapple, and guava on the nose, with hints of honey. A saline finish characteristic of the basalt soil, and a delicious acidity on the finish. Ma'Carotte is a dry white wine from Auvergne made from equal parts Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc, directly pressed. Capped like a beer, it's perfect for all occasions and all pairings. If you see him passing by, take advantage of it, Frédéric doesn't make it every year.

To find out more
Coming from a family of farmers established in the commune of Saint-Sandoux (Puy-de-Dôme) for at least two centuries, Frédéric Gounan was in his first life a mechanic and prototype creator for the French motorcycle brand Voxan, whose headquarters were in Issoire. He turned away from the industrial world to devote himself to wine with his partner Caroline. He intends to take advantage of the magnificent terroirs of his native village, far from "pissing the vines", as was done in the past: he notes that everything that comes from this land has exceptional taste qualities. He takes over plots of Gamay d'Auvergne, plants other grape varieties, and ends up producing vintages that are among the tastiest and most sought-after in Auvergne. On this land of the Chaîne des Puys, Pinot Noirs grow on black basalt soils, while Sauvignons and Pinot Gris grow on white clay-limestone soils with basalt pebbles. A follower of organic and biodynamic farming, Frédéric also applies methods he deems appropriate to the climate and terroir: to facilitate photosynthesis in this harsh and contrasting climate, he practices lyre trellising, which allows the vines' foliage to be aerated and exposed to the sun, guaranteeing ripe fruit at harvest. Always a mechanic at heart, he makes his tools and tinkers with his tractors according to his needs. His wines are rare and distinguished, highly sought after by wine lovers: small estate (less than two hectares), small production (by volume, not by spirit).

Nuria Cartoixa Vermell Sparkling White 2018

Clos Lentiscus
Purity, elegance, and a crisp minerality due to the limestone characterize the productions of Clos Lentiscus. The note of controlled oxidation, when present, does not dominate the tasting, and the wines are never deviant. The cavas are renowned for their exuberance, but those from Clos Lentiscus never have more than two grams of residual sugar per liter. The estate also produces still red, white, and rosé wines.

This winery is located in Sitges, Catalonia, in the heart of the Garraf Natural Park. Manel Avinyo and his brother Joan took over the family estate, renamed Clos Lentiscus by Manel. Even though Barcelona is only a half-hour drive away, the beauty of the landscape is striking and the immersion in nature is total: Mediterranean forests rub shoulders with Catalan scrubland (thyme, rosemary, rockrose, mastic tree which gave its name to the estate, etc.). The Penedès region also has a long winemaking history. Nestled in its gentle hills is Clos Lentiscus, in the Penedés appellation, on twenty hectares of sandy and clay-limestone soils facing due south at an altitude of 225 meters. According to historical documents, Manel and Joan Avinyo's family has been established there since at least the 14th century. For a long time, the grapes were sold to local cooperatives, but as soon as the two brothers took over the estate, organic and biodynamic farming replaced conventional practices, the entire harvest goes into the house vintages, and organic and biodynamic practices have allowed this beautiful property to regain its former prestige: in the 19th century, its wines were sold in France and as far away as the Americas. Very quickly, Manel received a nickname: The Bubbleman, a tribute to his talent for vinifying cavas, these sparkling whites characteristic of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, from indigenous varieties for which Catalonia holds the secret: sumoll, ull de llebre, xarel·lo, malvasia of Sitges, cartoixà vermell, cariñena (carignan), accompanied by tempranillo and muscat of Alexandria. The vines are old, some of them centuries old. No synthetic additives are used in the vineyard, and operations such as planting, pruning, de-budding, and harvesting are dictated by the lunar phases. Pollination is facilitated by the presence of beehives; sheep contribute to fertilization and control of the plant cover. Ringo, the white horse, is responsible for working the soil.

Núria is the name of Manel's daughter, who assisted her father in the creation of this fresh and delicious sparkling white wine, made using ancestral methods, from the direct pressing of the native Catalan Cartoixà Vermell grape variety. The primary fermentation, based on indigenous yeasts, takes place in 55-liter demijohns, and the secondary fermentation takes place in bottles. Twenty-four months of aging on fine lees and manual disgorgement. A wine for fried shrimp, fried fish, and all seafood from the Mediterranean and beyond.

