Still Wines

La Belle Egarée White 2022

La Grapperie

La Belle Égarée is an organic (Ecocert) and natural dry white wine from the Coteaux du Loir, made from Chenin Blanc, without any additives or inputs. It is produced by Renaud Guettier of La Grapperie in the Vin de France category.

Vinification

La Belle Égarée comes from a blend of old and young vines growing on clay-siliceous soils over limestone. The harvest is carried out by hand and is directly pressed, and the must ferments in barrels using indigenous yeasts. Fermentation is followed by one year of aging. No sulfites added at bottling.

Tasting

A superb white Chenin, fruity and mineral, La Belle Égarée is stunningly complex; it is a wine of pure poetry, a fairy tale, focused on roundness and maturity more than acidity. A floral nose of jasmine, hawthorn, and acacia, a palate all mirabelle plum, ripe apple, and white pineapple, with mineral touches of smoke and incense. And a well-managed oxidative touch, in addition to a little something bewitching that is quite difficult to explain. A chiseled, truly exceptional wine, to be reserved for the finest meals or drunk on its own. Pair it with the finest cuisine, that of special occasions. For example, caviar, bottarga, large smoked salmon, oysters. It will go very well with a bellota Iberian ham!

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 varieties 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 organically cultivated. 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 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 put into barrels with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months, including malolactic fermentation, and sometimes up to thirty-six months.

Cinsauriel Red 2021

Jean Louis Pinto

Cinsauriel is an organic and natural red wine from the Languedoc region, produced by Jean-Louis Pinto of the Es d’Aqui estate. 100% Cinsault, classified as Vin de France, it comes from the schist soils of Berlou, near Saint-Chinian.

Vinification

Cinsauriel is obtained by fermentation with indigenous yeasts and a month of maceration of the whole bunches in sandstone jars, the container where the aging also takes place.

Tasting

Beautiful bright ruby color, nose of pepper, rose and strawberry, accents of garrigue, candied black olive and prune. Lively and powerful, Cinsauriel is a robust and distinguished wine. It calls for solid foods: beef, roast pork, roast poultry such as chicken, capon or duck. He also enjoys charcuterie and cured meats.

Learn more about Jean-Louis Pinto and the Es d’Aqui estate

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 (“He is from here”) that he gave to his wine merchant estate, located in Moulin-Neuf, a town near the Aude, between Mirepoix and Limoux. A region where vines once abounded, until the major mildew attacks at the beginning of the 20th century.

Winemaker and merchant

Jean-Louis buys grapes grown organically by winegrower friends. He monitors the fruit set, the ripening, and does everything to know the grapes before harvesting them. He vinifies them at home using natural methods, practicing long macerations on whole bunches and very gentle pressings in a vertical press. He says he has "a lot of vines in common" with his friend Anthony Tortul (La Sorga).

All the terroirs of Languedoc

Jean-Louis Pinto's collection area extends throughout Languedoc, particularly in Hérault, Aude, and Tarn. "I make wines from the South," he says. "I'm mainly looking for terroirs that give freshness." 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."

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.

Super Pink Rosé 2022

Fréderic Cossard

Super-Pink sets the tone: this organic, natural rosé is vinified in Burgundy by Frédéric Cossard from Cinsault harvested in the Rhône Valley. A summer rosé, without hesitation, but any other season suits it.

Vinification

The Cinsault vines from which Super-Pink is made are around twenty years old and grow on clay-limestone soils near Vaison-la-Romaine (Vaucluse). The grapes are directly pressed and the wine is aged for a short time in stainless steel vats.

Tasting

The color of Super-Pink by Frédéric Cossard is pale, graceful and delicate, like the wine as a whole: one hundred percent Cinsault — a super-grape variety for rosé —, red fruits, citrus notes, flowers and orange zest. A natural wine that is like Provençal sunshine in a bottle; you can pair it with tasty tapas and starters: a Martigues poutargue, seafood rillettes or smoked fish… To discover the Cinsault grape variety in red and not in rosé, try Cinsauriel from Jean-Louis Pinto.

