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1139 products
La Grande Journée White 2022
La Grande Journée, by Jean-Yves Péron, is an organic, biodynamic, and natural maceration white wine made in Savoie. Classified as a Vin de France, it is made from 100% Altesse grapes. Unfiltered, unfined, and no sulfites added.
Vinification
The Altesse grapes, grown on mica schist terraces near Albertville, are harvested at the most ripeness possible. They then undergo two weeks of carbonic maceration and two months of punching down in vats. After devatting, the wine is aged for at least a year in 300-liter barrels.
Tasting
La Grande Journée is a magnificent polyphonic maceration white, a distinguished orange structured in layers. It evokes white fruits, flowers, with a spicy and mineral dimension. Beautiful controlled oxidation that will enhance Alpine cheeses, or white meats or roasted poultry, stuffed or not.
Learn more about Jean-Yves Péron
Jean-Yves Péron talentedly embodies the organic, biodynamic and natural renaissance of the Savoyard vineyard, which is based on varied soils and many indigenous grape varieties (Jacquère, Altesse, Mondeuse, etc.). At his Chevaline winery in the Bauges region, he vinifies grapes from his plots in Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, in the Isère valley.
High-altitude biodynamics
Jean-Yves Péron's work follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow, steep slopes, his hand-worked mountain vines in micro-plots receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. All of Jean-Yves Péron's wines are sulfite-free, made from hand-harvested grapes, vinified in whole bunches and foot-trodden in the vat. For all vintages, the free-run and press are blended, then aged on lees for at least one year, in two- or three-wine barrels, amphorae or tuns, before final blending. They must be stored at a temperature below 18°C. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.
Italo-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.
i Vicini Cortese White 2022
I Vicini Cortese is a dry white wine from Jean-Yves Péron, organic, biodynamic, and natural, made from Cortese grapes harvested in Piedmont. It is a merchant cuvée from the I Vicini series, harvested organically in Northern Italy and vinified in Savoie.
Vinification
The grapes from which I Vicini Cortese is made come from Asti and grow in a cool microclimate that allows for relatively late ripening. Cortese is an ancient grape variety often associated with Trebbiano or Garganega. It produces a fresh and tangy wine with a straw-yellow color with greenish highlights. Here, it undergoes two weeks of carbonic maceration and spends a year in 34-hectoliter tuns. No fining, no filtration, and no addition of sulfites.
Tasting
I Vicini Cortese is a light and fresh, digestible wine, with an alcohol content between 10 and 11 degrees, making it easy to drink. It has a minerality due to the terroir and citrus notes, particularly lemon zest. A perfect companion for tapas and the most refined starters, shellfish, and seafood.
Learn more about Jean-Yves Péron
Jean-Yves Péron is a talented embodiment of the organic, biodynamic, and natural renaissance of the Savoyard vineyard, which is based on varied soils and numerous indigenous grape varieties (Jacquère, Altesse, Mondeuse, etc.). At his Chevaline winery in the Bauges region, he vinifies grapes from his plots in Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, in the Isère valley.
High-altitude biodynamics
Jean-Yves Péron's work follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow, steep slopes, his hand-worked mountain vines in micro-plots receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. All of Jean-Yves Péron's wines are sulfite-free, made from hand-harvested grapes, vinified in whole bunches and foot-trodden in the vat. For all vintages, the free-run and press are blended, then aged on lees for at least one year, in two- or three-wine barrels, amphorae or tuns, before final blending. They must be stored at a temperature below 18°C. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered.
Italo-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.
Paoudou Red 2022,
Paoudou is a 100% Cahors Malbec red wine, organic and natural, produced in Vin de France by Danis Bessières of Danis dans la vigne. It is part of the winemaker's "Esprit du lieu" series of single-plot cuvées.
Vinification
Danis dans la vigne's single-plot cuvées are vinified with a certain neutrality to respect the grape variety (in this case, Malbec), the soil, and the vintage. In this case, the 2022 vintage was hot and the wine comes from the finest plot, a place called Paoudou.
Tasting
Paoudou is a sunny, dense and fruity wine, with substance. It requires decanting to fully express its character. Typically Cahors Malbec: Paoudou is full of presence, energy, with a little austerity. It is a wine for red meats, roasts and stews.
