Friends' Aperitif Wines 🍷

Cuvée 0.72+ Red 2019

De Vini
With a slightly dark ruby ​​color and faded rose tones, this is a red wine that should logically catch your eye for your greatest pleasure: this cuvée 0.72+ red comes from very different terroirs than its white equivalent (which we also offer). The vines from which it comes, 80% Grenache Noir, 10% Syrah and 10% Viognier, are located in the Côtes du Rhône region, in Rochefort-du-Gard, and grow on a soil of rolled pebbles that is not without points in common with that of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which is only a few kilometers away on the other bank of the Rhône. The presence of a white grape variety - Viognier - in this red blend gives this wine a great originality, a floral side that hovers over the entire organoleptic experience: there are faded rose petals on both the nose and the palate, as well as a fairly strong tendency towards white flowers (Viognier, again). There is also a little prune and a complex, though light, aromatic structure. This is a beautiful wine that was long overdue and which is currently at its peak, with beautifully melted tannins and many more years ahead of it. Great length, great structure on the palate, and a pleasant salivating side. Viognier is an inspiration from the Northern Côtes-du-Rhône adapted to the Southern Côtes-du-Rhône, and red blends featuring white grape varieties are an increasingly common occurrence in the world of natural wines. As for the cultivation and vinification, the vines are managed biodynamically and the grapes were macerated for two weeks with care: no pumping over, no crushing, as little intervention as possible. Just a little punching down, no more than necessary. If the name of the cuvée intrigues you, be aware that following a small technical incident during bottling, it does not contain exactly the standard quantity. This detail should not worry you, because in this case, 72 cl is a maximum: most bottles require between 1 and 3 cl to reach 75, which is very little. Don't let the fluidity and delicacy of this wine fool you either; it's actually a solid wine that will pair well with solid dishes like roast wild boar and anything with truffles.

Chiroubles Red 2017

Damien Coquelet

A very seductive cuvée, devilishly Beaujolais, Chiroubles to the max, where the Gamay expresses all its freshness and red and black fruits. The nose offers aromas of red and black fruits; the palate is supple, delicious, round, and fruity with a lovely refreshing acidity. Pair it with good stews or the best country hams; even pata negra will melt with pleasure.

Auguste (exclusive vintage) Red 2022

Sous le Végétal
Organic and natural, Auguste takes its name from the indigenous Greek avgoustiatis grape variety, from which it is made entirely. It is, for now, the only dry red wine from the Sous le Végétal project, led on the Greek island of Samos by Patrick Bouju. The vines grow on the foothills of Mount Karvounis, not far from the village of Pagondas. The wine is a blend of four types of rock on two plots. The avgoustiatis grape variety ("the august") is a rare variety, the first red grape variety harvested in Greece. It is grown organically in conversion to permaculture. The vines, pruned in goblet form, are harvested by hand on the early morning of August 15th.

Vinification
The wine is first obtained by a forty-day maceration of whole bunches in stainless steel vats. Half of the vinification is done in 500-liter Stockinger barrels and the other half in ovoid concrete vats. This wine from the Samos terroir is completely additive-free, unfiltered and bottled by gravity. The black bottle ensures the wine ages and the closure is made with a cork sealed with a mixture of paraffin and black beeswax.

Tasting
Auguste is a light red wine with no additives or added sulfites which, through its Mediterranean nature, recalls something of the reds of the Jura: characteristic earthy and mineral notes, lots of character - prune, clove, anise, vanilla, cherry jam, rich tannins and, on the finish, a salinity due to the mineral-rich soils (particularly schist and limestone) of the island of Samos. The fruity notes remain taut and elegant. Decanting is recommended. Auguste will enjoy all the meze and hors d'oeuvres from the land or the sea. A charcuterie from Maison Montalet or from Ferme de Mayrinhac (for example a galabard black pudding) will suit him like a glove, or even smoked scallops (Salmon de France).