La Petite Robe White 2022

Jean-Yves Péron

La Petite Robe is a dry, organic, biodynamic, and natural macerated white wine made in Savoie by Jean-Yves Péron. It is a 100% Jacquère white, classified as a Vin de France. It is not fined, filtered, or sulfited.

Vinification

The Jacquère vines grow on clay-limestone soil, in the place called Les Marches, at the foot of Mont Granier. La Petite Robe comes from roughly the same terroir as Les Œillets, but this vintage is harvested earlier. Carbonic maceration lasts two weeks. The wine is aged for one year in 15-hectoliter tuns and barrels.

Tasting

The Petite Robe, wonderfully sweet and crisp, is yet another great success from Jean-Yves Péron. There are actually two Petites Robes: the wine will be very different depending on whether it is in magnum or bottle. Jean-Yves likes to talk about this as an exercise in style. Here, in 75 cl, the Jacquère gives its opulent, gourmet, fruity, fleshy side, with volume on the palate. The Petite Robe offers notes of charcoal, white fruits, a beautiful balance and great intensity, combined with a note of controlled oxidation. This wine is ideal with smoked, raw, or cooked seafood.

Learn more about Jean-Yves Péron

Jean-Yves Péron is a talented embodiment of the organic, biodynamic, and natural renaissance of the Savoyard vineyard, which is based on varied soils and numerous indigenous grape varieties (Jacquère, Altesse, Mondeuse, etc.). At his Chevaline winery in the Bauges region, he vinifies grapes from his plots in Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, in the Isère Valley.

High-altitude biodynamics

Jean-Yves Péron's work follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow, steep surfaces, his mountain vines in micro-plots, worked by hand, receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. All of Jean-Yves Péron's wines are sulfite-free, made from hand-harvested grapes, vinified in whole bunches and foot-trodden in the vat. For all vintages, the free-run and press are blended, then aged on lees for at least one year, in two- or three-wine barrels, amphorae or tuns, before final blending. They must be stored at a temperature below 18°C. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.

Italian-Savoyard trade

Since 2011, a trading activity has allowed Jean-Yves Péron to buy the harvest from neighboring organic winegrowers and to collaborate with winegrowers in Northern Italy: this is the I Vicini series, which allows him to diversify the terroirs and deepen his winemaking and aging experiences.

Skin Contact Zizifredo White 2022

Frédéric Cossard

Skin Contact Zizifredo is an organic and natural wine, a blend of southern grape varieties: Grenache Gris, Bourboulenc, and Muscat d'Alexandrie, grown on clay-limestone soils and macerated for a long time on the skins. Beyond the pun included in the name, it also alludes to Zibibbo, the Sicilian name for Muscat d'Alexandrie. To discover other maceration wines made from southern grape varieties, also check out Jean-Louis Pinto or the La Sorga estate.

Vinification

The organic grapes, harvested by hand in the south of France, are vinified in Burgundy by Frédéric Cossard. The grapes macerate for nine months in whole bunches before being slowly pressed. The wine is aged in concrete eggs. Skin Contact Zizifrédo is bottled without the addition of sulfites, fining, or filtration.

Tasting

Rare and sophisticated with plenty of presence and character, Skin Contact Zizifrédo expresses notes of tropical fruits (pineapple) and various citrus fruits: mandarin, grapefruit, orange, in addition to iodine notes. On the palate, it is fresh and appetizing, with very fine tannins and plenty of fruit alongside the tension of a long-macerated wine. This wine is made for all pairings.

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 winemaker 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.

XL Ancestral Sparkling White 2021

Partida Creus
"With its delicious, straightforward, saline acidity and fine, festive bubbles, this smoky, deep, full-bodied, mineral, and explosive sparkling wine is a true invitation to celebrate. The nose offers aromas of ripe white fruits—apple, pear, white peach—followed by mineral notes on the palate that frame yeasty touches reminiscent of buttery pastries and fresh bread. Very elegant, XL Xarel·lo Ancestral is a highly drinkable and enjoyable Vino de Mesa (table wine). Made from the indigenous Catalan Xarel·lo grape variety, harvested by hand and directly pressed, it is fermented in stainless steel vats using indigenous yeasts and finishes fermenting in bottles on fine lees for a minimum of ten months, without the slightest addition of sulfites.