Learn more about Danis dans la vigne
Under the name Danis dans la vigne, Danis Bessières vinifies organic grapes from the family estate, the Domaine de l'Antenet, which was the first organic vineyard in Cahors in the early 1980s.
Organic and natural since 1983
Danis respects the principles established in the vineyard and cellar by his grandfather and then his father: making wines without additives, organic and natural, from the grape varieties of the terroir while respecting the environment. It was in 1983 that his grandfather obtained the organic label Lemaire-Boucher, followed by Nature & Progrès and then the organic labels AB and Eurofeuille. Danis Bessières continues in this vein.
Malbec, but not only
Malbec reigns supreme in the Cadurcian region, but Danis also uses Cabernets, Jurançon Noir, Merlot, and recently created grape varieties, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Colombard as single-varietals. These experiments allow him to moderate the density and opacity of the main grape variety.
Cahors Red 2018
A Cahors, quite simply: this 100% Malbec red wine, organic and natural, is produced by Danis Bessières and Domaine de l’Antenet in the Cahors AOC. It is, strictly speaking, Danis’s father’s Cahors, from a vintage that has already matured.
Vinification
The Malbec vines grow at Domaine de l’Antenet, in the Cahors region. The harvest is cultivated and vinified without additives or sulfites. "If I have the joy today of letting you taste these vintages from the past, it is thanks to the perseverance, talent and flair of my father. He knew very well how to give time the care to preserve the beautiful years, confident that he was in the capacity of well-made wine to travel the ages."
Tasting
Despite its six years of age, this Cahors from the Domaine de l'Antenet/Danis dans la vigne remains very marked by cherry, with body and noble aromas of an evolved wine that are beginning to manifest themselves: leather, undergrowth, hay, truffle, tobacco... Everything we love in Cahors. Powerful, full-bodied, but drinkable and very supple for the appellation.
Learn more about Danis dans la vigne
Under the name Danis dans la vigne, Danis Bessières vinifies organic grapes from the family estate, Domaine de l'Antenet, which was the first organic vineyard in Cahors in the early 1980s.
Organic and natural since 1983
Danis respects the principles established in the vineyard and winery by his grandfather and then his father: making wines without additives, organic and natural, from local grape varieties while respecting the environment. It was in 1983 that his grandfather obtained the organic label Lemaire-Boucher, followed by Nature & Progrès and then the organic labels AB and Eurofeuille. Danis Bessières continues in this vein.
Malbec, but not only
Malbec reigns supreme in the Cadurcian region, but Danis also uses Cabernets, Jurançon Noir, Merlot, and recently created grape varieties, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Colombard as single-varietals. These experiments allow him to moderate the density and opacity of the main grape variety.
Syrah Jamais Malade Red 2021,
That's what they often say about natural wines: the next day, never sick, no hat... Which doesn't prevent you from drinking in moderation, even if it's a magnificent gurgling like this one. The nose is floral, the palate is fresh and light, with a hint of spice on the finish. Jamais Malade is made from Syrah grapes grown on a plot of loess and granite, facing northeast, with hand-harvested grapes. Maceration is semi-carbonic, in wooden and stainless steel vats. Pressing takes place before the end of fermentation, after which the wine is aged in stainless steel vats. Bottling takes place in June.
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La Ferme de l’Arbre is a small four and a half hectare wine estate located on the right bank of the Rhône, on the Ardèche side, in Tournon-sur-Rhône (near Tain-l’Hermitage). Run for twenty-five years by Christian Lericq and Colette Barrier, it has had its current name since 2021, the year it was expanded. It is mainly located on granite soils with a loess plot. Entirely devoted to natural wine, obtained through organic and biodynamic farming, it currently produces Syrah red wines under the Saint-Joseph and Vin de France appellations. The estate also has a small apiary and produces honey. The vines are tended with herbal teas and nettle manure, and the soil is nourished with compost and manure. The wines are harvested entirely by hand, vatted in whole bunches. Vinification takes place at room temperature and the wines are neither filtered nor fined. The wines are authentic Syrahs from the Rhône Valley, simple and delicious, joyful, convivial and fruity.
