Tense

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru les Folatières White 2020,

Fréderic Cossard

A fine example of Chardonnay at its zenith, this Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru is distinguished, complex, powerful, and precise. It comes from the Folatières plot, planted with very old vines. This age is felt in the depth and structure of the wine, and likewise, it benefits from superb aging qualities.

To find out more

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 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.

Chateau Roulant Red 20/21

Benoit Camus
Château Roulant is a Beaujolais red wine, organic and natural (Ecocert certified), made from Gamay. Classified as a Vin de France, it is produced by Benoît Camus at his Pierre Dorées estate, in the south of the appellation. Its name evokes the itinerant life once led by the winemaker, a former seasonal agricultural worker.

Vinification
The Gamay vines of Beaujolais grow on clay-limestone soils. The very steep plots prohibit any mechanized work. The harvest, carried out by hand, undergoes a three-week semi-carbonic maceration. The wine is aged in concrete vats for fifteen months.

Tasting
The Beaujolais wines from Pierre Dorées are structured, long-lasting, and beautifully fruity. Here, after admiring a bright garnet color, we find strawberry, raspberry, red cherry, and cranberry, with a beautiful acidity in the mid-palate giving way to a rich and voluptuous finish. Freshness and acidity, leather, earth, and some animal notes. Wonderful richness in the mouth that we will enjoy accompanying with cold meats and cured meats, poultry such as pigeon or duck. Or even Red Meats .

Learn more about Benoît Camus
You might think he's itinerant, with his vintages called "Château roulant" or "Vagabond", but for Benoît Camus, it's a memory of his previous life, when he was a seasonal farmer in the Rhône Valley and as far as Roussillon. Since 2003, he has settled in Southern Beaujolais, in the Pierres Dorées terroir, to make organic (Ecocert) and natural wines.

Nature before, nature always
Before purchasing his seven-hectare estate from an old winemaker, the vines had not yet seen pesticides or chemical additives. Many in Beaujolais worked this way. He made his first vintage in 2006, "natural without knowing it," he says. A brief attempt at chemical spraying to treat grape worm definitively dissuaded him from adding anything to the vineyard or the cellar. He acquired Ecocert organic certification and continues to make natural wines.

The Pierre Dorées terroir
The southern Beaujolais, with its clay-limestone soils, produces wines that are more structured and powerful than those from the granite soils of the North. This is the profile presented by the reds of Benoît Camus, natural wines that are straight, dense and long-aging, with good acidity and well-integrated tannins, not forgetting abundant, rich and seductive fruit.

Yggdrasil Red 2015

Domaine La Sorga

Yggdrasil is a blend of Merlot grown organically on limestone sands in the Carcassonne region. The grapes are vinified in whole bunches and infused for ninety days; the wine is then aged in vats on its lees for eleven months. The result is a fresh and long wine with notes of black fruits, thyme, and cinnamon, perfect for pairing with red meats or game. Aging potential: ten years.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Promess Red 2017

Domaine Sauveterre

Made from ninety-year-old Gamay vines planted on clay-limestone soils, this fresh, deep, and smooth wine is aged in barrels. It has excellent aging potential.
Natural wine with no added sulfites. 1200

Oberer Altenberg White 2023,

Domaine Einhart

A powerful and refined Gewurztraminer from a unique sandy terroir

The Oberer Altenberg 2023, from Domaine Einhart, is an exceptional Gewurztraminer that expresses all the richness of its terroir. Grown on sandy soils, this organic AOP Alsace white wine is the result of direct pressing followed by fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Aged for one month in stainless steel vats on fine lees, it embodies the finesse and generosity of the grape variety, enhanced by the influence of a sunny vintage.

A captivating and structured tasting

On the nose, the Oberer Altenberg reveals an impressive aromatic complexity: delicate notes of candied citrus, lemon zest and pear mingle with floral touches of jasmine and white flower. On the palate, the attack is lively and precise, giving way to a silky and generous texture. A beautiful saline tension and a subtle minerality prolong the tasting, accompanied by a long finish, marked by aromas of flint and a brilliant freshness.

An exceptional wine for special occasions

Thanks to its elegance and complexity, the Oberer Altenberg 2023 is perfectly suited to gourmet meals and special occasions. It pairs brilliantly with seafood, shellfish and cooked fish, but also pairs well with more daring dishes such as truffles or roasted white meats. Its balance between freshness and intensity also makes it an ideal ally for creamy cheeses or fruit desserts.

Served between 8 and 10°C after decanting, this wine can be enjoyed today for its aromatic precision or kept for up to 5 years for an even richer development.

