Wines of the World

Magnum Saint Romain Sous La Velle Rouge 2017,

Domaine de Chassorney
This Pinot Noir comes from a plot with a steep, south-southeast-facing terroir located between 280 and 400 meters above sea level in the Saint-Romain appellation. The soils are primarily marl, limestone, and clay. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. Aging takes place for approximately one year in barrels.
A natural wine with no added sulfites.

Pamina Blanc 2018, Domaine de l'Octavin
Pamina is a Chardonnay produced biodynamically from white and gray marl soils typical of the Arbois region. It is a lovely crisp white that will accompany grilled white meats or fish, or any savory dish with puff pastry or shortcrust pastry: vol-au-vent, quiches, croustades, etc.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Hip Hip Chardonnay Savagnin Blanc 2018

Domaine de l’Octavin
Vibrant acidity and freshness balanced by beautiful aromatic notes, exotic fruits, and a lovely touch of tannins and spices—this is the Hip Hip cuvée, dedicated to the two white grape varieties typical of the Arbois region. Alice Bouvot vinifies various local white and red grape varieties under this name. This Chardonnay-Savagnin version is the result of a two-month whole-bunch maceration. 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 these two grape varieties: exotic fruits, vibrant acidity, a lovely touch of tannins and spices. A magnificent balance between dryness and suppleness. Truly made for all pairings.

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“You don’t need anything,” says Alice Bouvot, winemaker at Domaine de l’Octavin, “just a grape that feels good in its skin.” Everything is said in favor of natural wine; it’s a perfect description. Created in 2005, Domaine d’Alice is located in Arbois, in the wine-growing Jura region, often described as the most organic vineyard in France. The practice of making – among other things – oxidative wines is a good preparation for natural wine, as this type of wine does not allow any chemical additives and especially no sulfites. It’s a secret of this magnificent region. Originally spread over two hectares, the estate, managed entirely biodynamically (Demeter) since 2010, has expanded through the gradual acquisition of plots and now covers seven hectares.

An accomplished musician and passionate music lover, Alice intends to apply her musical sensitivity to the wines she makes. She draws a parallel between the technical perfection of conventional wines which risks excluding feeling, while "a musician who does not know music theory and plays with his guts creates emotion." For her, living wine is like this: instinctive, improvised, emotional. Introduced to natural wine by Stéphane Planche, sommelier at chef Jean-Paul Jeunet in Arbois, she will faithfully follow this path. The sometimes whimsical titles of her vintages are inspired sometimes by musical art (Dorabella, Zerline), sometimes by the numerous plots of land that make up her vineyard (En Curon, Les Corvées, En Poussot, etc.), and do not disdain a pun from time to time. Likewise, the labels adorned with happy and salacious little gnomes are a signature of the estate. As for the grape varieties, they are the classics of the Jura - Poulsard, Trousseau, Pinot Noir for the reds, and Chardonnay, Savagnin for the whites. Alongside her Arbois wines, Alice has created a business of "on the vine" grapes (Ecocert certified) with her winegrower friends from the region. Natural, committed, joyful and highly drinkable, the wines of Alice Bouvot are all the more coveted as the vintages, produced in plot-by-plot mode, appear, disappear and reappear depending on the vintage and inspiration.

Le Grenache du Bois Saint Jaume Rouge 2020,

Fond Cyprès
Fresh, delicious, supple, intense, balanced, and with a surprising length on the palate, this beautiful red Grenache is perfect for drinking or keeping. Delicate and velvety, it offers beautifully blended tannins and a magnificent balance with notes of undergrowth and garrigue plants. It has the generous and caressing character of its grape variety. This is a good example of Fond Cyprès' "forest" wines, marked not only by their grape varieties but also by the wooded and windy environment that refreshed the grapes' growth. After hand-harvesting, destemming, and four weeks of fermentation in concrete vats, the wine spends ten months aging in old barrels. It comes from a sandy plot of Grenache vines surrounded by a forest and a biodynamic olive grove. It is aged for nine to twelve months in old 228-liter demi-muids, which have the advantage of not oaking the wine but ensuring a comfortable, gentle aging process.