Cuvée Carignan Red 2022
It's all in the title: this Cuvée C Carignan by Frédéric Cossard is a 100% organic and natural Carignan, vinified in Burgundy by Frédéric Cossard. The Burgundian master here takes on Carignan from the South, expressing its virtues with his usual dexterity. The blend includes a little Mourvèdre.
Vinification
The Cuvée C Carignan vines are planted at the foot of Mont Ventoux. The vinification of organic grapes is entirely natural, using indigenous yeasts, and maceration is done in whole bunches without exaggerating extraction. Aging is done in vats. No sulfites added.
Tasting
Peppery, spicy, black fruits, C Carignan offers notes of undergrowth, violet, and well-melted tannins, it is a gourmet and fresh wine for all occasions, sunny and balanced. Pair it with grilled meats, charcuterie or cured meats. If you are interested in Carignan, you will also find beautiful expressions at the estates Fond Cyprès or Le Temps retrouvé.
Learn more about Frédéric Cossard and the domaine de Chassorney
Frédéric Cossard and the domaine de Chassorney give a voice in organic and natural ways to the terroirs and wines of Burgundy and elsewhere, undistorted by agricultural chemicals, according to the style and convictions of this winegrower and merchant. Wherever his grapes come from, his wines bear the Cossard brand, both classic and innovative.
Between viticulture and trade
Frédéric Cossard created the domaine de Chassorney in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own trading house and buys organic grapes from the greatest climates of Burgundy, but also from Jura, Languedoc and elsewhere.
A solid commitment to nature
At Frédéric Cossard, the work of the soil and the vines is done naturally: plowing by horse, no chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are tended biodynamically, the harvest is manual, carried out at full maturity. Frédéric Cossard's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, always highly anticipated but which sometimes require waiting.
i Vicini Moscato White 2021
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.
Mensonge à Papa Red 2021
Fresh, supple, fruity, light, and easy-drinking, Mensonge à Papa is a delicious wine for aperitifs, sharing, thirst quenching, meals, and good company. It proudly carries the banner of Gamay from two regions: Auvergne (from Châteaugay, near Riom, on calcareous-volcanic soils) and Beaujolais (from Rivolet, on blue granite). It is the result of a blend of equal parts of these two origins of the same grape variety, with a shared family resemblance, but also a marked difference: the Gamay from Auvergne has more acidity. Lie to Dad is therefore, in a way, an ode to Gamay. The grapes are first slowly pressed, then their must is added to whole bunches (of Gamay, surprise!) for a fifteen-day carbonic maceration. The aging takes place for a year in fiberglass vats. No chemical inputs are added during the cultivation and vinification, and in particular no sulfites. Classified as a Vin de France and with an alcohol content of 13.5%, it will be wonderful as an aperitif or with food, or just to have a good time.
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 a winemaking business. The creative duo has a lot to live up to: Claire is the sister of Daniel 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, readily 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 uniqueness of Belly Wine Experiment is the exoticism (in the literal sense) of the blends, with Xarel lo from Catalonia, for example, being able to sit alongside Gamay from Puy-de-Dôme with the utmost naturalness. The wines are made using semicarbonic maceration, without the addition of chemical additives or excessive manipulation in the cellar. The house is also known for its very high-quality, vinous perries.
White Absinthe 60° - 70cl
Awen Nature Distillery
This certified organic white absinthe is the result of a special recipe that was the subject of many years of research by the founder of the Awen Nature distillery. Entirely organic and natural, it derives its flavor from a combination of seven distilled botanicals, a bouquet that expresses very refreshing notes, always with a dominant anise and complex notes of plants such as wormwood, coriander, hyssop, and lemongrass. This absinthe is created and distilled exactly as this liqueur was before the 1915 ban. To fully appreciate it, we recommend the traditional method: in a glass containing a measure of absinthe, place a sugar cube on an absinthe spoon and pour fresh water drop by drop over the sugar cube. Upon contact with water, white absinthe becomes slightly cloudy to reveal iridescent and brilliant reflections.