Vin de France Rafling Riesling White 2020

Frédéric Cossard

Fineness, fruitiness, balance, elegance, roundness, and integrity all at once, this Riesling in the Vin de France category has a lot to tell. Our own Frédéric Cossard, equally at home in Burgundian-style vinification (but without additives) as in the multi-hued refinements of merchant winemaking, now offers us a merchant Riesling vinified with skin-contact maceration. Don't nitpick too much about food and wine pairings, this one is tailored for all circumstances.

Learn more

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 a while 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 bought 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 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 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.

Chatzen Blanc 2017

La Sorga
Anthony Tortul loves old vineyards: he devotes his life to finding and vinifying them. Just as there are landless shepherds, he can be defined as a landless winegrower, in other words, a wine merchant whose 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 wine technician and oenologist in various vineyards in the south of France, he created La Sorga in 2008. His enthusiasm leads him on a path filled with favorites, and each 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 list: the whole of southern France is covered with muscats, grenaches, picpoul, mauzac, carignan, cinsault, marsanne, alicante, braucol, duras, viognier, len-de-l’el, and all the rest.
This wine is a blend of seventy percent sauvignon blanc (twenty-eight-year-old vines) and thirty percent chasan (a cross between listan and chardonnay; forty-three-year-old vines) from sandy limestone soils near Carcassonne. The chasan is processed by direct pressing and the sauvignon macerates in the must in whole bunches for four months. The aging is three years in old barrels, without topping up. This explains the controlled oxidative character of this wine, with a nose of veil (walnut husk) and stewed tropical fruits, dried banana, curry... and the aromatic, straight, long and complex palate, well tannic. The aging potential is enormous but the wine already stands out for gastronomy and the most refined dishes on the most joyful tables.
Natural wine without added sulfites.

La Grande Chaude, Blanc 2023

Philippe Chatillon

With La Grande Chaude 2023, Philippe Chatillon delivers an artisanal cuvée where Chardonnay, the noble grape of the Jura, finds a chiseled and deeply mineral expression. This organically certified cuvée, classified as AOC Côtes du Jura, comes from a rare and complex terroir: red Lias marls enriched with a dolomite bank – a soft limestone rock – which structures the top of the plot. This unique composition, located in Passenans, gives the wine a natural tension and great aromatic precision.

The 60-year-old vines yield concentrated fruit, which Philippe Chatillon vinifies by direct pressing, without artifice, before two years of aging in old barrels, where the wine slowly builds itself, sheltered from new wood, in a pure logic of respect for life.

The nose opens elegantly with zesty citrus, white flowers, discreet brioche notes, all carried by a prominent chalky minerality. On the palate, the texture is straight, taut, precise, almost saline, with a length that leaves a striking sensation of purity. It is a gastronomic white wine, intense but never heavy, combining the freshness of the Jura with the depth of great Chardonnay.

At the table, La Grande Chaude will enhance grilled fish, creamy poultry, or mushroom risotto. Decant it to allow it time to breathe, serve it between 10 and 12°C, and it can evolve over 5 years.

A great terroir wine, sensitive, lively, which reveals all of Philippe Chatillon's talent in the fine and luminous interpretation of his Jura soils.

Alsace Blanc 2024

Domaine Einhart

Domaine Einhart, a long-time organic farming advocate, presents a white wine that captures all the freshness and lusciousness of great Alsace whites, without ever sacrificing their finesse. This 2024 vintage, just bottled, is the result of a classic regional blend: predominantly Auxerrois, with Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. An Alsatian quartet vinified by direct pressing, without embellishments or over-extraction, and aged for 7 months in large oak casks on fine lees to preserve the wine's aromatic purity and tension.

The clay-limestone soil, typical of the Alsace plain, gives this wine both roundness and verticality. No oenological inputs, exclusively native yeasts, and a vinification that respects natural balances: a lively, expressive, and absolutely digestible white.

Floral vivacity and ripe fruit lusciousness

From the moment it's served, the pale, brilliant color hints at the wine's freshness. The nose is very aromatic, dominated by yellow lemon, delicate floral notes (linden, jasmine), and a touch of very ripe exotic fruit (lychee, fresh mango). On the palate, it's an explosion of freshness: a lively attack, a supple mid-palate thanks to the Auxerrois, and a taut finish driven by the Riesling's character. The balance is perfectly mastered.

To be enjoyed now, at 10-12°C, with shellfish, fish cooked with citrus, or even pressed cheeses. A wine for immediate pleasure, to be drunk within the next two years.

