Still Wines

Cariboom Rouge 2020,

Domaine de l'Octavin
Carignan and Grenache, cultivated by Claude Ughetto in Saint-Pierre-de-Vassols (Vaucluse) and vinified in Arbois by Alice Bouvot, explode on the palate, resulting in Cariboom! The Carignan (50% of the blend) macerates for twenty days in whole bunches, while the Grenache macerates for five weeks. The semicarbonic maceration of the whole bunches gives Cariboom! an undeniable freshness, fruit, and sap. Pretty purplish-ruby color and tangy notes of blueberry, cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant, and cranberry. Fruity, juicy, airy lightness, and atypical fruitiness. On the finish, licorice and bay leaf mingle with cinnamon: Cariboom! is very complex despite its great drinkability.

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"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 the Jura wine region, often described as the most organic vineyard in France. The practice of making—among other things—oxidative wines is a good preparation for natural wine, as 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.

Magnum Volnay 1er Cru Les Roncerets Rouge 2018,

Domaine de Chassorney
This Volnay Premier Cru "Les Roncerets" is an extraordinarily complex wine, one of Frédéric Cossard's best and most renowned. On the nose, there are strawberry, candied fruit, spices, violet, and a very rich olfactory sensation. On the palate, there are blackberry, blackcurrant, cherry, but also an earthy and dark aromatic structure: leather, spices, mushroom, humus, smoke. The finish is very long, mineral, but still fruity. This magnum of a robust, great wine for laying down, which can be left for a while before drinking and will age magnificently, comes from seventy-year-old vines. The twelve-month aging process is carried out mainly in barrels, a third of which are new oak.

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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 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 practice is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura, Languedoc, and elsewhere. At his farm, the soil and vines are worked as naturally as possible: regular horse-drawn ploughing, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are tended according to biodynamic principles: 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.

Magnum Munjebel Rouge 2013,

Frank Cornelissen
Rich, fragrant, with beautiful, melted tannins and the smoothness of ripe fruit, Munjebel Rouge is a classic, classified as DOP Etna Rosso or IGP Terre Siciliane Nerello Mascalese. Among Frank Cornelissen's cuvées, this one best represents the typicality of the northern Etna valley. It is a true bouquet of wild red fruits, pure classic Nerello Mascalese, aromatic and balanced, carrying all the crispness of ripe fruit, with a Pinot Noir edge and a brilliant translucent color. Munjebel comes from several plots, including those from which the greatest vintages of the azienda come (Zottorinoto, Feudo di Mezzo-Porcaria, Pontale Palino), and from vines specially dedicated to this vintage: Rampante, Piano Daini and Crasà. It is vinified with indigenous yeasts, without additives or sulfites, unclarified and minimally filtered before bottling.

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A key figure in natural wine, a universally respected figure in this category of wines, Frank Cornelissen is a classic. This man of constant questioning lives in human and cosmic resonance with his contrasting terroir: he has demonstrated that the powerful minerality of a great volcanic soil can be highlighted by the naturalness of his wines. The brilliance, the directness and the exquisite fruitiness of his vintages earn him the admiration even of those reluctant to accept "natural". These are good introductory wines.
His Sicilian azienda is located in Passopisciaro, in the northern Etna Valley. It is, he says, the "Night Coast" of Etna for the great diversity of its wines spread over many locations (contrade) at different altitudes. The climate is continental and harsh, even snowy, in winter, but very warm and sunny from June to September. The altitude gives the wines tension and elegance. The vines coexist with a Mediterranean mixed crop: olive trees, almond trees, vegetable gardens... (Frank also produces olive oil). The vines range in age from forty to over one hundred years. The nineteen plots, covering twenty-four hectares in total, are all at altitude, between 600 and 900 meters, on several volcanic flows. They are all vinified separately: Frank decides on the blend based on the quality of the wines from each plot. In general, seven or eight vintages are produced in addition to the generic wines (rosé, basic red, and white). The soils are made up of different types of basalt, between powder and rock, with perfect drainage that allows for the production of concentrated and refined wines. Nerello Mascalese dominates the estate's grape varieties. This great traditional red grape variety from the northern valley of Etna is the only grape variety used in the great vintages. Its growing cycle is long, which allows the vine to work the soil and capture its minerality in the fruit. Other grape varieties include: Nerello Capuccio, Minella Bianco, Minella Nera, Alicante Bouschet, Malvasia, Cattaratto, Moscadella, Grecanico Dorato, Carricante, etc.