Learn more about Sous le Végétal
Under the plant lies the mineral: this is the meaning of this concept of natural vintages exclusively from Culinaries, created in Greece, on the island of Samos, by a team gathered around Patrick Bouju. Sous le Végétal also takes under its wing the vintages A la Natural signed Patrick Bouju.

History
Sous le Végétal marks the rebirth of the thousand-year-old vineyard of this island in the eastern Aegean Sea with its dense, wooded vegetation. This rich plant life covers a unique and varied subsoil: volcanic rocks (basalts), limestone, quartz, pink granites, schists, iron cast iron... In Sous le Végétal, the winemakers of Samos rediscover the wine they made in their childhood, proving once again that natural wine allows, through innovative projects, to reconnect with forgotten traditions.

Grape varieties and vinification
Four of the seven vintages of Sous le Végétal — Livia, Hüpnos, Octave, Palli & Genesia and Auguste — are produced on around sixty plots of Samos muscat à petits grains between 400 and 910 meters above sea level. The other vintages, Auguste, Alexandre and Sémélé, are respectively based on avgoustiatis, asyrtiko and a blend of Samos muscat and avgoustiatis. Each plot is vinified separately. Four types of winemaking containers are used: amphorae, concrete eggs, stainless steel vats, and 500-liter barrels. Each plot is vinified in at least two of the four containers, and the wine is aged in black, wax-sealed bottles. No sulfur is added or filtration is performed.

Sémélé Rosé 2022

Sous le Végétal

Sémélé, exclusively from Culinaries, is an organic and natural rosé wine from the island of Samos (Greece) that is part of Patrick Bouju's Sous le Végétal project in partnership with Culinaries. Its name alludes to the myth of Semele, mistress of Zeus and mother of Dionysus, god of Wine and Intoxication.

In the Vineyard

Sous le Végétal vintages are primarily based on Samos Muscat à petits grains and, more rarely, on other local grape varieties. Here, the red Avgoustiatis grape variety is blended in equal parts with Muscat. The vines are managed biodynamically and in permaculture.

In the cellar

A blend of avgoustiatis (a very common red grape variety in Greece) macerated for a week and directly pressed muscat, all organic, Sémélé is neither filtered nor fined.

Tasting

With its deep, lively and seductive color, its fruitiness of strawberry and raspberry and its lovely tannins, Sémélé is a natural rosé that leans towards a light red. It will go well with tapas, mezes, starters and Mediterranean dishes: we recommend pairing it with taramas by Lionel Durot, with smoked fish or seafood hors d'oeuvres by Saumon de France, or with the delicious poutargue de Martigues by Frédéric Paez.

Learn more about Sous le Végétal

Under the plant lies the mineral: this is the meaning of this concept of natural and additive-free vintages exclusively for Culinaries, produced in Greece, on the island of Samos, by a team gathered around Patrick Bouju. Sous le Végétal also takes under its wing the vintages A la Natural signed by Patrick Bouju.

History (and geography)
Sous le Végétal marks the rebirth of the thousand-year-old vineyard of this island in the eastern Aegean Sea with its dense, wooded vegetation. This rich plant life covers a unique and varied subsoil: volcanic rocks (basalts), limestone, quartz, pink granites, schists, iron cast iron... In Sous le Végétal, the winemakers of Samos rediscover the wine they made in their childhood, proving once again that natural wine allows, through innovative projects, to reconnect with forgotten traditions.

Grape varieties and vinification
Four of the seven vintages of Sous le Végétal — Livia, Hüpnos, Octave, Palli & Genesia and Auguste — are produced on around sixty plots of Samos muscat à petits grains between 400 and 910 meters above sea level. The other vintages, Auguste, Alexandre and Sémélé, are respectively based on avgoustiatis or asyrtiko, blended or not with Samos muscat. Each plot is vinified separately. Four types of winemaking containers are used: amphorae, concrete eggs, stainless steel vats, and 500-liter barrels. Each lieu-dit is vinified in at least two of the four containers, and the wine is aged in black, wax-sealed bottles. No sulfites are added or filtration is performed.