Art Brut Red 2023,

La Tribu Alonso

A vibrant, hybrid, and bold red, born from the granite terroir of Beaujolais

The Art Brut 2023, produced by La Tribu Alonso, is an atypical and captivating cuvée. This red wine is distinguished by its exceptional ampelographic diversity, bringing together a mosaic of grape varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, and Syrah, enriched with a touch of white grapes. Produced on granite soils, it reflects an artisanal and innovative philosophy that celebrates biodiversity and the terroir.

Vinified with a short maceration to extract finesse and freshness, then aged for a year in vats, this wine reveals a natural and sincere approach, without artifice.

An intense and original tasting

On the nose, the Art Brut 2023 charms with its aromas of black cherry, kirsch and leather, with subtle nuances of pepper and spices. On the palate, it offers a frank and invigorating attack, supported by a supple texture and a beautiful freshness. The delicate and melted tannins highlight flavors of ripe red fruits and spicy notes that persist in a long and harmonious finish.

Rich and varied pairings

This versatile wine is ideal for accompanying convivial moments as well as gourmet meals. It pairs perfectly with grilled white meats, poultry stew or roasted red meats. Its freshness and spicy character also make it a perfect choice for stewed or lightly spiced dishes.

Serve between 14 and 16°C, without decanting necessary, the Art Brut 2023 can be enjoyed today for its freshness or kept for up to 5 years, where it will gain in complexity.

Carignan Red 2014,

Domaine Le Temps retrouvé

Made from 130-year-old Carignan vines growing in a complex blend of clay, silica, mica-rich schist, quartz, and gneiss, this wine undergoes extended aging.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.

Ketsa White 2015

Domaine Fond Cyprès

Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Frohnberg White 2023,

Domaine Einhart

A bright and balanced cuvée, a tribute to Auxerrois and Pinot Noir

The Frohnberg 2023, by Domaine Einhart, is a captivating blend of Auxerrois and Pinot Noir. This organic AOP Alsace white wine reflects a unique clay-limestone terroir, enhanced by direct pressing and careful vinification. Aged for one month in stainless steel vats on fine lees, the Frohnberg 2023 is a vibrant wine, where purity and elegance combine to offer a refined experience.

A fresh and precise tasting

On the nose, the Frohnberg 2023 unfolds delicate and seductive aromas: notes of citrus, lemon and white flower intertwine with touches of pear and a mineral hint reminiscent of flint. On the palate, the attack is straightforward and fresh, carried by a lively acidity that gives this wine a beautiful energy. The texture is fluid, taut and precise, with a marked salinity on the finish. A subtle minerality accompanies the long persistence, revealing all the richness of its terroir.

A wine for gastronomy and conviviality

The Frohnberg 2023 is a versatile wine, ideal to accompany fresh and delicate cuisine. It pairs wonderfully with seafood, grilled or raw fish such as sea bream carpaccio, but also with crisp vegetables and fresh cheeses. Its liveliness and finesse also make it a perfect choice for elegant aperitifs or gourmet meals.

Serve between 8 and 10°C after a light decanting, this wine can be enjoyed now or wait a few years to develop even more complexity.

i Vicini Moscato White 2021

Jean Yves Peron

I Vicini Moscato is an organic, biodynamic, and natural macerated (orange) dry white wine from Jean-Yves Péron. Vinified in Savoie from Muscat d'Asti. It is part of the I Vicini series of cuvées, vinified in Savoie from organic grapes from Northern Italy. The muscats grow on very fine limestone soils, calcareous-magnesian, on a particularly cool site.

Vinification

The Muscat d'Asti grapes, harvested manually at good phenolic maturity, macerate for three months in vats on the skins, with punching down. Racking off in January, aging for one year in 300 l barrels. No filtration, fining or addition of sulfites.

Tasting

Straightness, tension and freshness: this very fine mountain Muscat offers the aromatic and musky nose specific to the grape variety, without any syrupy notes. A very present tannic structure balances the whole. On the palate, it is rich and powerful; we find the charming scent of Muscat in the retro-olfaction, but with the tension and freshness that Jean-Yves Péron favors for his dry whites. It’s a great table wine, not really for an aperitif, but for gastronomy, no limits.

Learn more about Jean-Yves Péron

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

High-altitude biodynamics

Jean-Yves Péron’s work follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow, steep surfaces, his mountain vines in micro-plots, worked by hand, receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The grapes are vatted in whole bunches and undergo semicarbonic maceration. Shortly before pressing, they are foot-trodden in the vat, then sent 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.