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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 produce southern wines that reflect us, wines with character, attached to our soils, with freshness and refined tannins." They want to obtain entirely natural wines, concentrates of terroir. In the old Corbières massif, they are taking over an old heart of the estate already planted with abandoned Carignan and Grenache, which have seen neither fertilizer nor pesticides for years: these clean, living soils are an ideal condition for launching into natural wine. Around this historic heart, they first planted Grenache Noir and Syrah, then a plot of white grape varieties: Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 2010 and also complies with the Nature & Progrès charter. 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.

Terre Mère Rouge 2020,

Clos des B Provence - Côtes de Provence AOC AOP



Red and especially black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, blueberry) abound on the nose and palate. The wine is structured, the tannins are supple and well-blended, and the bitter almond note on the finish is somewhat reminiscent of an Amarone from Valpolicella. One clearly perceives through tasting Terre Mère, which is not named so by chance, the producer's desire to stick to the terroir, to extract its quintessence. This mature and evolved character (15% alcohol) results from particular winemaking methods: Terre Mère, a red in AOP Côtes-de-Provence, is composed of 50% Grenache, 20% Cinsault and 30% Mourvèdre harvested overripe in the second half of September (September 19 in 2020). As biodynamicist Jean-Michel Deiss says, "when the maturity is good, the grape variety disappears and the terroir appears." Vinification is done 90% in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and 10% in open barrels. Foot punching is carried out, as well as some small pumping over. Malolactic fermentation is complete. The wine is aged in 600-liter barrels and in barrels of several 228-liter wines. No sulfites are added, neither in the vineyard, nor during winemaking, nor bottling.

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Clos des B (initials of the two owners, Gwendolyn Berger and Jean-Jacques Branger) is located in Grimaud, in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. They are therefore the proud producers of the very first natural cuvées from this geographical area. Those who know that this region is home to some interesting viticulture will avoid thinking of the celebrity seaside resort and poolside rosé: before the two Bs bought these three hectares of vines, all these wines went to the cooperative cellar of the Vignerons de Saint-Tropez. Driven by a "thirst for vines," as they say, Gwendolyn and Jean-Jacques overcame administrative difficulties, restored the vineyard and soon produced reds, rosés and even a blanc de noirs. Their grape varieties are typical of the region: Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, growing on schistose sands crossed by quartz veins. The property benefits from a microclimate that protects the vines from humidity, disease, and frost. The viticulture and winemaking approach resolutely embraces organic (the estate has been in conversion since 2020), biodynamics, and natural methods. The wines are sulfite-free, unfined, and unfiltered. The wines of Clos des B are a true reflection of their terroir and climate: fresh, fruity, and very pleasant to drink.

Cuvée Carignan Red 2023,

Frédéric Cossard

A true homage to the Carignan grape variety, this cuvée seduces with its complexity and indulgence. Made from organic grapes harvested at the foot of Mont Ventoux, this cuvée offers a dark color, a nose of black fruits, spices, and pepper, and a full, sunny palate. The tannins are melted, giving way to flavors of undergrowth, violet, and spices.

Aged for 9 months in stainless steel vats, this is a fresh and balanced red, perfect for casual meals with charcuterie, grilled meats, or spicy dishes. Serve at 16-18°C, it can be stored for 5 to 10 years.

Le Blouge à Nestor Rouge 2022

Domaine Bélicard

With Le Blouge à Nestor 2022, Domaine Bélicard offers us a unique cuvée, resolutely natural, free, and unconventional. The name says it all: a "blouge," a joyful contraction of white (blanc) and red (rouge), made from a blend of Gamay and Chardonnay, both organically grown in Beaujolais. A wine without artifice, to be shared without hesitation.

Here, the focus is on infusion: the hand-harvested grapes are vinified in whole bunches, with semi-carbonic fermentation that preserves all the freshness of the fruit. Maceration is short (about one month), then the wine is aged in wooden vats, with total respect for the juice, without any oenological inputs, using indigenous yeasts and very little, if any, sulfites.

In the glass, Le Blouge à Nestor seduces with its light, almost cloudy ruby color. The nose evokes fresh red fruits, kirsch cherry, spicy notes, and a floral touch. The palate is supple, fluid, incredibly easy-drinking but not simplistic. There's a beautiful liveliness, a light body, melted tannins, and a slightly spicy finish.

This is a wine made for aperitifs with friends, fine charcuterie, a warm salad, tapas, or simply for opening a good bottle without a specific occasion. Le Blouge is pure pleasure in a bottle, with that artisanal and sincere touch one expects from a well-made natural wine.