Cuvée 0.72+ (exclusive cuvée) white 2019

De Vini

0.72+ is a dry white wine produced by Christophe Bosque of De Vini, organic and natural, without any added sulfites or chemical additives. It comes directly from the Muscadet region, the Loire estuary. While it doesn't carry the Muscadet appellation (it's a Vin de France), it can be considered a Muscadet and enjoyed as such.

In the vineyard and in the winery

0.72+ Blanc de De Vini is made from 100% Melon de Bourgogne (another name for the Muscadet grape variety) grown in Maisdon-sur-Sèvre (Loire-Atlantique) on gabbro soils characteristic of the region. Gabbro is a granular igneous rock resting on a granite subsoil, and this produces splendid, vibrant, and mineral white wines. Gabbro and granite are Vinilibre's preferred soils and constitute a precious viticultural heritage. The wine was aged for one year in buried cement tanks (traditional in this region), on its lees, without any additives.

If you want to know…

The name of the cuvée comes from an anecdote: originally, due to a minor technical glitch during bottling, it didn't contain exactly the standard quantity. The error has since been corrected (0.72+ de De Vini is now in its fourth vintage).

Tasting

Let's hear from the winemaker: "It tastes divine!" Three years in the bottle have only served to polish, refine, and enhance it. "The older the gabbro, the better it is," its creator also confides. This wine is excellent to drink now or later, well chilled. An elegant acidity blended with a balancing roundness, a saline and mouthwatering character make 0.72+ an unfailing companion to raw seafood, oysters, sashimi and sushi, fish tartares and carpaccios, or smoked fish. This cuvée is also available in red.

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.

GT Garrut Red 2019,

Partida Creus

GT Garrut is a surprise, a lovely and unusual single-varietal wine. The purplish color alone hints at its originality. It is made entirely from Garrut, a Catalan grape variety related to Mourvèdre, also called Monastrell. GT Garrut displays beautiful, earthy and intense qualities, with a strong black fruit character, particularly blackberry (blackberry or tree blackberry). Beautiful red fruit notes as well, and a delicious acidity. This brilliant wine, perfect for the summer months, is harvested by hand. Entirely destemmed, the grapes macerate for three days with punching down every three hours, and alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts takes place for four months in stainless steel vats, followed by twenty months in oak barrels. Unfiltered, unfined, no added sulfites. GT Garrut smells of family vines, artisanal, and limitless wine.



Find out more
Partida Creus is an important estate, both in terms of winemaking and history—we're talking about the history of the vine in Catalonia. Massimo Marchiori and Antonella Gerosa, originally from Piedmont—and even from the Langhe region, where wine is well-known—first 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 find a quantity of abandoned vineyards planted with a dizzying diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties that they passionately revive to save these varieties – and their wines – from oblivion. For them, it is not just a matter of heritage rescue, no: it is a matter of taste and nature. Of natural wines, which they will never stop making from now on on these sandy, poor, clay-limestone or clay-gravel soils, poor and poorly irrigated, where the vines suffer to give their best juice. 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 yet always straightforward and impeccably juicy and fruity, exude life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction.

Cuvée 0.72+ (exclusive cuvée) White 2022,

De Vini
0.72+ is a dry, organic, natural white wine made without any added sulfites or chemical additives by Christophe Bosque of De Vini. It comes straight from the land of Muscadet, the Loire estuary. Without having the appellation (it is in Vin de France), it can be considered a muscadet and drunk as such.

In the vineyard and in the cellar
0.72 + white from De Vini is made from 100% melon de Bourgogne (another name for the muscadet grape variety) planted in Maisdon-sur-Sèvre (Loire-Atlantique) on gabbro soils characteristic of the region. Gabbro is an igneous rock with a grainy texture resting on a granite subsoil, and this produces splendid, lively and mineral white wines. Gabbro and granite are Vinilibre's preferred soils and constitute a precious wine-growing heritage. The wine was aged in buried cement vats (traditional in this region) for a year, on lees, without any additives.

If you want to know...
The name of the cuvée comes from an anecdote: originally, due to a small technical incident during bottling, it did not contain exactly the standard quantity. The error has since been corrected (0.72 + of De Vini is in its fourth vintage).