Vino Rosso Poggio Pastene Red 2016,

Corva Gialla
Poggio Pastene is a superior red from the Corva Gialla range; it is produced only in the finest vintages and comes from the finest plot on the estate. It is dense and full-bodied, with a supple texture and well-integrated tannins, and superb accents of leather and tobacco. The nose is intense and persistent—notes of red fruits, rose, and violet. On the palate, the olfactory sensations are confirmed, supported by a beautiful structure. Poggio Pastene is dry and straightforward, well-balanced between roundness and acidity. This is a single-variety Sangiovese whose vines are planted at an altitude of 450 meters on a west-facing plot with volcanic soils. The harvest, done by hand, is destemmed and macerated for about three weeks on the skins in fiberglass vats, with daily pumping over or punching down as needed. Aging is twenty-four months in old oak barrels. Poggio Pastene is kept in bottle for two years before being marketed.

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The Azienda Corva Gialla (“yellow crow”) is a wine estate in Lazio, Italy, located on the edge of Umbria in the Alta Tuscia Viterbese. A volcanic region considered one of the most beautiful in Italy and characterized by its calanches, high tuff rock formations delimiting deep valleys carved by numerous rivers and torrents. Corva Gialla is located in Lubriano, opposite Civita di Bagnoregio. Alta Tuscia is a breeding ground for young winemaking talents dedicated to nature, who are reclaiming these historically neglected lands. Founded in 2017, the estate comprises four hectares cultivated by Beatrice Arweiler, originally from another wine-growing region, between the Rhine and the Moselle. The new owner has also planted an olive grove (Frantoio and Leccino varieties) and converted the estate into a mixed crop and livestock system. The vines were planted with the help of Gian Marco Antonuzzi of the Le Coste estate. The friable volcanic soil lends itself beautifully to viticulture and the planting of grape varieties such as Grechetto d'Umbria, Trebbiano, Vermentino, Sangiovese, and Ciliegiolo. The estate's wines are quintessentially Italian, meaning they are made primarily for enjoyment. They are straight, deep and easy to drink, expressing the strong minerality of their soils.

Vino Bianco Blanc 2021,

Corva Gialla
Vino Bianco, as its name suggests, is the Corva Gialla estate's signature white wine and is only produced in the finest vintages. Fresh and fruity, it offers a golden yellow color with amber highlights and a surprisingly rich nose of exotic fruits. White flowers, Mediterranean herbs, candied fruits... And despite this aromatic opulence, the wine reveals itself on the palate as clean, tangy, mineral, and intense, distinguished by a sapidity due to the volcanic soils. All of this makes it a balanced wine suitable for all occasions. Vino Bianco is a blend of three grape varieties: Grechetto, Trebbiano, and Procanico. It comes from vines of varying ages planted at an altitude of 450 meters on a west-facing plot of volcanic soils. The harvest, done by hand, is destemmed. A small starter is prepared, while the rest of the harvest is pressed directly and added to the starter. The whole thing ferments for two to three weeks in fiberglass vats, with daily pumping over or punching down if necessary. After pressing, the wine is returned to fiberglass vats for aging before bottling in March.