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.

Grands Champs Red 2018

Pierre Naigeon

This "Grands Champs" Burgundy, certified organic by Eurofeuille, is a biodynamic and natural red wine produced under the AOP Bourgogne label in the Côte de Nuits region, southeast of Gevrey-Chambertin. Made from 100% Pinot Noir, it has a aging potential of five to ten years. Serving temperature: between 14 and 16°C.

Vinification

The Grands Champs plot, from which this organic Burgundy comes, is planted with fifty-year-old vines. Its soils consist of cone gravel on Bresse marl. The harvest, carried out by hand, is carried out in 6 kg crates to preserve the grapes. After rigorous manual sorting, traditional vinification begins with indigenous yeasts. Aging lasts ten months in oak barrels, 15% of which are new. Bottled without filtration or fining.

Tasting

Delicately fruity, Grands Champs is an authentic wine of its terroir. Very indulgent, it evokes black fruits (black cherry), raspberry, licorice and thyme. The palate is opulent and structured. It is a place of pleasure and conviviality that will accompany the most delicious dishes: Stewed Dishes (for example a cassoulet), Exceptional Red Meats, charcuterie and cured meats…

Les Combes Rouge 2018

Pierre Naigeon
Les Combes, certified organic by Eurofeuille, is a biodynamic and natural red Burgundy wine made from the Bourgogne-Pinot Noir AOP. The sixty-year-old grapes grow near the commune of Gilly-les-Cîteaux, in the Côte de Nuits region and bordering the Chambolle-Musigny appellation. The aging potential is five to ten years. Serving temperature: between 14 and 16°C.

Vinification
The Les Combes plot from which this organic Burgundy is produced consists of limestone scree on Bresse marl and clayey limestone. The harvest is carried out manually in 6 kg crates to preserve the grapes. A rigorous manual sorting is carried out, followed by traditional vinification with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for ten months in oak barrels, 20% of which are new. Bottled without filtration or fining.

Tasting
Raspberry, red fruits, violet on the nose; the palate brings a note of licorice, notes of truffle, and confirms the raspberry. Les Combes is a generous, generous wine, with a very pleasant sapidity and depth. Pair it with coq au vin prepared with excellent poultry, serve it next to a beautiful platter of charcuterie, or make it the companion of a rib of beef.

i Vicini Barbera Red 2021

Jean Yves Peron

This bottle from Jean-Yves Péron's I Vicini series is an organic, biodynamic, and natural red wine. It is vinified in Savoie from grapes harvested in Piedmont. The grape variety is Barbera, grown in Asti and Alba. The second most widely used red grape variety in Italy after Sangiovese, Barbera produces full-bodied, colorful wines with notes of red fruits. This vintage is classified as a Wine of the European Community.

Vinification

Hand-harvested, no sulfites added, no filtration, no fining. The two Barberas are macerated for three months with punching down and undergo fifteen days of carbonic maceration. The wine is aged for one year in 225-liter barrels. The 13.5 degrees of alcohol testifies to the desire not to exaggerate its richness and power: the average Barbera today is closer to 15 degrees.

Tasting

A great wine in every sense of the word, this I Vicini Barbera. Long, very fruity, generous, deep, with superb acidity resulting from a harvest at moderate maturity, it is both serious and joyful, intense and concentrated. Finesse, minerality, tension, beautiful intense and colorful red color: it demands to accompany beautiful cuts of meat, whether black pork from Bigorre or high-end beef from Maison Aitana.

Learn more about Jean-Yves Péron

Jean-Yves Péron talentedly embodies the organic, biodynamic and natural renaissance of the Savoyard vineyard, which is based on varied soils and many 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.