Tasting
Let's hear from the winemaker: "It tastes like the fire of God!" Three years in the bottle have only polished, chiseled, and improved it. "The older the gabbro, the better it is," also confides its author. This wine is excellent to drink now or later, very cold. An elegant acidity mixed with a balancing roundness, a saline and salivating side make 0.72 + an unfailing companion to raw seafood, oysters, sashimi and sushi, fish tartare and carpaccio, or smoked fish. This cuvée also exists in red.

Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini
De Vini, along with the Vinilibre winery, is the multi-faceted business of Christophe Bosque, originally from Saint-Nazaire. He has always been passionate about wine. We are particularly interested in his local creations, produced from his vineyard of some two hectares and fermented in buried vats in the Nantes style - a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in natural mode.

Gabbro Fondu
After spending years as a merchant, importer, then wine merchant, this former cameraman with a BTS in oenology-viticulture acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in Gorges, in Loire-Atlantique, near Clisson in 2017. The soils there are made up of gabbro on a granite substrate, a pedological configuration specific to the Nantes region and particularly to Clisson. Christophe is full of praise for this type of soil.

Muscadet for the better
Christophe's vintages may come from grapes purchased from the best French terroirs, particularly in Languedoc, but the winemaker retains a special affection for his vines, which he maintains with passion and attention to the terroir. A touch of humor and a sense of pun can be seen on his labels and in his appellations, but in the bottle, they are serious, off-the-beaten-track wines, just the way he likes them.

Cuvée 0.72+ (exclusive cuvée) White 2023

De Vini
Vinified without additives or sulfites by Christophe Bosque of De Vini, 0.72+ is an organic and natural dry white wine. It comes straight from the land of Muscadet, the Loire estuary. Without having the appellation (it is classified as Vin de France), it can be considered a Muscadet and drunk as such.

In the vineyard and in the cellar
0.72+ white from De Vini is made from 100% Melon de Bourgogne (another name for the Muscadet grape variety) planted in Maisdon-sur-Sèvre (Loire-Atlantique) on gabbro soils characteristic of the region. Gabbro is a grainy igneous rock resting on a granite subsoil, contributing to the production of splendid, lively and mineral white wines. Gabbro and granite are Christophe Bosque's favorite soils. The wine was aged for one year on lees in buried cement vats (traditional in this region), without any additives.

If you want to know...
An anecdote explains the name of the cuvée: originally, due to a small technical incident during bottling, it did not contain exactly the standard quantity. The error has since been corrected (0.72+ of De Vini is in its fifth vintage).

Tasting
0.72+ white is excellent to drink now or later, well chilled. An elegant acidity mixed with a balancing roundness, a saline and salivating side make 0.72+ an unfailing companion to raw or smoked fish and seafood, especially oysters. This vintage also exists in red.

Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini
De Vini, along with the Vinilibre winery, is the dual activity of Christophe Bosque, originally from Saint-Nazaire. He has always been passionate about wine. We are particularly interested in his local creations, produced from his vineyard of some two hectares and fermented in buried vats in the Nantes style - a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in natural mode.

Gabbro Fondu
After spending years as a merchant, importer, then wine merchant, this former cameraman with a BTS in oenology-viticulture acquired a few plots (two hectares) of Melon de Bourgogne vines in Gorges, in Loire-Atlantique, near Clisson in 2017. The soils there are made up of gabbro on a granite substrate, a pedological configuration specific to the Nantes region and particularly to Clisson. Christophe is full of praise for this type of soil.

Muscadet for the better
Christophe's vintages may come from grapes purchased from the best French terroirs, particularly in Languedoc, but the winemaker retains a special affection for his vines, which he maintains with passion and attention to the terroir. A touch of humor and a sense of pun can be seen on his labels and in his appellations, but in the bottle, they are serious, off-the-beaten-track wines, just the way he likes them.