Cuvée Expériment Rosé 2020,

Belly Wine Experiment
A rosé with a lot to tell, somehow bridging the gap between Catalonia and Auvergne. Fruit, freshness, liveliness, vivacity, and a beautiful light ruby ​​color. Officially classified as a red wine because it contains white wine, this rosé Experiment cuvée is made from equal parts Gamay from Auvergne and Xarello from Catalonia. The Gamay undergoes semicarbonic maceration in whole bunches for fifteen days, then it is blended with crushed Xarello, along with its stems, and macerated for five days. Classified as Vin de France and with an alcohol content of 12.7%, the wine is produced without any chemical additives, either in the vineyard or in the cellar. It is aged in fiberglass vats.

To find out more
Founded and run by Claire Sage and Aimé Duveau, located in Chanteuges (Haute-Loire), Belly Wine Experiment is as much an experiment as it is a winemaking business. The creative duo has a lot to offer: Claire is the sister of Adrien Sage, a fan of underwater wine aging but above all an importer of Catalan wines. Hence the presence of Catalan grape varieties in Belly Wine Experiment's blends, alongside Burgundy, Auvergne, and Jura grape varieties, often found in the same bottle. Aimé is the son of Manu Duveau, a poet-winemaker from Auvergne, a former stonemason, and a great winemaker of local Gamays at his Domaine de l'Égrappille. The unique feature of Belly Wine Experiment is the exoticism (in the literal sense) of the blends, with Xarel lo from Catalonia, for example, blending naturally with Gamay from Puy-de-Dôme. The wines are made using semi-carbonic maceration, without the addition of chemical additives or excessive manipulation in the cellar. The winery is also known for its high-quality, vinous perries.

Ovno Blanc 2015

Domaine Fond Cyprès
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

With Tête D’a Fish Blanc 2024, La Tribu Alonso boldly explores the potential of hybrid grape varieties, blending Floréal, Villard, and Alain Bouquet into a cuvée that is as original as it is precise. True to its artisanal approach, the estate delivers a sincere natural wine here, made from vines cultivated without synthetic products and vinified without additives, in total respect for all living things.

This collection of hybrid grape varieties, still too often overlooked, allows for a different interpretation of the terroir and opens up new gustatory perspectives. After fermentation with indigenous yeasts, the wine benefits from 12 months of aging on lees, bringing texture, complexity, and beautiful aromatic depth.

In the glass, the color reveals itself in a pale hue with slightly hazy reflections, a sign of an unfiltered wine. The nose expresses itself with finesse, revealing aromas of white flowers, fresh pear, and a delicate herbaceous touch that evokes nature in its purest form.

On the palate, the attack is lively and precise, driven by a beautiful tension. The profile is resolutely fruity, with a supple yet dynamic body that stretches into a fresh and saline finish. The aging on lees rounds out the whole, offering a subtle balance between energy and deliciousness.

Tête D’a Fish Blanc 2024 naturally finds its place at the table. It perfectly accompanies seafood, grilled fish or fish in light sauces, as well as fresh or aged cheeses. Its tension and freshness also make it an excellent aperitif companion.

With this cuvée, La Tribu Alonso confirms its taste for experimentation and its ability to reveal vibrant, accessible, and deeply rooted natural wines of their time.

Riesling Blanc 2022

Domaine Einhart
Riesling from Domaine Einhart is, as its name suggests, a dry white wine made from 100% Riesling from the Alsace region, organic (Ecocert) and natural, classified as a Vin de France. Riesling, the lord of Eastern European grape varieties, finds here an expression worthy of its nobility.

Vinification
The twenty-five-year-old Riesling vines from Domaine Einhart grow on the muschelkalk (oolitic limestone) soils of the Kreutzweg area. The grapes are harvested by hand and then pressed directly. Fermentation is carried out using indigenous yeasts. Aging on fine lees is ten months in century-old beer barrels (an Alsatian specialty) and precedes bottling without filtration. From the vine to the cellar, Riesling was produced without any additives or sulfites.

Tasting
A beautiful orange-yellow color. The first nose is very delicate, slightly musky, with notes of grapefruit and dandelion flower. The second nose is fresher and mineral with aromas of thyme, aromatic herbs, and flint. The palate begins with vivacity and a beautiful verticality, a minerality typical of limestone. The finish is persistent and saline. Decanting is recommended so that Riesling can spread its wings and express its mineral notes. You can serve this gem from the Einhart estate with any kind of dish; it is easy-going, but it also pairs well with cheese, roast poultry, sauerkraut, or smoked fish.