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Azienda Corva Gialla ("yellow crow") is a wine estate in Lazio, Italy, located on the edge of Umbria in the Alta Tuscia Viterbese. A volcanic region considered one of the most beautiful in Italy and characterized by its calanches, high tuff rock formations delimiting deep valleys carved by numerous rivers and torrents. Corva Gialla is located in Lubriano, opposite Cività di Bagnoregio. Alta Tuscia is a breeding ground for young winemaking talents dedicated to nature, who are reclaiming these historically neglected lands. Founded in 2017, the estate comprises four hectares cultivated by Beatrice Arweiler, originally from another wine-growing region, between the Rhine and the Moselle. The new owner has also planted an olive grove (Frantoio and Leccino varieties) and converted the estate into a mixed crop and livestock system. The vines were planted with the help of Gian Marco Antonuzzi of the Le Coste estate. The friable volcanic soil lends itself magnificently to viticulture and the planting of grape varieties such as Grechetto d'Umbria, Trebbiano, Vermentino, Sangiovese, and Ciliegiolo. The estate's wines are quintessentially Italian, meaning they are made primarily for enjoyment. They are straight, deep and easy to drink, expressing the strong minerality of their soils.

Chambolle Musigny Les Herbues Rouge 2020,

Frédéric Cossard
Supple and deep, with very fine tannins, Les Herbues is a complex and elegant wine based on aromas of raspberry and violet with a touch of licorice and cocoa. It is an all-Pinot Noir from the Chambolle-Musigny AOC, from the plot that gives its name to the cuvée, located between 250 and 300 meters above sea level. The terroir, facing east, is based on hard, fissured limestone formations that allow the roots to penetrate the subsoil. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. The aging is about a year in barrels.



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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.

Puligny Montrachet Les Voites Blanc 2020,

Fréderic Cossard


This white wine is typically Puligny-Montrachet, meaning mineral, full-bodied, subtle, and long, with pure notes of white flowers. Superb aromas, white flowers, intensity, minerality, a sumptuous premier cru of great depth. Produced from exceptional terroirs, it is made from Chardonnays over forty years old growing on the clay-limestone soils of the Voitte plot, located between 230 and 250 meters above sea level. The terroir, facing west-southeast, is based on brown marl and clay-limestone soils, sometimes directly on the limestone rock. The soil structure is fine, clay-loam. The harvest is pressed, then the must ferments for four months in vats with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for twelve months in old barrels, then four months in stainless steel vats. Gravity decanting before bottling.

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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.

Cyprès de Toi Rosé 2021,

Cyprès Base
A pretty, soft salmon pink color, reminiscent of wild strawberries, but make no mistake: this rosé won't sing you a lullaby. Powerful and assertive, perfectly dry, beautifully balanced between fruit and acidity, it hasn't forgotten its original Malbec, from which it is produced using direct pressing. If you serve it very chilled on a very hot day, you'll be grateful, because that's its purpose. Lively, tangy, and full of character, it can be drunk on any occasion and at any time of day.

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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 had a clear objective: "to produce southern wines that reflect us, wines with character, attached to our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They wanted to obtain entirely natural wines, concentrates of terroir. In the heart of the old Corbières massif, they took over an old heart of an estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache, which had seen neither fertilizer nor pesticides for years: these clean and living soils were an ideal condition 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. 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 signature of the soil. Deliciously balanced between mineral imprint, plant environment, and fruit expression, the wines of Fond Cyprès reflect the South of France: the caress of its sun, but also the freshness of its shadows.

Magnum Les Fesses Blanc 2018,

Frédéric Gounan
A beautiful gastronomic wine, rich and distinguished, mineral as desired, dominated by notes of honey and white fruits (quince, apple, pear, rhubarb) of remarkable purity. No provocation in the appellation, Les Fesses is the name of the plot from which this white Sauvignon and Pinot Gris comes, obtained biodynamically and through natural vinification. The soils are rich in minerals: clay-limestone, granite, and basalt. The direct-pressed Sauvignon must ferments for six months in vats with the destemmed Pinot Gris, before aging for three years in barrels.

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Coming from a farming family 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 designer 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 took over plots of Gamay from Auvergne, planted other grape varieties, and ended 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 fan of organic and biodynamic farming, Frédéric also applies methods that he considers 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. Its wines are rare and distinguished, highly sought after by connoisseurs: small estate (less than two hectares), small production (by volume, not by spirit).