I'm Natural Don't Panic #8 Red 2018

Bodegas Coruña del Conde
Julien López's I'm Natural, Don't Panic range consists of macerated wines. This 100% Tempranillo red is both powerful and supple; its freshness is the result of a high-altitude climate that subjects the vines to significant temperature variations. A lovely bouquet of red fruits and a beautiful balance of sweetness and minerality. Serve with tapas, grilled meats, or poultry.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.

Toile de Fond White 2022

Fond Cyprès

Lovely texture, fluidity, citrus notes (lemon), and a seductive liveliness. We present to you for the first time Toile de Fond Blanc, the little white brother of Toile de Fond Rouge. This white wine, classified as a Vin de France, is very fresh, with non-filtration explaining its slightly cloudy color. A lovely, thirst-quenching white wine, it is made from Grenache Blanc and Roussanne grown on the same plot and therefore sharing the qualities of their native soil. These grapes are from the excellent 2022 harvest, vinified entirely in stainless steel vats and bottled in the spring. It's typically a summer wine, perfect with raw seafood, raw fish, and delicate tapas. Drink before fall.

Find out more

This Languedoc estate is built on solid foundations: its two winemakers, Rodolphe and Laetitia, are also descendants of winemakers. Even before planting their first vine, they already had a clear objective: "to make southern wines that reflect us, wines with character, rooted in our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They want to create entirely natural wines, concentrated terroir. In the old Corbières massif, they are taking over an old heart of the estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache grapes, which have seen neither fertilizer nor pesticides for years: these clean, vibrant soils are ideal conditions for launching into natural 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. The vinification is done without the addition of sulfites or exogenous yeasts. "We make wines for pleasure," say Laetitia and Rodolphe. For them, natural wine is first assessed by taste, from the harvest. The vintages closely follow the plots, the musts are fruity, fluid, and complex. The wines of Fond Cyprès poetically evoke the estate's ecosystem and the vegetation that protects the plots: the pine forests, the shady springs, the beauty of the natural environment that brings freshness to the wines and leaves the soil's signature. Deliciously balanced between mineral imprint, vegetal environment and expression of fruit, the wines of Fond Cyprès reflect the South: the caress of its sun, but also the freshness of its shadows.

Kapitel 1 Red 2017

Christian Tschida
Deep, dark, and earthy, this wine pioneered the practice of dense, full-bodied reds at Christian's estate, hence its name "Chapter One." Made from Cabernet Franc as the main grape variety and destemmed and foot-crushed Zweigelt, it is aged for two years in foudres and bottled without sulfur or filtration. Incredible finesse, spicy and peppery notes, for an unconventional but dazzling take on Cabernet Franc.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Cuvée 0.72+ (exclusive cuvée) Red 2019 Magnum

De Vini
Exclusive to Culinaries, 0.72+ red is a merchant cuvée produced by Christophe Bosque of the De Vini estate, located in the Nantes region. The vines from which it is produced, 80% Grenache Noir, 10% Syrah, and 10% Viognier, are located in the Côtes du Rhône region, in Rochefort-du-Gard, and grow on a pebble-rich soil similar to that of nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Classified as a Vin de France, it has its counterpart in white.

Vinification
The vines are managed biodynamically and the grapes are macerated for two weeks on the skins and fermented on indigenous yeasts: no pumping over, no crushing, as little intervention as possible. Just a little punching down. No filtration, no fining, no sulfites.

Tasting
0.72+ red has a slightly dark ruby ​​color, with faded rose tones. This floral note is found on the nose and palate. The presence of white Viognier in this red blend gives this wine a floral side, a rather rare note of white flowers. A little prune, a complex yet light aromatic structure, a pleasant salivating side. This is a beautiful wine that still has good years ahead of it, especially in the magnum format which polishes all its qualities. Great length, great structure on the palate. 0.72+ is a robust wine that will pair well with solid dishes and anything containing truffles. Let's pair it without further ado with a nice grilled meat (a rib of beef from Maison Aitana) and let's heat up for the occasion a good truffle sauce from Maison Pébeyre.