Cotillon des Dames Réserve Blanc 2019

Jean Yves Peron
Côtillon des Dames Réserve is an organic, biodynamic, and natural dry white wine made in Savoie by Jean-Yves Péron from all his schist-limestone plots of white grapes: Jacquère, Altesse, and Roussanne. Classified as a Vin de France, it is a reserve cuvée and a new benchmark from this winemaker.

Vinification
This Côtillon des Dames reserve cuvée from Jean-Yves Péron is made from Jacquère grapes growing on limestone soils and Altesse grapes from schistose terrain. This year, a little Roussanne from direct pressing is added. The grapes are vinified separately and blended approximately two months before bottling. Maceration in vats with punching down is carried out for between two weeks and three months depending on the variety. The idea is to be able to precisely control the evolution of the juice and balance the wine according to the behavior of each grape variety. The wine is aged for one year in barrels.

Tasting
Côtillon des Dames Réserve is a complex, elegant, and fruity white. It is one of this producer's flagship vintages. Lovely acidity, good aging potential. It will be perfectly at home alongside smoked fish (salmon or other) from Lionel Durot, from Maison Matthieu or from Saumon de France.

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 soils varied and many indigenous grape varieties (Jacquère, Altesse, Mondeuse, etc.). At his winery in Chevaline, 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, do not receive any 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 sent to barrels of two or three wines for aging on lees for twelve months, 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.

Magma Red 2020

Cornelissen

Magma is Frank Cornelissen's classic red grand cru. Produced organically (Eurofeuille label) and biodynamically, and classified as DOP (AOP) Sicilia-IGP Terre Siciliane Nerello Mascalese, it is a wine for laying down, produced only in great vintages, when phenolic maturity is reached. It comes from old, ungrafted Nerello Mascalese vines, planted in 1910 on the Barbabecchi contrada, at an altitude of 910 m, renowned for capturing the first rays of the sun in the cool of the morning.

Vinification

This natural, organic, and biodynamic wine is obtained by sixty days of skin maceration of destemmed and lightly crushed grapes. No fining, no addition of sulfites. Light filtration before bottling.

Tasting

Magma restores the remarkable depth of Nerello Mascalese. Rich and elegant, with a dense texture, it has character, personality, and great finesse. More mineral than fruity, it offers notes of secondary fruits (blackberry, prune) and melted tannins. This great wine requires great dishes: we recommend stewed beef or coq au vin. So think about a can of Isabelle Leydier Delavallade or Fermiers du Bord de Sèvre.

Learn more about Frank Cornelissen

A key and universally respected figure in natural, organic and biodynamic wine, the Belgian Frank Cornelissen, a winemaker conquered by Sicily, is a classic. This man of constant questioning lives in human and cosmic resonance with his terroir: he has demonstrated that the powerful minerality of a great volcanic soil could be highlighted by the naturalness of his wines.

An ideal terroir for plot-by-plot vinification

In Passopisciaro, Sicily, in the north of the Etna valley, the 19 plots cover 24 hectares of basalt soils spread over numerous localities (contrade) between 600 and 900 meters above sea level on the side of the volcano. It is, says Frank Cornelissen, the "Night Coast of Sicily". Frank Cornelissen's contrade are all cultivated biodynamically and vinified separately: he decides on the blends based on the quality of each.

The nobility of Nerello Mascalese

Nerello Mascalese is the dominant variety and alone makes up the greatest vintages. This traditional red grape variety from the northern Etna valley produces hypermineral wines due to its long growing cycle. Other grape varieties in the azienda: Nerello Capuccio, Minella Bianco, Minella Nera, Alicante Bouschet, Malvasia, Catarratto, Moscadella, Grecanico Dorato, Carricante…