Gewurztraminer Origin Blanc 2020,

Jean-Marc Dreyer
Sumptuous, disconcerting, addictive, Gewurztraminer as you wouldn't expect, with a super-powerful aroma, without the sugar. Jean-Marc Dreyer's Origin range is dedicated to single-varietal cuvées based on Alsatian varieties. Decidedly orange, this macerated Gewurztraminer is the answer to those who find this grape variety heady and syrupy: all the sugars have been consumed, leaving an extraordinary richness of aromas, bare and unvarnished. The mango, ylang-ylang, and bouquet of flowers and exotic fruits are all there, enhanced by a dry, unsweetened structure. This wine calls for foie gras, but it can be drunk with anything. Biodynamic method, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, unfiltered, unclarified, with no sulfites added in the vineyard or cellar.

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"Maceration in Alsace is a tradition!" says Jean-Marc Dreyer, adding that direct pressing in this region is a modern invention, linked to the advent of electricity. In the past, we worked by hand and let the grapes macerate before sending the marc to the press. " Whole-bunch maceration is Jean-Marc Dreyer's signature and represents 85% of the estate's production, the rest consisting of direct-pressed whites, often aged using gentle oxidation. Jean-Marc succeeds several generations of his family at the Dreyer & Fils estate, established in 1830 between Obernai and Molsheim. Upon taking over the estate, he immediately opted for biodynamics, but he hesitated for a while between several methods: at first, his wines were more oaky, aged in new barrels with stirring. Then, a sweet period: all his wines contained residual sugar. In 2008, he tried vinifying without any sulfur and found his direction: the following winter, upon returning from the pilgrimage to Compostela, he swore never to add sulfur to any wine again. Having made this decision, he affirmed his style around skin maceration, quite extensive, chiseled, always surprising on Alsatian grape varieties, whose structure it brings out without sacrificing delicacy. Jean-Marc works in single-varietal or blended vintages and also produces Pinot Noir reds of surprising depth.

Sylvaner Origin White 2020

Jean-Marc Dreyer

With Sylvaner Origin 2020, Jean-Marc Dreyer brilliantly reinterprets this often underestimated Alsatian grape variety. Thanks to whole-bunch maceration and eleven months of aging in foudres, he gives it remarkable depth and structure. A natural, vibrant, and refined wine, a cross between a dry white and an orange wine.

Natural vinification for a pure expression of the terroir

Grown biodynamically, this Sylvaner benefits from meticulous work in the vineyard and the winery: spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, no filtration or clarification, and no added sulfites throughout the process. Maceration extracts fine tannins, giving the wine body and a silky texture, while preserving a beautiful mineral tension.

An intense and structured Sylvaner

Behind its golden color with amber highlights, this wine reveals an expressive nose with notes of candied citrus, orange peel, and fine spices. On the palate, the attack is full-bodied, driven by perfectly balanced acidity and a straight, elegant structure. The subtle tannins provide a lingering length, marked by a saline and slightly tannic touch that invites tasting.

Food and wine pairings and tasting moments

Served between 12 and 14°C, this macerated Sylvaner shines as an accompaniment to seafood, fine fish, and shellfish. It also excels with more gourmet dishes such as financial vol-au-vent, porcini mushroom ravioli, or mature cheese. Its balance between freshness and opulence makes it a wine equally at home as an aperitif or on a fine dining table.

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"Maceration is a tradition in Alsace!" says Jean-Marc Dreyer, adding that direct pressing in this region is a modern invention, linked to the advent of electricity. In the past, people worked by hand and let the grapes macerate before sending the pomace to the press. » Whole-bunch maceration is Jean-Marc Dreyer's signature and represents 85% of the estate's production, the remainder consisting of direct-pressed whites, often aged using controlled oxidation. Jean-Marc succeeds several generations of his family at the Dreyer & Fils estate, established in 1830 between Obernai and Molsheim. Upon taking over the estate, he immediately opted for biodynamics, but he hesitated for a while between several methods: at first, his wines were more oaky, aged in new barrels with stirring. Then came the sweet period: all his wines contained residual sugar. In 2008, he tried vinifying without any sulfur and found his direction: the following winter, upon returning from the pilgrimage to Compostela, he swore never to add sulfur to any wine again. Having made this decision, he asserts his style around skin maceration, quite advanced, chiseled, always surprising on Alsatian grape varieties, of which it brings out the structure without sacrificing the delicacy. Jean-Marc works in single-varietal or blended vintages and also produces Pinot Noir reds of surprising depth.