Learn more about Christophe Bosque and De Vini
De Vini, along with the Vinilibre winery, is the multifaceted business of Christophe Bosque, originally from Saint-Nazaire. He has always been passionate about wine. We are particularly interested in his local creations, produced from his two-hectare vineyard and fermented in underground vats in the Nantes style—a true reinvention of Muscadet (outside the appellation) in natural form.

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

Muscadet for the better
Christophe's vintages may come from grapes purchased from the best French terroirs, particularly in Languedoc, but the winemaker retains a special affection for his vines, which he maintains with passion and attention to the terroir. A touch of humor and a sense of pun can be seen on his labels and in his appellations, but in the bottle, they are serious, off-the-beaten-track wines, just the way he likes them.

Cade Meu Carnaval Sparkling Rosé 2019,

Les Valseuses

Chardonnay (50%), Grenache Gris (40%), and Trousseau (10%). But where has my carnival gone? asks this vintage, and it won't take long to find the answer: the party will begin as soon as the bottle is opened, because this undisgorged pet' nat' exudes good humor.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Auguste Red 2019,

Sous le Végétal

Auguste is the only dry red wine from the Sous le Végétal project. It takes its name from the indigenous Greek avgoustiatis grape variety, from which it is made entirely. It is a light wine that, through its Mediterranean nature, recalls something of the reds of the Jura: a characteristic earthy and mineral note, plenty of character—prune, clove, anise, vanilla, cherry jam, rich tannins, and, on the finish, a salinity due to the mineral-rich soils (particularly schist and limestone) of the island of Samos. The fruity notes remain taut and elegant. Decanting is recommended. The vines grow on the foothills of Mount Karvounis, not far from the village of Pagondas. The wine is a blend of four types of rock on two plots. The Avgoustiatis ('the august') grape variety is a rare variety, the first red grape variety harvested in Greece. It is cultivated organically in conversion to permaculture. The vines, pruned in the 'goblet' style, are harvested by hand on the morning of August 15th. The wine is first obtained by a forty-day maceration of whole bunches in stainless steel vats. Half of the vinification is done in 500-liter Stockinger barrels and the other half in ovoid concrete vats. The wine is completely additive-free, unfiltered, and bottled by gravity. The black bottle ensures the wine ages and the closure is made with a cork sealed with a mixture of paraffin and black beeswax.
To find out more
Under the plant lies the mineral: this is the meaning of this concept of natural vintages created in Greece, on the island of Samos, by a team of friends gathered around the winemakers Jason Ligas and Patrick Bouju. The successful enterprise marks a renaissance of the thousand-year-old vineyard of this island in the North Aegean Sea, which owes its dense and woody vegetation to various nicknames received in Antiquity, from Dryoussa (“covered with oaks”) to Kyparissia (“covered with cypresses”) and Melamphyllos (“With dark foliage”). This natural wealth covers a unique and varied subsoil: volcanic rocks and notably basalts, limestone, quartz, pink granites, schists, iron cast irons… The idea was born from Jason’s meeting with the Samos Wine Cooperative. Patrick Bouju soon joined the project. The five vintages of Sous le Végétal—Livia, Hüpnos, Octave, Palli & Genesia and Auguste—are produced on around sixty plots of Samos Muscat à petits grains (and Avgoustiatis for the red vintage), between 400 and 910 meters above sea level. Each plot is vinified separately. For vinification, four types of containers are used: amphorae, concrete eggs, stainless steel vats and 500-liter barrels. Each locality is vinified in at least two of the four containers and the aging takes place in black bottles sealed with wax. No added sulfur, no filtration: Samos' winemakers are rediscovering wine as it was made in their childhood. This is one of the wonders of natural wine: it allows, through the most innovative projects, to reconnect with forgotten traditions. Sous le Végétal also takes under its wing the A la Natural vintages by Patrick Bouju.