Find out more

Partida Creus is an important estate, both from a winemaking and historical perspective – 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 tickled them, and soon they abandoned the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There they found a quantity of abandoned vineyards planted with a dizzying diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties, which they passionately revived to save these varieties – and their wines – from oblivion. For them, it's not just a matter of saving heritage, no: it's a matter of taste and nature. Of wines nature, which they will continue to do 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: it is a true conservatory of native Catalan grape varieties that Partida Creus cares for. There is also moscatel, grenache, merlot and cabernet (among others). Few wineries can boast of cultivating so many different grape varieties. The wines reflect this diversity, with winemakers striving to convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety as best as possible: single-variety wines are common among them, alongside very rich blends, all in the styles dear to Catalonia: still wine, "ancestral" sparkling wine, and even vermouth. The bottles themselves are works of art: bare glass, simply marked with two large stenciled initials that indicate the vintage. The wines, fresh, vibrant, lush but always straight and impeccably juicy and fruity, breathe life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction.

Westerberg White 2021

Domaine Einhart

Westerberg is a dry white wine full of character, elegance, and spice, offering the best of the estate's Riesling and Gewurztraminer: 90% Riesling and 10% Gewurztraminer grown on the great limestone terroirs of the Rosheim hillsides: soils of shell limestone with ceratites (fossilized limestone) and lettenkohl (muschelkalk carbonate) plates. A depth of one meter and eighty of soil with a grain size of 70% limestone and a layer of loess at one and a half meters, this is a superb minerality that benefits the wine. One hundred percent of the grapes come from the property. The average age of the vines is forty-five years, on plots facing south on a 30% slope. The grapes are entirely hand-harvested and destemmed. The Riesling is directly pressed, while the Gewurztraminer undergoes a forty-eight-day maceration before pressing. Everything is fermented with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for one year on fine lees and is bottled without filtration. No sulfites or any other inputs are added to the vineyard or the cellar. We recommend decanting this Westerberg.

To find out more

Located in the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, horizontally above Strasbourg, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family property whose vines are located on the hillsides that rise between the Alsace plain and the Vosges mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, i.e. shell limestone and oolitic limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone). Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. True to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is a co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to protecting the land and biodiversity, making wine without additives, refusing harmful phytosanitary products and maintaining ecological refuge areas. His estate has been certified organic since 2011. Like Jean-Marc Dreyer, he is firmly focused on skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvests, destemming of the grapes, light punching down and delicate pressing are characteristic of the estate, as well as the separate vinification of each terroir, aging on lees and the absence of filtration before bottling. The wines are pure grape, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of the very beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

Nuria Montanega-Parellada White 2017

Clos Lentiscus

In Sitges, in Penedès (Catalonia), in the heart of the Garraf Natural Park, Manel Avinyo and his brother Joan took over the family estate, which Manel renamed Clos Lentiscus. Even though Barcelona is only a half-hour drive away, the beauty of the landscape is striking and the immersion in nature is total: Mediterranean forests rub shoulders with Catalan scrubland (thyme, rosemary, rockrose, and the mastic tree, which gave its name to the estate, etc.). The Penedès region also has a long winemaking history. Nestled in its gentle hills is Clos Lentiscus, in the Penedés appellation, on twenty hectares of sandy and clay-limestone soils facing due south at an altitude of 225 meters. According to historical documents, the family of Manel and Joan Avinyo has been established there since at least the 14th century. For a long time, the grapes were sold to local cooperatives, but since the two brothers took over the estate, organic and biodynamic farming has replaced conventional practices, the entire harvest goes into the house vintages, and organic and biodynamic practices have allowed this beautiful property to reconnect with its former prestige: in the 19th century, its wines were sold in France and as far away as the Americas. Very quickly, Manel received a nickname: The Bubbleman, a tribute to his talent for vinifying cavas, these sparkling whites characteristic of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, from native varieties for which Catalonia holds the secret: sumoll, ull de llebre, xarel·lo, malvasia of Sitges, cartoixà vermell, cariñena (carignan), accompanied by tempranillo and muscat of Alexandria. The vines are old, sometimes centuries old. No synthetic additives are used in the vineyard, and operations such as planting, pruning, de-budding and harvesting are dictated by the lunar phases. Pollination is facilitated by the presence of beehives; sheep contribute to fertilization and control of the plant cover. Ringo, the white horse, is responsible for working the soil.