P'tit Grobis Rouge 2020,

Nicolas Chemarin
Fruity, mineral, and taut, P'tit Grobis rouge is a wine of incredible vitality, capable of converting even the most reluctant to Beaujolais. This is Nicolas's most personal cuvée, which he named after his local nickname. One hundred percent Gamay in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, a gurgling, elegant wine, it represents the Gamay Noir with white juice at its most enjoyable.

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Nicolas Chemarin, nicknamed "P'tit Grobis" as a resident of Marchampt (Beaujolais), is the fourth generation of winemaker on his family wine estate in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, on stony land where he crafts wines of surprising depth and sincerity. In 2005, he took over two hectares of his father's vines and in 2006 he produced his first vintages. In 2008, he acquired other vines and decided to devote himself solely to his estate, whose very steep terroir consists of poor, rocky soils on gray granite rock. The vines rest on the bedrock through very thin soil, and their roots plunge deep into the rock. Depending on the configuration of the soil, the vines are pruned in goblet or raised on stakes. Their average age is eighty years. The grape varieties, Gamay and Chardonnay, are classically Beaujolais. Nicolas also cultivates two other terroirs in the Régnié appellation: Les Bullats, with light, filtering sandy soils, and La Haute Ronze, very close to Morgon, whose deeper, clayey soils produce full-bodied wines. The vintages undergo long macerations (from 18 to 30 days) with punching down and temperature control (Nicolas works cold, around 20°C). The aging is done partially in thermoregulated concrete vats for a third, the remaining two thirds passing into barrels of four to ten wines in order to provide oxygenation but little or no woody sensation. Nicolas Chemarin is already very well known in the natural world for his sweet and fruity vintages, wines of pleasure, and for vintages from difficult and magnificent terroirs, provided with admirable and complex mineral, aromatic and spicy notes.

On the Rock Again 2019,

Nicolas Chemarin
Deep, mineral, and hyper-complex yet highly drinkable, On The Rock Again presents a purple color with violet highlights. Its nose is floral (violet), with notes of wet rock and spices. The attack evokes ripe red fruits (raspberry, cherry). The aftertaste is long and lively with great salinity. The tannins, well-integrated and elegant, give the wine a very pleasant roundness. This Gamay Noir à jus blanc cuvée directly alludes, through its title, to the omnipresent, outcropping rock of the Marchampts terroir, directly transmitting its earthy notes to the Gamay. The minerality of this superb hillside Beaujolais red, classified as a Vin de France, should come as no surprise. We recommend tasting at 12°C and uncorking, or even decanting, half an hour to an hour before serving this wine. The harvest is vatted by gravity, in whole bunches. The vatting lasts fifteen days at a controlled temperature (from 5 to 18°C), without pumping over. After pressing, the cuvée is aged in vats on fine lees for ten months. Bottled in the waning moon, in August following the harvest, without filtration or the addition of sulfites.