Garnata Red 2010

Barranco Oscuro

A smooth, characterful wine. Aromas of crushed wild blackberries like cocoa. High-altitude Grenache.
This Grenache comes from a plot planted between 1,300 and 1,368 meters above sea level on slate and schist soils. The destemmed harvest macerates in stainless steel vats. Alcoholic fermentation occurs spontaneously using native yeasts present in the environment, without any additives. The fermentation temperature is not altered: the coolness of autumn nights is sufficient (the winery is also at an altitude of 1,280 meters). Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally in barrels during aging in the underground cellar.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Kikiriki Black Red 2018

Clos Lentiscus

Elegance, purity, and a crisp minerality due to the limestone characterize the productions of Clos Lentiscus. The note of controlled oxidation, when present, does not dominate the tasting, and the wines are never deviant. The cavas are renowned for their exuberance, but those from Clos Lentiscus never have more than two grams of residual sugar per liter. The estate also produces still wines, red, white, and rosé.

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This Cocorico (in Catalan) is a red made from a blend of Tempranillo and Cariñena (Carignan). Aromatic and light, it comes in a one-liter bottle and is not a luxury: this distinguished gurgle, at the table and as an aperitif, will go well with everything. A very good wine for tapas and al fresco dining.

It is in Sitges, Catalonia, in the heart of the Garraf Natural Park, that Manel Avinyo and his brother Joan took over the family estate, renamed Clos Lentiscus by Manel. Even though Barcelona is only a half-hour drive away, the beauty of the landscape is striking and the immersion in nature is total: Mediterranean forests rub shoulders with Catalan scrubland (thyme, rosemary, rockrose, mastic tree which gave its name to the estate, etc.). The Penedès region also has a long winemaking history. Nestled in its gentle hills is Clos Lentiscus, in the Penedés appellation, on twenty hectares of sandy and clay-limestone soils facing due south at an altitude of 225 meters. According to historical documents, the family of Manel and Joan Avinyo has been established there since at least the 14th century. For a long time, the grapes were sold to local cooperatives, but since the two brothers took over the estate, organic and biodynamic farming has replaced conventional practices, the entire harvest goes into the house vintages, and organic and biodynamic practices have allowed this beautiful property to reconnect with its former prestige: in the 19th century, its wines were sold in France and as far away as the Americas. Manel quickly earned a nickname: The Bubbleman, a tribute to his talent for making cavas, the sparkling white wines characteristic of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, from native varieties that only Catalonia has the secret to: sumoll, ull de llebre, xarel·lo, malvasia from Sitges, cartoixà vermell, cariñena (carignan), accompanied by tempranillo and muscat from Alexandria. The vines are old, sometimes centuries old. No synthetic additives are used in the vineyard, and operations such as planting, pruning, de-budding, and harvesting are dictated by the lunar phases. Pollination is facilitated by the presence of beehives; sheep contribute to fertilization and control of the plant cover. Ringo, the white horse, is responsible for working the soil.

Concerto Red 2021

Jean-Pierre Robinot

Concerto is an organic and natural red wine from the terroirs north of the Loire (Jasnières and Coteaux du Loir). It bears the distinctive mark of Pineau d'Aunis, the grape variety from which it is made, as well as the inimitable touch of its creator, Jean-Pierre Robinot.

In the vineyard and in the winery

Through Concerto, master winemaker Jean-Pierre Robinot showcases Pineau d'Aunis grown on limestone soils. The harvest is carried out by hand and vinified in whole bunches with three weeks of maceration, which gives the wine body. Aged for a year in old barrels.

Tasting

All the typical characteristics of Pineau d'Aunis: spices, cranberry, pomegranate, and a touch of raspberry. Limestone and mineral notes, a touch of undergrowth, a touch of yeast and butter, a pure and light color. A touch of menthol and black pepper on the palate. Drink with a good roast beef or lamb, a delicately roasted pigeon, charcuterie, cured meats, and even uninhibited fish such as smoked mackerel or any other smoked seafood.