LP Clarete Red 2021,

Ladidadi/Pinheiro

Clarete ("clairet") lives up to its name with its light, airy tannins. Medium-bodied, it is crisp, vibrant, and lively with refreshing acidity. It is a wine full of red fruits and spices, elegant without being solemn, and therefore suitable for all occasions. This is a blend of red and white grape varieties that represents an ampelographic anthology of the estate, as it brings together 80% red grape varieties (Jaen, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro) and 20% white grape varieties (Encruzado, Bical, Malvasia, Cerceal and Terrantez). The effect produced by this blend is an increased fluidity of the red wine, which becomes supple and light. The vines grew on granite and clay-sand soils facing south in the hills of Penalva do Castelo, surrounded by oak, pine, olive and chestnut trees. The harvest is manual. The grapes are destemmed and slowly crushed by foot for two days before macerating in stainless steel vats. Fermentation is spontaneous, using indigenous yeasts. Aging is ten months and bottling is done without filtration. No chemical inputs are added to the vineyard or the winery.

To find out more

The duality of the name Ladidadi/Pinheiro is simply due to the fact that this winemaking entity is the result of a friendship: that of Florian Tonello, creator of the Ladidadi Wine brand, wine merchant-DJ-globetrotter who devotes his life to making natural wines known and loved, and Hugo Pinheiro, winemaker at the head of a small estate of two and a half hectares in Penalva do Castelo, district of Viseu, Dão appellation (central Portugal). Together, they decided to produce several vintages of natural wines, obtained through organic farming, manual harvests, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, without filtration or the addition of sulfites, from the emblematic grape varieties of the appellation on an estate planted around thirty years ago, with a small part planted in the 1980s. We therefore find Touriga Nacional as the main grape variety in red, followed by Clarete, Jaen and Encruzado, and in white Malvasia, Cerceal, Bical and Terrantez. Vibrant, lively wines, and a great opportunity to discover Portugal's wine-growing region in natural mode.

Lou Dilun Red 2021,

Clos des B

Lou Dilun ("Monday" in Provençal) is an organic and natural wine from the Côtes-de-Provence appellation and under the Écocert organic label, with no added sulfites. In the Grimaud vineyards, the Grenache and Cinsault grapes are selected on the vine. Everything is done, in the vineyard and in the cellar, to ensure the harvest is in perfect health and to avoid the use of sulfur in the vineyard or sulfites in the cellar. Fresh on the palate, Lou Dilun is lively and fruity, silky and velvety, with beautiful body. Light notes of fruit pit emerge from the framework of melted tannins. The secret to its incomparable roundness and fruitiness? Six months of aging in Atelier Centre France oak barrels. This is a wine that will be a pleasure to pair with a beautiful roast poultry.

Learn more about Clos des B

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

TP Trepat Red 2021

Partida Creus
Made from Trepat, an ancient native Catalan grape variety, this red wine, classified as Vino de Mesa (table wine), offers plenty of freshness with notes of red and black fruits (plum, pomegranate, cherry, raspberry), Mediterranean herbs, and well-integrated tannins, with touches of leather and a supple texture. On the palate, it is lively, light, and balanced, with suppleness. It allows for a very wide range of flavor pairings.

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-versed—first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug tickled them, and they soon abandoned the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There they found a number 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 their heritage, no: it's a matter of taste and nature. Of natural wines, which they will never stop making from now on on these sandy, poor, clay-limestone or clay-gravel soils, poor and poorly irrigated, where the vines suffer to produce their best juice. Massimo and Antonella practice organic, biodynamic, entirely manual and natural viticulture 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, ceciat parent, maccabeu, parellada, pansé, bobal, cartoixà vermell or xarel·lo: it is a true conservatory of the native Catalan grape varieties that Partida Creus cares for. There is also Moscatel, Grenache, Merlot and Cabernet (among others). Few wineries can boast of growing so many different grape varieties. The wines reflect this diversity, with winemakers striving to best convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety: single varietals 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 cuvée. The wines, fresh, vibrant, lush but always straightforward and impeccably juicy and fruity, breathe life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction.