To find out more
Nicolas Chemarin, nicknamed "P'tit Grobis" as a resident of Marchampt (Beaujolais), is the fourth generation of winemaker on his family vineyard in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, on a stony land where he crafts wines of surprising depth and sincerity. In 2005, he took over two hectares of his father's vines and in 2006, he produced his first vintages. In 2008, he acquired other vines and decided to devote himself solely to his estate, whose very steep terroir consists of poor, rocky soils on gray granite rock. The vines rest on the bedrock through very thin soil, and their roots plunge deep into the rock. Depending on the configuration of the soil, the vines are pruned in goblet form or raised on stakes. Their average age is eighty years. The grape varieties, Gamay and Chardonnay, are classically Beaujolais. Nicolas also cultivates two other terroirs in the Régnié appellation: Les Bullats, with light, filtering sandy soils, and La Haute Ronze, very close to Morgon, whose deeper, clayey soils produce full-bodied wines. The wines undergo long macerations (from 18 to 30 days) with punching down and temperature control (Nicolas works cold, around 20 °C). The aging is partially done in thermoregulated concrete vats for a third, the remaining two thirds being spent in barrels of four to ten wines in order to provide oxygenation but little or no woody sensation. Nicolas Chemarin is already well known in the natural world for his sweet and fruity vintages, wines for pleasure, and for vintages from difficult and magnificent terroirs, endowed with admirable and complex mineral, aromatic and spicy notes.

Pommard 1er Cru Pezerolles Rouge 2020,

Domaine de Chassorney
Classified as a premier cru, this Pinot Noir, full of candied red fruits and suppleness, comes from a plot established among the first in the Pommard AOC in 1936. Its terroir is located between 250 and 330 meters above sea level on marl, brown-calcium, and brown-calcareous soils. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. Aging takes place for about a year in barrels.

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

Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru Monts Luisants 2020

Frédéric Cossard
This is a very rare, dense, and elegant vintage, bursting with aromas of fresh fruit, from a small plot above the village of Morey-Saint-Denis. The Pinot Noir planted here is of the Pinot Fin variety, a very old and increasingly rare strain. The vines are around seventy years old. This captivating wine promises to improve for a long time to come.

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

Magnum P'tit Poussot Blanc 2019,

Domaine de l'Octavin
Mineral and dry yet fruity, joyful and pleasant, this P'tit Poussot (the name of the plot) offers a nose of pear, apple, citrus, and pineapple, as well as plenty of freshness and acidity. A 100% Chardonnay grown biodynamically on red marl soils, it is perfect for excellent charcuterie: you can even pair it with pata negra or Iberian chorizo. An excellent aperitif or table wine.

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“You don’t need anything,” says Alice Bouvot, winemaker at Domaine de l’Octavin, “just a grape that’s happy 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 the wine-growing Jura region, often described as the most organic vineyard in France. The practice of making – among other things – oxidative wines is a good preparation for natural wine, as 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 sought-after as the vintages, produced in plot-by-plot mode, appear, disappear and reappear depending on the vintage and inspiration.
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Le Pas de l'Ours Rouge 2018,

Jean-Yves Peron
Based on nature and minimal intervention, Jean-Yves Péron skillfully combines committed viticulture and merchant winemaking, both based on nature. He lives in Chevaline, in Savoie, near Lake Annecy. His current vineyard, three hectares biodynamic since its inception, is divided between Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, a little further downstream in the Isère Valley. His Mondeuse reds are magnificent, as are his whites made from old local grape varieties—Jacquère, Altesse, Bergeron, and Persan.
Initially destined for a career in biochemistry, Jean-Yves quickly fell in love with the vine and trained as an oenologist in Bordeaux. He learned his trade as a winemaker with Thierry Allemand in Cornas, then with Bruno Schueller in Alsace, before spending some time in New Zealand and the United States. His trading business, which he began in 2011, allows him to buy the harvest from organic winemakers close to home, but also in Northern Italy: for him, it is a new dimension given to his work as a winemaker, allowing him to multiply the terroirs and to deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging. Jean-Yves Péron's winemaking follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow and steep surfaces, his mountain vines receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is very rich: it protects the vines and helps to strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Once vatted in whole bunches, the grapes, both red and white, undergo a semi-carbonic maceration that allows fresh fruit aromas to be extracted. This maceration time varies between five days and nine weeks depending on the vintage. The day before or two days before pressing, Jean-Yves performs foot-treading directly in the vat. After this fermentation, the musts are sent to barrels for aging on lees for twelve months in five hundred liter barrels of two or three wines (to limit the oaky sensation), followed by blending and resting in vats. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are neither fined nor filtered. Savoyard wine has long suffered from a somewhat flimsy image, not taken seriously enough. Yet, what treasures its soils with their varied pedology and its many ancient grape varieties produce! Jean-Yves Péron embodies the rebirth of this beautiful vineyard.
The plot known as "Le Pas de l'Ours" is planted with forty-six-year-old vines on limestone. Jean-Yves uses the finest grapes to create this vintage. The harvest macerates for two to six months, and this vintage is generally aged for twenty-four months. On the nose, citrus fruits are clearly discernible. On the palate, it is more the acidity of the red fruits that is felt. The wine is persistent, with some herbaceous notes in the mid-palate.