Learn more about Jean-Pierre Robinot

Anyone interested in natural wine in France has crossed paths with Jean-Pierre Robinot and has never forgotten this smiling, bouncing figure. Although it has not yet been proven that all wines resemble their winemaker (a study to be undertaken), the organic and natural wines produced by Jean-Pierre, warm, friendly and luminous, are in the image of their creator. After running the wine bar L’Ange Vin for nearly fifteen years, on rue Richard-Lenoir in Paris, Jean-Pierre returned to his native Chahaignes, a small village in the south of Sarthe. His dream is to acquire his vineyard and make natural wines, without added sulfites.

Great terroirs of the Loir and tuffeau cellars

Jean-Pierre therefore reclaims hillside wasteland, on great terroirs, as well as troglodyte cellars dug into the tuffeau. 2002 will be his first vintage. At the same time, under the brand L’Opéra des vins, he vinifies organic grapes purchased from local winemakers. A member of the S.A.I.N.S. natural viticulture association, Jean-Pierre Robinot practices strict organic viticulture practices, without chemical weeding or the addition of sulfites. The soil is worked and amended with natural composts. All harvests, carried out at maturity on healthy grapes, are done by hand. The location and climate favor noble rot.

GT Ancestral Sparkling Red 2018

Partida Creus
A Catalan cousin of Mourvèdre, the Garrut grape variety forms the basis of this dazzling wine, which revisits the classic sparkling wine in a black fruit way: intense, bright, earthy, completely atypical, even a little cracked, reminiscent of the best of Lambrusco. A perfect companion for Ibérico bellota ham, fine chorizos, and all high-end cured meats, as well as pâtés, terrines, and spicy dishes. It evokes the family vine, artisanal production, and free wine.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Le Zudefruit Red 2021

Jérome Lambert

Delicious, delectable, a real pleasure, this Zudefruit from Jérôme Lambert, an organic and natural winemaker based in the Loire Valley, in the Layon region. A beautiful dark red color, with aromas of red fruits on the nose; on the palate, it is very supple, lively, and deep, with herbaceous notes and a real delicacy with hints of cherry and undergrowth. With a beautiful balance between fruity notes and earthy, spicy, peppery notes, Zudefruit is a natural wine from the Loire Valley, produced from a plot of Grolleau cultivated by Jérôme Lambert on the light, sandy, schistose soils found in southern Anjou. The harvest, carried out by hand, ferments in whole bunches for two weeks before pressing, then rests for nine months in fiberglass vats. To further explore the red wines of the Loire Valley, you can also look at the domaines La Grapperie or the Domaine Pic-Épeiche.

Learn more about Jérôme Lambert

On his four-hectare estate, entirely organic and planted with Chenin, Grolleau, Gamay and Cabernet Franc, Jérôme Lambert is as much a winemaker as he is a farmer: he raises chickens, pigs, sheep and takes this mixed crop-livestock activity very seriously, along with the production of typical Anjou charcuterie. His Loire Eden, in fact, is located in the south of Anjou, in Rablay-sur-Layon. The son of a winemaker, as a child, he already enjoyed picking grapes, crushing them, and letting them ferment. In 2003, he got his hands dirty, helping with the pruning of the vines at Philippe Cesbron's and practicing with a few grapes donated by local winemakers. The following year, his adventure truly began with twenty ares of vines, but while his estate grew year by year, it would only reach one hectare after fifteen years.

A journey towards nature

In 2003, Jérôme discovered that adding sulfites was detrimental to wines: he never added more and was satisfied with the result, without making too much of a fuss about it. It was only a little later that he learned about the existence of natural wines and understood that he was not alone. All his vintages since then have been natural, without added sulfites, and are nonetheless straightforward, drinkable and flawless. For him, even the wood of the barrels is an additive; this shows the attention he pays to the naturalness and truth of the vine.

Hip Hip White 2018

Domaine de l'Octavin

Hip Hip savagnin is a dry white wine made from Arbois savagnin, macerated for two months in whole bunches. Pressing is followed by a year of aging in vats. The long maceration gives Alice Bouvot the opportunity to highlight the most aromatic aspects of the grape variety: exotic fruits, vibrant acidity, a lovely touch of tannins and spices. A magnificent balance between dryness and suppleness. Truly made for all pairings.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.