Perill Noir Sumoll Red 2014

Clos Lentiscus

Sensuality, seduction, charm, a touch of wildness: this vibrant, fruity, flavorful, and addictive Perill Noir Sumoll lives up to its name. Redcurrant, morello cherry, spices, herbaceous notes… The "black" alludes to the dark color of the Sumoll grapes, the native Catalan variety from which it is composed. Perill Noir Sumoll is a natural red whose freshness owes much to the local limestone soil, and Manel Avinyo's mastery of this notoriously difficult grape variety is evident. The harvest is destemmed and macerated for two weeks. Aging, in French oak barrels, lasts thirty months. Calm, deep, intense, and structured, this is a magnificent and chiseled wine that will accompany all that is best.

Learn more

Purity, elegance, and a crisp minerality due to the 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. The 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. Located in Sitges, Catalonia, Clos Lentiscus is a winery 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, 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 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.

Fond 1er Jus Rouge 2022

Fond Cyprès
Halfway between red and rosé—because its vinification involves both—the very drinkable Premier Jus is the very image of a delightful gurgling: a juicy bomb that oscillates between light red and dark rosé. Fresh, fruity, delicious, addictive, it awakens the mind dulled by the summer heat. It is the result of a blend of Carignan and Grenache purchased from a certified organic winemaker. The vines grow on marl-limestone soils. The harvests of the two grape varieties are processed separately: the Carignan is macerated for two days in whole bunches in a Grenache must in full fermentation, obtained by bleeding. Two days after the blending of the two varieties, everything is pressed directly. Thus, the beginning of vinification is for rosé and the end of vinification is for red. A six-month aging in stainless steel vats precedes bottling with an infinitesimal addition of sulfite to stabilize this fiery nectar.

To find out more
This Corbières 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 have a clear objective: "to produce southern wines that reflect us, wines with character attached to our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They want to obtain entirely natural wines, concentrates of terroir. In the heart of the old Corbières massif, they took over an old estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache vines, which had not seen any fertilizer or pesticides for years: these clean and vibrant soils were ideal conditions for launching into natural wine. 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. Vinification is carried out 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. Fond Cyprès wines poetically evoke the estate's ecosystem and the vegetation that protects the plots: pine forests, shaded springs, the beauty of the natural environment that brings freshness to the wines and leaves the signature of the soil. Deliciously balanced between mineral imprint, plant environment and fruit expression, Fond Cyprès wines reflect the South: the caress of its sun, but also the freshness of its shadows.

Fontana Blanc 2021

La Vinicola di Antonio Gismondi
On the nose, white flowers, exotic fruits, Mediterranean plants, garrigue, and maquis: Fontana is a fragrant, savory, and generous white wine. The retro-olfaction is very fruity. Opulent and powerful, this wine is known as a "falanghina beneventano," or a falanghina from Benevento. This means that it is produced in Benevento from the falanghina grape, a very old local variety that, in ancient times, formed the basis of the famous Falerna cru (falernum), then considered top-of-the-range. Fontana is obtained by direct pressing with fermentation in stainless steel vats. Round, low in acidity, very aromatic, with a lot of sweetness and opulence on the finish, it offers good aging qualities. This wine can be drunk now, but it will also be able to keep for a long time.