Vin de Lies Blanc 2018,

Jean-Yves Peron
Near Lake Annecy, Jean-Yves Péron skillfully combines committed viticulture and merchant winemaking, both with a focus on nature. His Mondeuse reds are magnificent, as are his whites made from old local grape varieties—Jacquère, Altesse, Bergeron, and Persan. He lives in Chevaline, but his current vineyard, three hectares of which have been biodynamic since the beginning, is divided between Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, a little further downstream in the Isère Valley.
Initially destined for a career in biochemistry, Jean-Yves quickly fell in love with the vine and trained as an oenologist in Bordeaux. He learned his trade as a winemaker with Thierry Allemand in Cornas, then with Bruno Schueller in Alsace, before spending some time in New Zealand and the United States. His trading business, which he began in 2011, allows him to buy the harvest from organic winemakers close to home, but also in Northern Italy: for him, it is a new dimension given to his work as a winemaker, allowing him to multiply the terroirs and to deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging. Jean-Yves Péron's winemaking follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow and steep surfaces, his mountain vines receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is very rich: it protects the vines and helps to strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Once vatted in whole bunches, the grapes, both red and white, undergo a semi-carbonic maceration that allows fresh fruit aromas to be extracted. This maceration time varies between five days and nine weeks depending on the vintage. The day before or two days before pressing, Jean-Yves performs foot-treading directly in the vat. After this fermentation, the musts are sent to barrels for aging on lees for twelve months in five hundred liter barrels of two or three wines (to limit the oaky sensation), followed by blending and resting in vats. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are neither fined nor filtered. Savoyard wine has long suffered from a somewhat flimsy image, not taken seriously enough. Yet, what treasures its soils with their varied pedology and its many ancient grape varieties produce! Jean-Yves Péron embodies the rebirth of this beautiful vineyard.
Vin de lie is a winemaking practice little known outside the profession: it consists, after racking the barrels or aging vats, of gathering all the lees in a single vat. These lees are suspended in a small quantity of wine and it is this wine that is decanted once or twice to be recovered. It is not normally sold but reserved for the cellar team. This is the true "house cuvée", generally very appreciated. Nourished by the lees, the red obtained in this way is smoother, softer, and the white is less tense, rounder. Jean-Yves Péron decided to release a vintage of this type by combining all the lees from his 2018 whites and some from 2019. The wines, made from grapes from Savoie and Piedmont, include a majority of Jacquère grapes with a little Muscat, Altesse, Roussanne, etc. “It’s a little less precise, in aromatic terms, than what I usually do, but it’s very pleasing; it’s a wine for pleasure that will be particularly delicious in six months. It can be drunk anytime, from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.!” As we write these lines (end of July), we predict this moment of grace for next winter.