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The Awen Nature distillery is a factory of magic potions: beverages with a strong Celtic content, organic liqueurs with a strong touch of poetry. This Breton distillery, located in Ille-et-Vilaine and run by Julien Fanny, initially dedicated itself to absinthe, a liqueur that Julien helped to rehabilitate. It’s not “the liqueur that makes you crazy,” he says: “we were already crazy before.” He strives—successfully—to reproduce the taste of yesteryear, that of the absinthes that were once given to children on a piece of sugar as a dewormer. “You need a touch of madness to be a distiller today,” says Julien. In addition to absinthe, Julien distills a wide range of spirits and liqueurs: gins, vodkas, botanical rums, Swedish elixir, concoctions inspired by role-playing games... All made from plants, respecting the environment, without preservatives or artificial flavors. An ode to plants that the korrigans must sip in secret, at night, on the moors.
Vino Bianco Ambar White 2020
Àmbar ("amber"), aptly named, is a dry macerated white wine that stands out with its beautiful amber color with pink highlights typical of an orange wine. It is a ripe, straightforward wine, surprisingly easy to drink. The nose is delicately floral, as is the palate. Àmbar is very fresh and has lovely acidity. It offers tobacco, spices, orange peel, almond, and toasted notes, without losing its beautiful fruitiness. Plenty of minerality, earth, and a touch of creaminess after aeration. This wine is made from the Grechetto grape variety, macerated and fermented on the skins in thousand-liter terracotta jars. After pressing, the wines are aged, always separately, for eight to ten months in old oak barrels before being blended in fiberglass vats.
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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 proving to be a breeding ground for young winemaking talents dedicated to nature, who are enhancing 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 developed the estate into a mixed crop-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 crafted above all for pleasure. They are straightforward, deep, and
GT Garrut Ancestral Sparkling Red 2019
Partida Creus
With its liveliness and deep notes of black fruit, GT Garrut Ancestral recalls the best of Lambrusco, but it is something else entirely. It is an atypical but oh-so-delightful single-varietal wine that deserves a closer look at its original character. Its purplish color with an exuberant pink foam, already expressing notes of blackberry on the nose, is already quite a program. GT Garrut displays beautiful earthy, juicy, and intense qualities; it is very characteristic of black fruits, particularly blackberry (blackberry or tree blackberry). Beautiful notes of red fruits too, and a delicious acidity. It is made entirely from Garrut, also called Monastrell, a Catalan grape variety related to Mourvèdre. This bright, summer-perfect wine is hand-harvested. 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 sulfites added. GT Garrut smells of family vines, artisanal, unconstrained wine.
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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-versed—first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug tickled them, and they soon abandoned the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There they found a number of abandoned vineyards planted with a dizzying diversity of traditional Catalan grape varieties, which they passionately revived to save these varieties—and their wines—from oblivion. For them, it's not just a matter of saving their heritage, no: it's a matter of taste and nature. Of natural wines, which they will never stop making from now on on these sandy, poor, clay-limestone or clay-gravel soils, poor and poorly irrigated, where the vines suffer to produce their best juice. Massimo and Antonella practice organic, biodynamic, entirely manual and natural viticulture in order to give new life to these wines. Vinyater, sumoll, garrut, monastrell, ull de perdiu, ull de llebre, sumoll, queixal de llop, cariñena, trepat, ceciat parent, maccabeu, parellada, pansé, vinel·lo, bobal, cartoixà vermell or xarel·lo: it is a true conservatory of the native Catalan grape varieties that Partida Creus cares for. There is also Moscatel, Grenache, Merlot and Cabernet (among others). Few wineries can boast of growing so many different grape varieties. The wines reflect this diversity, with winemakers striving to best convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety: single varietals are common among them, alongside very rich blends, all in the styles dear to Catalonia: still wine, "ancestral" sparkling wine, and even vermouth. The bottles themselves are works of art: bare glass, simply marked with two large stenciled initials that indicate the cuvée. The wines, fresh, vibrant, lush but always straightforward and impeccably juicy and fruity, breathe life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction.
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.