Purity, elegance and a crisp minerality due to limestone characterize the productions of Clos Lentiscus. The note of controlled oxidation, when it is felt, does not dominate the tasting and the wines are never deviant. Cavas are known for being exuberant, but those of Clos Lentiscus never have more than two grams of residual sugar per liter. The estate also produces still wines, red, white and rosé.

Núria is the name of Manel's daughter, who assisted her father in the making of this beautiful wine made from Montanega, a variant of the native Parellada grape variety. Lightly disgorged, made using the ancestral method (cava), this surprising wine presents notes of fresh bread and brioche, green tea and apple. Fresh and dry at the same time, it is disconcertingly complex: alive and moving in the glass, we keep coming back to it.

Ivre de Vivre White 2021,

Domaine de l'Octavin

Ivre de vivre is made from a complex blend: 50% directly pressed Vermentino and 50% Roussanne and Marsanne macerated for ten days in whole bunches. The blend is made after fermentation and pressing of the Roussanne and Marsanne. The grapes come from Claude Ughetto's SCEA L'Authentique estate (Carpentras) and are vinified at Alice Bouvot's estate in Arbois. This wine includes a portion of skin maceration, which gives it a supple and pleasant texture. It presents tropical (green mango, ripe mango, lychee, mandarin), honeyed, citrus (orange and lemon), but also mineral notes: chalk, pebble, dry earth after the rain.

To find out more
“You don’t need anything,” says Alice Bouvot, winemaker at Domaine de l’Octavin, “just a grape that feels good in its skin.” Everything is said in favor of natural wine, it’s a perfect description. Created in 2005, Domaine d’Alice is located in Arbois, in this wine-growing Jura often described as the most organic vineyard in France. The habit of making – among other things – oxidative wines is a good preparation for natural wine, this type of wine does not allow any chemical additives and especially no sulfites. It’s 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 intends 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 will faithfully follow this path. The sometimes whimsical titles 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 of "on the vine" grapes (Ecocert certified) with her winegrower friends from the region. Natural, committed, joyful and highly drinkable, the wines of Alice Bouvot are all the more coveted as the vintages, produced in plot-by-plot mode, appear, disappear and reappear depending on the vintage and inspiration.

i Vicini Cortese White 2021

Jean Yves Peron

This is a dry white wine from Jean-Yves Péron, organic, biodynamic, and natural, vinified in Savoie from organic Cortese grapes harvested in Piedmont. It is a merchant cuvée from the I Vicini series. The grapes come from Asti, in a cool microclimate that allows for relatively late ripening.

Vinification

Cortese is an ancient grape variety often associated with Trebbiano or Garganega. It produces a quality wine, fresh and tangy, with a straw-yellow color with greenish highlights. Here it undergoes two weeks of carbonic maceration and spends a year aging in 34 hectoliter tuns. No fining, no filtration, no addition of sulfites.

Tasting

I Vicini Cortese is a light and fresh wine, very digestible, with an alcohol content between 10 and 11 degrees, making it easy to drink. It has a minerality due to the terroir and notes of citrus, especially lemon zest. A perfect companion for tapas and the most refined starters, shellfish and caviars.

Learn more about Jean-Yves Péron

Jean-Yves Péron is a talented embodiment of the organic, biodynamic, and natural renaissance of the Savoyard vineyard, which is based on varied soils and numerous indigenous grape varieties (Jacquère, Altesse, Mondeuse, etc.). At his Chevaline winery in the Bauges region, he vinifies grapes from his plots in Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, in the Isère valley.

High-altitude biodynamics

Jean-Yves Péron's work follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow, steep slopes, his hand-worked mountain vines in micro-plots receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The grapes are vatted in whole bunches and undergo semi-carbonic maceration. Shortly before pressing, they are foot-trodden in the vat, then transferred to two- or three-wine barrels for twelve months of aging on lees, before blending and resting in the vat. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.

Italian-Savoyard trade

Since 2011, a trading activity has allowed Jean-Yves Péron to buy the harvest from neighboring organic winegrowers and to collaborate with winegrowers from Northern Italy: this is the I Vicini series, which allows him to diversify the terroirs and deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging.