Lumière de Silex Blanc 2023

Jean-Pierre Robinot

A free spirit of the Loire

Based in Loir-et-Cher, Jean-Pierre Robinot is a living legend of natural wine. A poet, winemaker, and passionate advocate for living things, for two decades he has been crafting vibrant and pure wines, with no additives, no added yeasts, and often no sulfur. His artisanal and sensitive approach to Chenin makes him one of the most respected producers in the region.

Lumière de Silex, a Chenin on schist

This cuvée comes from plots planted on schist soils in the Anjou appellation, an ideal terroir for Chenin blanc. Direct pressing allows for a clear expression of the fruit, without extractions or masking. The wine is then aged for one year in barrels that have already contained several wines, to oxygenate without overpowering.

Fullness, tension, iodized length

Lumière de Silex unfolds gracefully: the nose opens with white flowers, peach, and a hint of exotic fruit. On the palate, the attack is ample, round, with a generous texture, balanced by a mineral tension that stretches the finish. This finish, iodized and persistent, evokes rock and salt, and calls for a second glass.

At the table: finesse and depth

Perfect with soft cheeses, grilled or sauced fish, or white meats. Serve chilled, between 10 and 12°C. This natural wine can be enjoyed young, for its freshness and fruit, or kept for over ten years to reveal its tertiary complexity and verticality.

YARD x Bois Moisset Cuvée (exclusive cuvée) Red 2024

Domaine Bois Moisset

Terroir, plot size and grape varieties

Born in the vibrant Gaillac region, the YARD x Bois Moisset Rouge 2024 is an ode to the diversity of the ancestral grape varieties of Southwest France. In this free-spirited cuvée, classified as a Vin de France, Domaine Bois Moisset skillfully blends three emblematic varieties: Braucol, with its rustic and wild character; Duras, vibrant and spicy; and a touch of Gamay, which rounds out the whole with its fruity freshness. This bold combination, conceived as a nod to local roots as much as to contemporary tastes, expresses a sun-drenched clay-limestone terroir, which gives the wine its power and purity.

Cultivation methods

At Domaine Bois Moisset, the vine is first and foremost a living ally, respected in its rhythm and needs. Certified organic, the vineyard management excludes all artifice: here, the soils breathe, nourished by natural compost, carefully worked, and the vines are observed, listened to, and supported rather than constrained. The harvest is done by hand, guaranteeing meticulous sorting and intact bunches. In the cellar, the winemaking follows the same philosophy: minimal intervention, indigenous yeasts, gentle extraction to preserve the fruit and reveal the texture, without masking the soul of the grape. The result is a sincere, deeply rooted wine that speaks of humanity as much as of nature.

Tasting & pairings

The YARD x Bois Moisset Rouge Cuvée reveals itself in an intense, luminous, and deep ruby robe. The nose opens with a frank and charming bouquet of ripe red fruits—cherry, strawberry, redcurrant—enhanced by peppery notes and a slightly smoky touch, a signature of the Duras and Braucol grape varieties. On the palate, the attack is lively and juicy, then the structure takes hold: present but integrated tannins give the wine its character and poise. The long finish leaves a spicy and luscious impression, full of vitality.

It's the perfect companion for convivial moments: a barbecue with friends, grilled lamb chops, a ribeye steak cooked over a wood fire, or even oriental-inspired cuisine with mild spices. Structured and generous, this vintage invites sharing and warmth, while allowing the fruit and terroir to fully express themselves.

The YARD Rouge 2024 Cuvée by Bois Moisset is not just a wine: it is an outstretched hand, an invitation to rediscover Gaillac in a free and vibrant light.

Jour de Fête Sparkling Rosé 2019

Marie and Vincent Tricot

You pour it, pour it, pour it again, and you're amazed to have emptied the bottle. This organic, natural sparkling rosé wine doesn't bear this name for nothing. Made using the ancestral method (bottling during fermentation, which completes in the container), Jour de Fête is a seductive natural sparkling wine made from Gamay d'Auvergne that doesn't lend itself to melancholy. It displays a deep, slightly cloudy strawberry-raspberry color that already invites indulgence. On the nose, cherry, raspberry, and the promise of a vinous and concentrated sparkling wine, not just a gurgling experience. It can be described as both gurgling and complex.

