Still Wines

Magnum BB "Cerrailla" Red 2019

Partida Creus
The Partida Creus estate is the brainchild of two Piedmontese natives from the Langhe (where wine is well-known), Antonella Gerosa and Massimo Marchiori, who initially pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug bit them, and they soon abandoned the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There, they found a wealth of abandoned vineyards planted with a dizzying diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties, which they passionately revived to save these varieties—and their wines—from oblivion. For them, it's not just a matter of heritage rescue, no: it's a matter of taste and nature. Of natural wines, which they will continue to make from now on on these sandy, poor, clay-limestone or clay-gravel soils, poor and poorly irrigated, where the vines suffer to give their best juice. This is why their estate is as important from a winemaking perspective as it is from a historical perspective - we are talking here about the history of the vine in Catalonia.
Massimo and Antonella practice organic, biodynamic viticulture, entirely manual and natural in order to give new life to these wines. Vinyater, sumoll, garrut, monastrell, ull de perdiu, ull de llebre, sumoll, queixal de llop, cariñena, trepat, subirat parent, maccabeu, parellada, pansé, vinel.lo, bobal, cartoixà vermell or xarel.lo: Partida Creus is a veritable conservatory of native Catalan grape varieties. It also grows moscatel, grenache, merlot and cabernet (among others). Few wineries can boast growing so many different grape varieties. The wines reflect this diversity, with the winemakers striving to best convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety: single-variety wines are common among them, alongside extensive blends, all in the styles dear to Catalonia: still wine, "ancestral" sparkling wine, and even vermouth. The bottles themselves are works of art: bare glass, simply marked with two large stenciled initials that denote the vintage. The wines, fresh, vibrant, lush but always straightforward and impeccably juicy and fruity, breathe life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction. This 100% Bobal is a racy and finely wild red from the Cerrailla plot, built on a grape variety common in Spain but whose expression here is very original. Dark cherry red color; on the nose, candy, sweet flowers, fresh fruits, violet, thyme. On the palate, a lot of distinction: a straight acidity and morello cherry, ripe plum, black pepper, a small saline touch on the finish. Serve well chilled.

Casébianco Blanc 2020,

Domaine Casé
On the fertile clay-limestone soils of Val Trebbia in Emilia-Romagna, Alberto Anguissola founded the Casè estate in 1998. He first learned viticulture from the region's most experienced winemakers and finally embraced his passion by first planting a small amount of Pinot Noir around his grandparents' country house. Later, he bought fifty- or sixty-year-old vines abandoned by their owners and expanded the estate. The plots are located at an altitude of over six hundred meters and the grape varieties, in addition to the Pinot Noir and Marsanne that Alberto planted, are resolutely local: Barbera, Bonarda, Croatina, Malvasia, Ortrugo, Moscato Bianco… What motivates this winemaker is a passion for winemaking, but also for the kind of life and society that this model of traditional viticulture implies. He does not allow any chemical inputs, whether in the vineyard or in the cellar, and strives to keep the land as healthy as possible for nature and for man. Love for the local winemaking tradition plays a large part in his choices, for example the use of large wooden barrels for fermentation, a thousand-year-old technique that the historian Strabo had already described in the 1st century BC.

Casèbianco is a magnificent orange wine like the ones Emilia-Romagna and particularly Alberto know how to produce. Made from four white grape varieties (Ortrugo, Malvasia, Marsanne and White Muscat) planted on the same plot alongside red grape varieties (a common practice in the region), this wine is a superb expression of the soil and tradition: the ten-day skin maceration gives a surprising result, sweet and fruity aromas combined with pronounced floral notes and the dryness typical of orange wine. This nectar for the table awaits Italian or Mediterranean dishes, wild mushrooms, charcuterie and cured meats, spit-roasted rabbit with garlic and thyme.

Natural wine with no added sulfites.

In Carran La Croix de Bernard Rouge - 2019,

Domaine de Chassorney
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 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 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 sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.
This Pinot Noir comes from a plot whose steep terroir, facing south-southeast, is located between 280 and 400 meters above sea level in the Saint-Romain appellation. The soils there are mainly marl, limestone and clay. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. Aging takes place for about a year in barrels. The soils and the work in the vineyard reveal the full potential of the grape variety: a deep, complex, fleshy and silky wine, packaged only in magnum format.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Auxey Duresses Les Crais Blanc 2019,

Domaine de Chassorney
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 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 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. 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.
This white Auxey-Duresses produced on the Crais plot is remarkably pure in expression. The maturity of the grapes is exceptional and is felt in the form of a pleasant roundness and generous fruit. Lots of straightness, elegance, complexity and tension.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Bedeau Red 2019,

Frédéric 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 as a wine merchant, the existence of harmful viticultural 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 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 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 require waiting.
A beautiful Pinot Noir full of finesse. The harvest comes from plots of forty-year-old vines in Volnay and the surrounding area, and from a plot of fifty-year-old vines in Nuits-Saint-Georges. Bedeau presents a sumptuous and satiny fruit and a touch of insolence to enhance the whole.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Saint Romain Sous Roche Qvevris Rouge 2019,