Conciliabulle Sparkling Rosé 2018
Es d'aqui Jean Louis Pinto
This beautiful sparkling natural rosé is a maceration of Muscat and Mourvèdre in separate vats, with the addition of pressed juice. A joyful, lively wine that will be wonderful as an aperitif.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
Magnum Rosso Red 2011
This generous Italian red is made from a blend composed primarily of Grechetto (a local variety related to Sangiovese), with the secondary grape varieties being Cannaiolo, Colorino, Ciliegiolo, and Vaiano, indigenous varieties planted in the vineyards on the volcanic soils of the Le Coste estate. Fermentation lasts about a month in French oak and chestnut vats. Rosso is then aged in Slovenian oak barrels. At first glance, a beautiful ruby color, a crisp and juicy palate, with notes of red and black fruits.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
Le Coste White 2010
A blend of Malvasia and Moscato from the Le Coste estate, a volcanic Eden of natural wines located on the borders of Tuscany and Umbria. An orange color, an aromatic nose that unites herbaceous notes and candied fruit. The same battle is evident on the palate, with added hints of compote.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
Magnum I'm Natural Don't Panic #7 Red 2018
Coruna 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.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.
Xarab Garnacha Red 2009
On south-facing schist hillsides at an altitude of 1,300 meters, Manuel Valenzuela has created this astonishing sweet red wine from the Xarab series, made from Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, raisined on the vine and harvested in December. The wine is rich, intense, and generous, loaded with candied red fruits.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.
Coteau Libre White 2015
Two Grenaches for the pleasure of one, and not just any: Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris from vines planted on terraces on clay-siliceous soils. Aged for four years in barrels, Coteau Libre is one of those wines whose texture is evident on the nose. On the palate, it has a beautiful density and a very respectable length.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.
Tequila Calle 23 Blanco
Vintage Spirit Garage
This first masterpiece by Sophie Decobecq, a young French woman who has lived in Mexico for about fifteen years to make traditional tequila, is a limited production, bottled after double distillation in traditional stills.
Like mezcal, another Mexican spirit, tequila is a product made from the agave plant, a member of the asparagus family (did you know that?) with long, thick, succulent leaves lined with thorns. The plant is almost entirely edible: its flowers (which appear only once in the agave's life), its sap-rich leaves, its sweet flower stems, and its sap, called aguamiel because of its sweetness, are eaten. Sugar is also extracted from it. Since pre-Columbian times, the sap from the flower stem has been transformed into a sweet wine called pulque. Pulque, produced by fermenting aguamiel, is distilled from the heart of the plant, particularly from the blue agave (called agave tequilana), to make tequila. Mezcal, on the other hand, can be made from around fifteen varieties of agave.
Calle 23 begins with the careful selection of blue agave plants growing on the plateaus of the state of Jalisco, between Tepatitlan and Arandas. After harvesting, the leaves are cut to leave only the core, called a piña because of its resemblance to a large pineapple. The piñas are cooked in large stainless steel autoclaves for about fifteen hours, cooled, and pressed. The resulting aguamiel ferments naturally to become pulque, a step prior to a double distillation in a copper still, until the distillate reaches between 52 and 54 degrees of alcohol. Spring water is then added to bring it down to 40 degrees. Without undergoing any aging, Calle 23 Blanco is ready to bottle.
Crystalline and colorless, it is agave juice in its purest form. On the nose, it evokes agave fresh from the cooking process with its herbaceous notes. On the palate, it attacks with sweetness and mellowness, expressing the characteristic flavor of the plant, complemented on the finish by notes of white fruits (tart apple, pear), almond and fresh walnut. Soft and mellow, devoid of aggressiveness, more velvety than biting, it is a good initiation tequila for those who are still unfamiliar with this beverage. To be enjoyed alone and very cold, or in a cocktail (we no longer present the margarita, see our recipe below), it is incomparable.
How to make a margarita? SOS Culinaries! We will opt for the slush margarita, with crushed ice, because in the end everyone prefers that. You just need a good blender. We advise you to prepare it in large quantities to delight lots of friends. Here we go: for four people, 20 cl of Calle 23 Blanco tequila, 10 cl of Cointreau or Triple Sec, 20 cl of freshly squeezed lime juice, 80 cl of ice cubes, and lime slices for serving. Don't forget 3 tablespoons of fleur de sel for the rim of the glass; it's essential. Start by spreading the salt in a saucer. Rub the rim of the glasses with a lime slice, coat the rim of the glasses with salt, and set aside. In the blender, combine the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and ice. Pulsate everything mercilessly until you get a liquid snow of homogeneous texture. Pour into the glasses (without disturbing the salt), garnish with a lime slice, and serve immediately. You can also serve from a pitcher, but the glasses should be salted anyway.