The Great White Day 2019, Jean-Yves Peron

Near Lake Annecy, in Chevaline, Jean-Yves Péron skillfully combines committed viticulture and merchant winemaking, both with a focus on nature. Savoyard wine has long suffered from a somewhat flimsy image, not taken seriously enough. Yet, what treasures its varied soils and numerous ancient grape varieties produce! Jean-Yves embodies the renaissance of this beautiful vineyard. His Mondeuse reds are magnificent, as are his whites made from ancient local grape varieties—Jacquère, Altesse, Bergeron, and Persan—no less so.
Initially destined for a career in biochemistry, he quickly became drawn to the vine and trained as an oenologist in Bordeaux. His current vineyard, three hectares of which have been biodynamic since the beginning, is divided between Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, a little further down in the Isère Valley. He learned his trade as a winemaker with Thierry Allemand in Cornas, then with Bruno Schueller in Alsace, before spending some time in New Zealand and the United States. His trading business, which he began in 2011, allows him to buy the harvest from organic winemakers near his home, but also in Northern Italy: for him, it is a new dimension to his work as a winemaker, allowing him to multiply the terroirs and deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging.
On narrow and steep surfaces, his mountain vines receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is very rich: it protects the vines and helps to strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown, and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Jean-Yves Péron's winemaking adheres to the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow, steep surfaces, his mountain vines are not treated with any synthetic products; Jean-Yves prefers horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is very rich: it protects the vines and helps strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown, and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Once vatted in whole bunches, the grapes, both red and white, undergo a semi-carbonic maceration process that extracts fresh fruit aromas. This maceration time varies between five days and nine weeks, depending on the vintage. The day before or two days before pressing, Jean-Yves performs foot-treading directly in the vat. After this fermentation, the musts are transferred to barrels for aging on lees for twelve months in five hundred liter barrels of two or three wines (to limit the oaky sensation), followed by blending and resting in the vat. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered. This cuvée is produced entirely from Jean-Yves's Altesse plot, with three to four months of skin maceration. The wine is aged for one year in three hundred liter barrels. It is a magnificent macerated white, "polyphonic," a distinguished orange with a layered structure. It will be wonderful for any occasion.

Les Barrieux blanc 2019,

Jean-Yves Peron
In Savoie, near Lake Annecy, Jean-Yves Péron skillfully combines committed viticulture and merchant winemaking, both with a focus on nature. His Mondeuse reds are magnificent, as are his whites made from ancient local grape varieties—Jacquère, Altesse, Bergeron, and Persan.
Initially destined for a career in biochemistry, he quickly fell in love with the vine and trained as an oenologist in Bordeaux. His current vineyard, three hectares biodynamic since the beginning, is divided between Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, a little further downstream in the Isère Valley. He learned his trade as a winemaker with Thierry Allemand in Cornas, then with Bruno Schueller in Alsace, before spending some time in New Zealand and the United States. His trading business, which he began in 2011, allows him to buy the harvest from organic winemakers close to home, but also in Northern Italy: for him, it is a new dimension given to his work as a winemaker, allowing him to multiply the terroirs and to deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging.
On narrow and steep surfaces, his mountain vines receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is very rich: it protects the vines and helps to strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Jean-Yves Péron's winemaking adheres to the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow, steep slopes, his mountain vines are not treated with any synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is extremely rich: it protects the vines and helps strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown, and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Once vatted in whole bunches, the grapes, both red and white, undergo a semi-carbonic maceration process that extracts fresh fruit aromas. This maceration time varies between five days and nine weeks depending on the vintage. The day before or two days before pressing, Jean-Yves performs foot-treading directly in the vat. After this fermentation, the musts are sent to barrels for aging on lees for twelve months in five hundred liter barrels of two or three wines (to limit the woody sensation), followed by blending and resting in vats. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered. Savoyard wine has long suffered from a somewhat flimsy image, not taken seriously enough. Yet, what treasures its varied soils and numerous ancient grape varieties produce! Jean-Yves Péron embodies the renaissance of this beautiful vineyard. Les Barrieux is a rare and exceptional cuvée, a white without equal. Generally, it is made entirely from Roussanne, but sometimes it can also contain 30% Jacquère to balance the warmth of the vintage. The two grape varieties grow on schist soil and are blended just after the harvest: they are vinified together. Maceration time depends on the vintage: generally three to five months, but there is one vintage that has been macerating since 2019. Aging is one year in barrels. This wine offers extraordinary notes of leather, smoke, and candied quince. It's a gourmet all-rounder that can withstand anything.