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The azienda of Antonio and Anabel Gismondi is located in Cerreto Sanita, in the Benevento region of Campania. A microclimate gives this area almost continental accents: the humid winds coming from the Tyrrhenian Sea collide with the first ramparts of the Apennine chain, causing condensation in the air and a drop in temperatures, which are significantly cooler and more humid than on the coast. If we add a phenomenon of thermal inversion between day and night frequent in the Apennine climate, the freshness of the wines of the Antonio Gismondi estate is nothing mysterious in this southern Italy, which is nevertheless known for its very hot climate. The estate is family-run: for generations, the Gismondi family has cultivated vines and made wine using the most traditional and natural methods, to which biodynamic techniques are added. For a long time, of the fifteen tons of grapes produced each year, one ton was reserved for on-site vinification for family consumption, the rest going to the local wine cooperative. It was the meeting with Massimo Marchiori and Antonella de Partida Creus [link] that decided Antonio and his wife Anabel to start producing natural wines at home from the entire harvest. The two-hectare vineyard is located between 350 and 380 meters above sea level, on clay, loam, and stony soils, with two-thirds facing south, planted with vines around six years old. The rest faces southwest and corresponds to the Pietre and Cerreto cuvées, with vines thirty years old. The grape varieties are Merlot, Freisa and Sangiovese for the reds, and Falanghina and Malvasia di Candia for the whites.

Nuits Saint Georges Aux Croix Rouges White 2021

Fréderic Cossard

Don't be fooled by the name of the climat on the label: this is a Nuits-Saint-Georges white, an object of curiosity but above all of delicacy: it is important to know that the appellation doesn't only excel in red wines; it also produces spectacular whites. This wine from the Aux Croix Rouges plot has a beautiful deep gold color, a magnificent nose, opulent, deep, and heady, with notes of white flowers. On the palate, there is plenty of presence and freshness, a beautiful honeyed and brioche-like palate. This superb Nuits-Saint-Georges white seduces with its rarity but also with its freshness and balance. The Pinot Blanc grapes from which it is made grow on marl-limestone soils. They are around forty years old. The harvest is directly pressed and the must is fermented without punching down. The aging is one year in concrete.

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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undeformed by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful wine-growing practices, the winemaker used this counter-example to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked as a wine broker for some time before creating the domaine de Chassorney with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The practice is not limited to Burgundy since vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular ploughing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and coveted wines, which sometimes require waiting.

La Chassornade Sparkling White 2021

Fréderic Cossard

This beautiful golden yellow color catches the eye; you pour yourself a small glass and suddenly you wake up. It sparkles, it's fresh, it's full of flavor and joie de vivre, and you could consider La Chassornade a festive wine if you didn't have a furious desire to drink it on any occasion, especially without an excuse or a word from your parents. It is, in short, a magnificent expression of the Aligoté grape variety in sparkling mode: floral, citrusy, taut, fresh, and mineral. It's also a natural sparkling wine that demonstrates the creativity of its winemaker. Aligoté was the first white grape variety in Burgundy—well before Chardonnay—and it deserves to regain its former glory. Vinifying it as a natural sparkling wine isn't a bad idea, quite the opposite: the grape's rounded, pleasant, and fruity notes (lemon and white grapefruit) stand out elegantly. Absolutely delicious. The grapes were harvested near Puligny-Montrachet, from vines that are around forty years old. The harvest is directly pressed, and bottling is done in the clear, without disgorging. Fermentation and aging take place in the bottle for around ten months. Native yeasts, no added sulfites, no additives. Remember to keep the bottle chilled in an upright position for twenty-four hours before tasting so that the lees remain at the bottom.

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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undeformed by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful wine-growing practices, the winemaker used this counter-example to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for some time as a wine broker before creating the  domaine de Chassorney with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The 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. 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.

Bourgogne blanc Bigotes Qvevris Blanc 2021

Fréderic Cossard
On the nose, the aromatic attack of Bigotes is distinctly lemony and continues with yellow fruits. On the palate, it offers tension, fullness, richness, a touch of fat, and plenty of persistence. For a generic Burgundy, it holds its own and can compete with more prestigious vintages. Produced on a small clay-limestone plot planted with Chardonnay in the Bourgogne regional appellation, it is the little white brother of the Bedeau red. Vinification and aging in qvevri (Georgian-style buried jars) further accentuate the richness and generosity of this white wine.

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Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undeformed by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counter-example to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked as a wine broker for some time before creating the 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 ploughing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and coveted wines, which sometimes require waiting.