Still Wines

Moulin à Vent Rouge "Les Michelons" 2020

Frédéric Cossard

The color of this single-plot cuvée is intense ruby, the nose elegant—flowers, blueberry, wild strawberry; the palate is voluptuous and round with a deep, rich, nuanced, and intense bouquet. Characteristic of the Moulin-à-Vent terroir, said to be the most Burgundian of Beaujolais reds, the Michelons climate is located on the heights of the appellation and faces south. The Gamay vines grow on crumbly pink granite soil rich in manganese.

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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 as a wine merchant, the existence of harmful winegrowing practices, the winemaker used this counterexample to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of unadulterated purity and elegance that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for some 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 trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The exercise is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura, Languedoc, or 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. Reds or whites, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.

Es d'aqui M&M Rouge 2020, Jean Louis Pinto
Prodigiously aromatic, a little tannic, this wine is sure to surprise. It is a blend of Muscat of Alexandria (40%) and Mourvèdre (40%) on clay-limestone soils. By combining these grape varieties, we are sure to produce a rather atypical red, especially since the wine is obtained from various macerations and direct pressings. The grapes come from vines on clay-limestone soil and are aged in resin vats.

To find out more
A child of Ariège, Jean-Louis Pinto chose to stay in the region 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 them at home using natural methods, practicing long macerations on whole bunches. The three-week maceration is common at his place, as well as very gentle pressings in a vertical press. He has, he says, "a lot of vines in common" with his friend Anthony Tortul (La Sorga). His collection area extends throughout the Languedoc, and particularly in the Hérault, around Adissan, Faugères and Saint-Chinian, as well as in the Aude (Limoux) and the 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 mainly look for terroirs that give freshness, even if the wines are 14% alcohol.” 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 extraction and give his wines, he says, “a very crystalline quality.” The soil, the location, as you can see, are of the utmost importance to him: once again, the name of his estate, Es d’Aqui, was not chosen by chance.

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.

Es d'aqui Nino Rouge 2019

Jean Louis Pinto
The attack is rustic and earthy, the finish fruity and complex. On the palate, this wine, which may seem austere in its early years, eventually develops a vegetal side, notes of candied fruit, and beautiful tannins. It is a 100% Braucol from the Gaillac region! The harvest comes from Permian clay-limestone and gravel soils located on the Grésigne dome. It macerates for two weeks in whole bunches in sandstone jars.

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.

Danslezetoiles Rouge 2019

Es d'aqui Jean Louis Pinto
This blend of Braucol, Carignan, and Muscat grown on clay-limestone soils was vinified in amphorae. Notes of candied black fruit and leather complement the fruity and herbaceous notes, much to the delight of natural wine enthusiasts. Lots of aromatic presence, character and originality.

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, see link). 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 have an alcohol content of 14%." » 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 location, 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.

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.

WOW WOW Red 2018

Clos Lentiscus
Clos Lentiscus is a winery located in Sitges, Catalonia, in the heart of the Garraf Natural Park. Manel Avinyo and his brother Joan took over this 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 complete: Mediterranean forests rub shoulders with Catalan scrubland (thyme, rosemary, rockrose, and the mastic tree, which gave the estate its name, 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.

Elegance, purity 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.

Wow Wow (literally "wow wow"), illustrated with a dog on the label, is a red Syrah wine full of sap and fruit. The skin maceration is twenty days. Packaged in one-liter bottles, it will go with any aperitif, lunch or dinner table. It offers notes of black fruits and a nicely mineral and earthy character, with nerve and energy. Easy to drink and even gurgle.

Fond 1er Jus Rouge 2020,

Fond Cyprès
This Languedoc estate is built on solid foundations: its two winemakers, Rodolphe and Laetitia, are also descendants of winemakers. Even before planting their first vine, they already had a clear objective: "to produce southern wines that reflect our style, wines with character, rooted in our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They want to create entirely natural wines, concentrated expressions of terroir. In the heart of the ancient Corbières massif, they are taking over an old estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache grapes, which have seen neither fertilizer nor pesticides for years: these clean, vibrant soils are ideal conditions for launching into natural winemaking. Around this historic heart, they first planted Grenache Noir and Syrah, then a plot of white grape varieties: Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 2010 and also complies with the Nature & Progrès charter. The vinification is done without the addition of sulfites or exogenous yeasts. "We make wines for pleasure," say Laetitia and Rodolphe. For them, natural wine is first assessed by taste, from the harvest. The vintages closely follow the plots, the musts are fruity, fluid, and complex. The wines of Fond Cyprès poetically evoke the estate's ecosystem and the vegetation that protects the plots: the pine forests, the shady springs, the beauty of the natural environment that brings freshness to the wines and leaves the soil's signature. Deliciously balanced between mineral imprint, vegetal environment and fruit expression, the wines of Fond Cyprès reflect the South: the caress of its sun, but also the freshness of its shadows.
Premier Jus is a blend of Carignan and Grenache grown on marl-limestone soils. The two harvests are processed separately: the Carignan is macerated for two days in whole bunches, then added to the Grenache must in direct pressing and during fermentation. Everything is pressed directly. A six-month aging in barrels precedes bottling without the addition of sulfites. This wine is the very image of a gurgling pleasure: a juicy bomb that oscillates between light red and dark rosé. Fresh, fruity, delicious, addictive, it awakens the spirit dulled by the summer heat.
Natural wine without added sulfites.