Domaine de Chassornay
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 unadulterated purity and elegance 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 sought-after wines, which sometimes need to be waited for.
This Pinot Noir from the Qvevris series (aged in Georgian-style terracotta jars) comes from a plot whose sloping terroir, facing south-southeast, is located between 280 and 400 meters above sea level in the Saint-Romain appellation. The soils there are mainly marl, limestone and clay. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. Plenty of fruit and roundness are supported by a sumptuous minerality. The Pinot Noir benefits greatly from the velvety texture provided by aging in qvevri.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Maître Splinter Blanc 2019,

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 scope 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 founded La Sorga in 2008. His enthusiasm leads him on a path filled with love at first sight, and each of these loves 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 tutti quanti.
It was in Marseillan (Hérault), on clay-limestone soils, not far from the Thau basin, that the grapes for this Maître Splinter were harvested: ninety percent picpoul (five-year-old vines), a typical grape variety of this coastal commune in Languedoc; ten percent grenache gris (twenty-year-old vines). The vinification is done using a "dip" method that Anthony Tortul likes for the whites: the Picpoul is processed by direct pressing and the whole-bunch Grenache macerates for fifteen days in vats in the Picpoul must. The nose is very marked by citrus, iodine and white fruits, a characteristic quite common in the wines of this sunny maritime terroir. The palate is long, lemony, saline, and straightforward. A superb wine to drink very chilled on any occasion.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

La Montagne Sacrée Blanc 2018,

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 scope 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 founded La Sorga in 2008. His enthusiasm leads him on a path filled with love at first sight, and each of these loves is a vineyard. The result is a stunning mosaic of natural, lively, and spirited wines, reinvented 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 included, with muscats, grenaches, picpoul, mauzac, carignan, cinsault, marsanne, alicante, braucol, duras, viognier, len-de-l’el, and all the rest.
La Montagne sacrée alludes, among other things, to the eponymous film with esoteric connotations directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky in 1974. He was, of course, inspired by the dramatic and spiritual landscapes of the Cabrières mountains (Hérault), from which the grapes come. These basalt peaks and deep valleys express a very special magic. The wine is a white from schist terroir. The grape varieties are eighty percent Grenache Blanc (fifty-year-old vines) and twenty percent Muscat d'Alexandrie (twenty-year-old vines). Vinification is done by maceration ("dip") of whole bunches of Muscat in the Grenache must obtained by direct pressing. The wine is aged on lees in sandstone eggs for eleven months. The nose expresses bergamot, lemon preserved in brine, and candied melon. The complex mineral structure of Grenache appears on the palate, very marked by these exceptional terroirs of high-altitude schists. Very good air resistance.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Pécharmant Rouge 2018,

Domaine Le Barouillet
Pécharmant is the emblematic red wine of Bergerac, already drunk in the time of Cyrano and long before. Produced from clay-siliceous soils, it typically offers a dense, fruity profile, with notes of pepper and blackcurrant. Here, we have 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc, a traditional blend for the appellation. Vinification begins with a gentle whole-bunch maceration for twenty to thirty days. Half of the wine is aged in old oak barrels, the other half in stainless steel vats. After twelve months, the final blend is made, after which the wine is left undisturbed all winter in concrete vats. Bottling is done without fining or filtration. Everything is done to keep this wine supple and round in tannins, as well as its freshness. It is a textured, versatile wine. Serve at 17-18 °C.

Pairs with: Strong cheeses, Game birds, Game animals, Red meats, Roasted meats, Desserts, Grilled meats

Proud Heretic Rosé 2019, La Sorga
"Antony Tortul loves old vineyards: he devotes his life to finding them and vinifying them. Just as there are shepherds without land, he can be defined as a landless winegrower, in other words a wine merchant whose area of ​​operation extends throughout the 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 trajectory made up of favorites, and each of these favorites is a vineyard. The result is a dizzying mosaic of natural, lively and spirited wines, which reinvents itself each year with around thirty cuvées per vintage. Few winemakers can list 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.
A dense blend: nielluccio (sixty percent), listan (forty percent), muscat of Alexandria, muscat à petits grains, muscat of Hamburg, cardinal, chasselas. The nielluccio is directly pressed, the rest macerates, in whole bunches for some, in berries destemmed by hand for others, in the nielluccio must for forty-five days (the “dip” method). Aging is seven months, followed by eight months in bottles. The very fresh, very floral nose welcomes us: white-fleshed fruits, fresh almond. It announces a great complexity, confirmed by the straight mouth, long and fresh, mineral, and with this crazy finish on vine peach! White fruits, citrus fruits, hot stones: perfect for a barbecue where red meats, white meats, poultry and fish come together. Aging potential: ten years
Natural wine without added sulfites.

Goes with: Charcuterie, Grilled meats

Tres Uves Blanc 2011, Bodega Barranco Oscuro
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Jéroboam Munjebel CS Red 2013

Frank Cornelissen Delivery possible in the Île-de-France region only>
This pure Nerello Mascalese comes from an ungrafted vine in the Zottorinoto contrada, growing on the Chiusa Spagnola plot, surrounded by lava rocks, somewhat hidden in an amphitheater-like landscape and at an altitude of 620 meters. This plot was planted in 1925 and produces a deep, tannic wine, somewhat reminiscent of Nebbiolo, with a slightly less intense color than the estate's other reds.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.

Magnum Vamos Vamos Blanc 2011, Joan Ramon Escada and Laureano Serres
Natural wine without added sulphites.