Learn more about the Einhart estate
In the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family estate whose vines grow in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, or shell limestone and oolitic limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone).

A family estate
Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. True to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to protecting the land and biodiversity, making wine without inputs, refusing harmful phytosanitary products, and maintaining ecological refuge areas. His estate has been certified organic (Ecocert and AB) since 2011. The estate produces white wines from maceration or direct pressing and a Pinot Noir red.

The best of Alsatian terroirs
Entirely manual harvests, destemming of the bunches, light punching down, and delicate pressing are characteristic of the estate, as well as the separate vinification of each terroir, aging on lees, and the absence of filtration before bottling. The wines are pure grapes, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of these very beautiful terroirs in the Vosges foothills.

Puits Saint Pierre, White 2023

Philippe Chatillon

The Puits Saint Pierre 2023 cuvée by Philippe Chatillon is a magnificent tribute to Savagnin, the iconic grape variety of the Jura, meticulously crafted with remarkable precision. Sourced from the estate's finest parcel, planted on typical Côtes du Jura marl soils, this natural white wine, certified organic, embodies Jura tradition while asserting a pure, clean, and vibrant style.

The grapes are harvested at optimal ripeness then pressed directly, without maceration, to preserve freshness and varietal expression. The wine is then aged for two years in old barrels, without oenological intervention or new wood, allowing for subtle micro-oxygenation that refines the structure and develops aromatic complexity.

On the nose, it's a festival of sensations: dried apricot, delicate honey, a hint of brioche, alpine herbs, and a chalky minerality that hints at the tension on the palate. The palate is direct, dry, taut, with superb acidity that carries the flavors to a long, saline finish. The balance between the subtle richness of the aging and the natural straightforwardness of the grape makes it an excellent gastronomic wine.

Puits Saint Pierre pairs ideally with iodized seafood, aged Comté cheese, or spicy dishes with oriental flavors. Decanting is recommended for it to fully open up. It can be enjoyed now for its purity or aged 5 to 10 years to gain complexity. Serve chilled, between 10 and 12°C.

Philippe Chatillon delivers a deep and sincere wine, both rooted in its terroir and of rare elegance.

Alburostre White 2023

De Vini

Alburostre is an organic, biodynamic, and natural white wine made by Christophe Bosque (De Vini) in the Nantes region from the Folle Blanche grape variety. It comes from vines grown in Gorges (Loire-Atlantique), on the winemaker's estate, in gabbro soils. Classified as Vin de France. Folle Blanche, also known as Gros Plant, is a grape variety typical of the Nantes region, where it has been known since the 16th century and thrives in gabbro soils. Highly suitable for distillation, it is also a grape variety used in Armagnac and Cognac. It typically produces wines with low alcohol content and a pale color: Alburostre embodies all of these qualities.

Winemaking

The organic Folle Blanche grapes harvested for Alburostre are pressed directly, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and then the wine is aged for nine months on its lees in stoneware jars. No fining, sulfiting, or filtration.

Tasting

Alburostre means "greenhorn" in Old French. Despite its pale color—typical of Folle Blanche—it's anything but an inexperienced novice. It's a very fine, easy-drinking white wine (10% alcohol), supple, pleasant, precise, and pure. A lovely yeasty, fermentary note rises above its simple description, enveloping the palate and further accentuating the wine's length. A truly indulgent wine: reserve it for the finest smoked salmon, seafood, and even caviar. The winemaker recommends salmon tartare with coriander, pollack fillet with beurre blanc sauce, or steamed goose barnacles.

Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini

De Vini, along with the Vinilibre wine trading business, is the multifaceted venture of Christophe Bosque, originally from Saint-Nazaire. Wine has always been his passion. We are particularly interested in his local creations, made from grapes grown on his two-hectare vineyard and fermented in a traditional Nantes-style underground vat—a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in a natural style.

Gabbro melt

After years working as a wine merchant, importer, and then winemaker, this former cameraman, who holds a vocational diploma in oenology and viticulture, acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in 2017 in Gorges, Loire-Atlantique, near Clisson. The soils there consist of gabbro on a granite subsoil, a pedological configuration specific to the Nantes region and particularly to Clisson. Christophe is full of praise for this type of soil.

Muscadet, but better

Christophe's wines may be made from grapes sourced from the finest French terroirs, particularly in Languedoc, but the winemaker retains a special affection for his own vines, which he tends with passion and a deep respect for the terroir. His labels and appellations reveal a touch of humor and a flair for the pun, but inside the bottle, it's serious business: wines off the beaten path, just the way he likes them.