The cherry, raspberry, redcurrant and strawberry are confirmed on the palate with a great deal of sweetness and indulgence, a little sugar reminiscent of the raspberry fruit paste from Auvergne, and the slight bitterness of the volcanic soil Gamay in the background. The effervescence is moderate, we also perceive citrus notes (orange, mandarin) and the floral notes are then revealed with a touch of violet. The roundness is pleasant, the freshness is exceptional. Made from Gamays grown on hillsides on volcanic and clay-limestone soils, Jour de fête is truly exceptional and as joyful and festive as its label promises.

To find out more

Among the generation of Auvergne winemakers who, at the dawn of the 21st century, are reviving the vineyards of this beautiful volcanic province of the Massif Central from the ashes using organic and natural methods, Marie and Vincent Tricot are pioneers, and their name is well known to those who have long loved natural wine. After a colorful winemaking journey that took them from Beaujolais to Chile and from Chile to Costières-de-Nîmes, they landed in Auvergne, at the foot of the Puy de Dôme, in the commune of Orcet where they took over Claude Prugnard's vineyard, a land that has not seen the slightest chemical input for thirty years. The estate is located on a hillside on the left bank of the Allier River, in a volcanic clay-limestone area near the vineyards of Châteaugay, Chanturgue, and Corent. They acquired it in 2003 and have since been making wines from Auvergne Gamay, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir, with a little Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat. These rare and sought-after wines are mainly sold directly. They have a straightforward, flamboyant profile and express themselves with as much character as simplicity.

Bain de Bulles - Guy Wurtz White 2022

Fréderic Cossard

He's a Vin de France, but this pet'nat' doesn't lack distinction. Bain de bulles Guy Wurtz is an organic and natural wine produced in Burgundy by Frédéric Cossard from Gewurztraminer grapes harvested in Alsace. Guy Würtz, Gewurztraminer, you get it? All that's left is to pop the cork and enjoy: it's a truly delicious wine.

Vinification

Frédéric Cossard has vinified a biodynamically produced Alsace Gewurztraminer into a natural sparkling wine. The maceration of the grapes produces a light pinkish tint: we could call it a sparkling orange wine.

Tasting

Bath of Bubbles Guy Wurtz by Frédéric Cossard is pure pleasure: effervescence, sweetness, flavor, complexity, and a lot of euphoria. A wine for the holidays and for celebration. Drink chilled. Its pairing with seafood, especially oysters, is heavenly. To discover Gewurztraminer in a very different form, try it in skin maceration at Domaine Einhart.

Learn more about Frédéric Cossard and the Domaine de Chassorney

Frédéric Cossard and the Domaine de Chassorney give organic and natural voice 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.

Pommeau "Premium"

Domaine de la Flaguerie
The Pommeau Premium from Domaine de la Flaguerie seduces with its brilliant mahogany color and aromatic elegance. Aged for two years, it offers a suave nose blending candied notes of gingerbread, prune, and cooked fruit. On the palate, its mellow roundness reveals complex and balanced flavors.
As an aperitif, with mature cheeses, or with dessert, this organic Pommeau stands out for its finesse and deliciousness. Best enjoyed between 8 and 10°C.

Entre les Vignes Raisin - Book

Skin-Contact Zizifredo White 2021

Fréderic Cossard

Skin Contact Zizifredo is a surprising wine, a blend of Grenache Gris, Bourboulenc, and Muscat d'Alexandrie, macerated on the skins for a long time. Rare, appetizing, and sophisticated, with plenty of presence and character, it expresses notes of tropical fruits (pineapple) and various citrus fruits: mandarin, grapefruit, orange, in addition to iodine notes. On the palate, it is fresh and appetizing, with very fine tannins and plenty of fruit alongside the tension inherent in a long-macerated wine. Beyond the pun that its name constitutes (do we need to draw you a picture?), it also alludes to zibibbo, as Muscat of Alexandria is called in Sicily, the distinctive grape variety of this vintage. The grapes are purchased in the south of France by a winemaker friend of Frédéric Cossard. The vines are organic and harvested by hand, the harvest is vinified in whole bunches for nine months (it's really skin contact!) before being slowly pressed. The wine is aged in concrete eggs and bottled without the addition of sulfites, fining or filtration.