Puligny Montrachet Blanc 2019,

Fréderic Cossard
Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counterexample to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked as a wine broker for some time 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 trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The practice is not limited to Burgundy since vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular plowing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Reds or whites, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and coveted wines, which sometimes need to be waited for.
Puligny-Montrachet is one of the most prestigious appellations of Burgundy; some wine lovers consider it the quintessential white. A marvelous fusion of richness and dryness, it has great aging potential. With age, its aromas lean more and more towards earthy, mineral, with smoky accents and a magnificent affinity with truffle. In the meantime, it's difficult to list its pairings, as this unique wine has the gift of harmonizing with everything that is good. Still young, reserve it for fine poultry and white meats.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

SM White 2017

La Sorga

"Anthony Tortul loves old vineyards: he devotes his life to finding and vinifying them. Just as there are landless shepherds, he can be defined as a landless winegrower, in other words, a wine merchant whose area of activity extends throughout Languedoc and, eastward, as far as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in search of the best terroirs. Born in Foix, with six years of experience as a viticultural technician and oenologist in various vineyards in the south of France, he created La Sorga in 2008. His enthusiasm leads him on a path filled with favorites, and each one These favorites is a vineyard. The result is a stunning mosaic of natural, lively and spirited wines, which reinvents itself each year with around thirty cuvées per vintage. Few winemakers can include such a variety of grape varieties on their menu: the whole of southern France is there with muscats, grenaches, picpoul, mauzac, carignan, cinsault, marsanne, alicante, braucol, duras, viognier, len-de-l’el, and all the rest.

This white wine comes from Villafranchian terroirs on a basalt base located near Pézenas, in the upper Hérault valley. The name SM, formed from the initials of “sauvignon-marsanne”, refers to the blend that makes up this wine: sixty percent marsanne (vines aged twenty-five years) and forty percent sauvignon blanc (vines ten years old). Marsanne is pressed directly and the must is used to macerate the Sauvignon in whole bunches for sixty days. The aging, eight months, takes place in vats. The nose evokes bergamot, beeswax, fennel and dried apricot. The palate is taut, endowed with an incredible sapidity. Exotic fruits, mango in particular. A natural companion for mature or blue cheeses, without forgetting the very creamy goat cheeses of the South. It will keep for about ten years.
Natural wine without added sulfites.

Les Cadets Rouge 2019

Château Les Graves de Viaud
A typical Bordeaux blend, the Côtes-de-Bourg of the Les Cadets cuvée is composed of Cabernet (Sauvignon and Franc, 70%) and Merlot (30%) grown on iron-rich silty gravel and clayey gravel, and co-fermented in stainless steel vats for better synergy between the grape varieties. Vinification begins with a cold prefermentative maceration and continues with a gentle, slow extraction. Fermentation is carried out using indigenous yeasts; no sulfites are added. The wine is aged in sandstone amphorae for at least ten months on fine lees to refine the tannins. The geological conditions give the Cabernets a refreshing tannic base and accentuate the roundness and fruitiness of the Merlot, while giving it a very seductive floral aromatic palette. The bouquet of blackcurrant and blackberry that appears on the nose is confirmed on the palate. 2019 is still young as we write these lines: this wine will wait a few years, and it will only get better for it.

Alberto Lopez Calvo Tinto Cosecha Red 1998

Coruna del Conde
Named after the man who planted the vines in 1970, this great aging cuvée is composed of Tempranillo as the dominant grape variety, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Merlot. The destemmed harvest ferments in vats before aging in barrels for up to four years. After bottling, the wine undergoes a final aging of two to three years. These methods, as well as the exclusive use of grapes without any additives, are those of the estate's founder, and have been perpetuated by his grandson. Vinified using the Bordeaux method but with a distinctly Iberian character, this wine has a silky, velvety texture, a hallmark of perfectly blended tannins. A delicacy with mature fruit notes, a sublime, accomplished wine for life's finest moments. Drink now.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Magnum Fetembulles White 2015

Les Vignes de l'Ange Vin

Natural wine with no added sulfites.