Susucaru Blanc 2024

Description

With Susucaru Bianco 2024, Frank Cornelissen offers an approachable white wine while maintaining the identity that has made his wines famous. Primarily made from Catarratto, complemented by Carricante and Grecanico Dorato, this wine offers a fresh and saline interpretation of Sicily. The nose reveals notes of citrus, crisp apple, pear, and white flowers, enhanced by a delicate mineral touch. On the palate, it is vibrant, precise, and particularly refreshing, with a taut finish that immediately calls for a second sip.

Winemaking

A blend of 40% Catarratto Extra Lucido, 30% Carricante, and 30% Grecanico Dorato. Destemmed, lightly crushed, then fermented with a pied de cuve using only indigenous yeasts. Approximately 3 hours of skin maceration, followed by 10 months aging in neutral tanks (epoxy). Unfined, lightly filtered before bottling.

Je t'aime moi non plus Sparkling Rosé 2024,

La Tribu Alonso

A natural sparkling wine that plays with emotions, "Je t'aime moi non plus" is a sparkling rosé by La Tribu Alonso, designed as a tribute to the sensuality and spontaneity of Gamay. Coming from a sunny granite terroir in Beaujolais, this festive and delicately fruity wine is produced using the ancestral method, offering a fine and delicious bubble, both fresh and velvety.

A seductive and airy Pet' Nat’

Made from three Gamay varieties (Vialla, Troye and Gascon), this wine seduces with its finesse and low alcohol content (8.5%), making it a perfect ally for moments of sharing without heaviness. The ancestral method, which consists of bottling the juice during fermentation, gives it a natural effervescence and a beautiful liveliness on the palate.

A delicate and captivating bouquet

Upon opening, the nose reveals a delicious blend of fresh raspberry, bright citrus fruits and juicy pear, with a slightly floral touch. On the palate, the velvety texture envelops the palate while retaining a refreshing acidity that perfectly balances its fruity generosity.

An ideal companion for an aperitif

With its fine bubbles and vibrant freshness, "Je t’aime moi non plus" is the perfect companion for convivial moments. Served between 10 and 12°C, it can be enjoyed as an aperitif, but also pairs wonderfully with light dishes such as tapas, seafood, or a strawberry and basil salad. Enjoy now or keep for up to 5 years to explore its evolution.

La Pinya White 2021

Belly Wine Experiment

The color is a very pale blond, like a linden infusion, slightly cloudy; La Pinya is a fresh, mineral, and aromatic dry white wine, lively and delicate, with a possible sparkle upon opening. In Belly Wine Experiment, there is Experiment, or experimentation. It's a principle that this small organic and natural wine merchant estate strives to demonstrate vintage after vintage. La Pinya, labeled with a pine cone, is a blend of equal parts of two indigenous Catalan grape varieties: Xarel lo and Macabeu from Pla del Penedès, harvested on clay-limestone soils. This blend is quite common in Catalonia, Claire Sage's native country. For this vintage, the Macabeu is worked directly from the press, then blended with crushed Xarel·lo. The whole thing is macerated for a week. This wine is organically grown and has received no chemical additives or sulfites, in the vineyard or in the cellar. Note that the natural formation of tartar may cause a slight foam when the bottle is opened. La Pinya should be stored upright and drunk chilled.

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 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 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.

Bain de Bulles - Guy Wurtz White 2022

Fréderic Cossard

He's a Vin de France, but this pet'nat' doesn't lack distinction. Bain de bulles Guy Wurtz is an organic and natural wine produced in Burgundy by Frédéric Cossard from Gewurztraminer grapes harvested in Alsace. Guy Würtz, Gewurztraminer, you get it? All that's left is to pop the cork and enjoy: it's a truly delicious wine.

Vinification

Frédéric Cossard has vinified a biodynamically produced Alsace Gewurztraminer into a natural sparkling wine. The maceration of the grapes produces a light pinkish tint: we could call it a sparkling orange wine.

Tasting

Bath of Bubbles Guy Wurtz by Frédéric Cossard is pure pleasure: effervescence, sweetness, flavor, complexity, and a lot of euphoria. A wine for the holidays and for celebration. Drink chilled. Its pairing with seafood, especially oysters, is heavenly. To discover Gewurztraminer in a very different form, try it in skin maceration at Domaine Einhart.

Learn more about Frédéric Cossard and the Domaine de Chassorney

Frédéric Cossard and the Domaine de Chassorney give organic and natural voice 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.

Es d'aqui Paloma Red 2020,

Jean-Louis Pinto

Notes of strawberry, plenty of acidity, and a delicious flavor. Paloma is a light, thirst-quenching red, claret, almost a rosé. The grapes all come from Adissan, in the Hérault region: Clairette, Colombard on a strip of basalt soil, and Grenache on lacustrine limestone. The harvest macerates whole bunches for two weeks in stainless steel vats. Half of the wine is aged in 500-liter barrels and the other half in resin vats.

To find out more

A child of Ariège, Jean-Louis Pinto chose to stay in the country and make wines that resemble their terroir, hence the name Es d’Aqui (“It’s, it’s from here”) that he gave to his winemaking business, located in Moulin-Neuf, a town near Aude, between Mirepoix and Limoux. A region where vines once abounded, until the major mildew attacks at the beginning of the 20th century. Jean-Louis buys grapes grown organically by other winegrowers, his friends, in whom he has complete confidence. He doesn’t just buy the product, he monitors the fruit set, the ripening, and makes regular visits until August, in order to know the grapes before harvesting them. He vinifies it at home using natural methods, practicing long macerations with whole bunches. A three-week maceration is common for him, as are very gentle pressings in a vertical press. He says he has "a lot of vines in common" with his friend Anthony Tortul (La Sorga). His collection area extends throughout the Languedoc, particularly in the Hérault, around Adissan, Faugères and Saint-Chinian, as well as in the Aude (Limoux) and Tarn (Gaillac), two terroirs that are dear to him. It turns out that the typical Languedoc soils – schist, basalt, pebbles, clay-siliceous – particularly appeal to him for the freshness they give to the wines. "I make wines from the South," he says. I especially look for terroirs that give freshness, even if the wines are 14 degrees. " The grape varieties are, of course, typically Languedoc: Grenache, Carignan, Mauzac, Cinsault, Braucol, Duras and Sauvignon. The most powerful reds are made in five terracotta jars, which help him control the extraction and give his wines, he says, "a very crystalline side." The soil, the place, as we understand it, are of the utmost importance to him: once again, the name of his estate Es d'Aqui was not chosen by chance.

Les Œillets Blanc 2022

Jean-Yves Péron
Vinified in Savoie, Les Œillets is a dry macerated white wine made by Jean-Yves Péron. Organic, biodynamic, and natural, it is a 100% Jacquère white, with no additives or added sulfites, classified as a Vin de France.

Vinification
Les Œillets comes from the same terroir as La Petite Robe (the clay-limestone soils of the lieu-dit Les Marches, at the foot of Mont Granier), but it is harvested later to achieve greater phenolic maturity and a higher tannin concentration. Carbonic maceration for four or five days is followed by a month of punching down in vats. At least one year of aging in 300-liter barrels.

Tasting
Woody, with explosive minerality and beautiful tension, Les Œillets by Jean-Yves Péron is an atypical white wine with powerful aromatic notes. Lots of fruit and candied citrus. Superbly structured, Les Œillets has chewiness, texture, a tannic mouthfeel and a note of controlled oxidation. The tension is strong, balanced by a note of apricot. This is a wine for roasted poultry and high-end cured meats, but its pairings are broad.

Learn more about Jean-Yves Péron
Jean-Yves Péron skillfully embodies the organic, biodynamic, and natural renaissance of the Savoyard vineyard, which is based on varied soils and numerous indigenous grape varieties (Jacquère, Altesse, Mondeuse, etc.). At his Chevaline winery in the Bauges region, he vinifies the grapes from his plots in Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, in the Isère valley.

High-altitude biodynamics
Jean-Yves Péron's work follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow, steep surfaces, his mountain vines in micro-plots, worked by hand, receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. All of Jean-Yves Péron's wines are sulfite-free, made from hand-harvested grapes, vinified in whole bunches and foot-trodden in the vat. For all vintages, the free-run and press are blended, then aged on lees for at least one year, in two- or three-wine barrels, amphorae or tuns, before final blending. They must be stored at a temperature below 18°C. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.

Italian-Savoyard trade
Since 2011, a trading activity has allowed Jean-Yves Péron to buy the harvest from neighboring organic winegrowers and to collaborate with winegrowers in Northern Italy: this is the I Vicini series, which allows him to diversify the terroirs and deepen his winemaking and aging experiences.