To find out more

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

Le Rocher rouge 2018,

Nicolas Chemarin

This infinitely silky and luscious red, mineral and very straightforward, is a Beaujolais-Villages that is ideally enjoyed between 14 and 16°C. It is made from Beaujolais Gamay grapes grown in the Combe Fleurette area, at an altitude of 550 meters and on an average 40% slope, facing south, on a plot of blue granite with very shallow soil. The vines, twenty-five years old, rest on a rocky outcrop. The harvest is aged in whole bunches for forty days with regular turning. After pressing, the young wine is aged on fine lees in Burgundy oak barrels. Bottling is done in the waning moon, without fining or filtration.

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

Je t'ai dans la peau White, 2018

Nicolas Chemarin

Deep, earthy, and extremely complex, this orange wine has a beautiful old gold color and delicately oxidative notes of walnut and hazelnut, leading to an exotic fruity palette. Plenty of character and considerable promise for its evolution. As its name suggests, Je t'ai dans la peau is all about the skin. Grape skin, of course, since it's a macerated white, an experiment Nicolas has carried out with various nuances since 2009 to create wines with a strong personality. The goal is not to obtain exuberant orange wines like those from Italy or the South, but rather controlled macerations with fruit and depth. The harvest comes from the same plot as P’tit Grobis blanc: all Chardonnay of course, on stony granite soils. The 2017 vintage is made using pure maceration. This is short: five to seven days. Aging is three years in barrels. A superb balance to savor, to be classified without hesitation in the category of crazy Beaujolais.

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

I Vicini Grignolino Red 2019

Jean-Yves Peron

It's in Savoie, in Chevaline, near Lake Annecy, that Jean-Yves Péron skillfully combines committed viticulture and merchant winemaking, both with a focus on nature. His Mondeuse reds are magnificent, as are his whites made from ancient local grape varieties—Jacquère, Altesse, Bergeron, and Persan—no less so. His current vineyard, three hectares biodynamic since the beginning, is divided between Conflans, near Albertville, and Fréterive, a little further downstream in the Isère valley.
Initially destined for a career in biochemistry, Jean-Yves quickly fell in love with the vine and trained as an oenologist in Bordeaux. He learned his trade as a winemaker with Thierry Allemand in Cornas, then with Bruno Schueller in Alsace, before spending some time in New Zealand and the United States. His trading activity, which he began in 2011, allows him to buy the harvest from organic winemakers close to home, but also in Northern Italy: for him, it is a new dimension to his work as a winemaker, allowing him to multiply the terroirs and deepen his experiences in winemaking and aging.
Jean-Yves Péron's winemaking follows the principles of minimal intervention. On narrow and steep surfaces, his mountain vines receive no synthetic products, Jean-Yves preferring horsetail and nettle manure. The surrounding vegetation is very rich: it protects the vines and helps to strengthen them. The soils are grassed, mown and reworked with a pickaxe and winch. The harvest is entirely manual. Once vatted in whole bunches, the grapes, both red and white, undergo a semi-carbonic maceration which allows the extraction of fresh fruit aromas. This maceration time varies between five days and nine weeks depending on the vintage. The day before or two days before pressing, Jean-Yves performs foot-treading directly in the vat. After this fermentation, the musts are sent to barrels for aging on lees for twelve months in five hundred liter barrels of two or three wines (to limit the woody sensation), followed by blending and resting in vats. No sulfites are added, or as little as possible, and the wines are not fined or filtered. Savoyard wine has long suffered from a somewhat flimsy image, not taken seriously enough. Yet, what treasures its varied soils and numerous ancient grape varieties produce! Jean-Yves Péron embodies the renaissance of this beautiful vineyard. Jean-Yves Péron's "I Vicini" series is made from organic grapes harvested in Piedmont. Here, the grape variety is Grignolino, known for producing relatively light-colored and very aromatic wines. The harvest is macerated for fourteen weeks in neutral oak and the wine is aged for one year in barrels. The wine is intense, powerful and structured, with a very pretty nose and a ruby red color.

Je t'ai dans la peau White 2017,

Nicolas Chemarin

Nicolas Chemarin, nicknamed P’tit Grobis as a resident of Marchampt (Beaujolais), is the fourth generation of winegrowers on his family estate in the Beaujolais-Villages appellation, on stony land where he crafts wines of surprising depth and sincerity. He took over two hectares of his father's vines in 2005 and produced his first vintages in 2006. In 2008, he acquired other vineyards and decided to devote himself solely to his estate, whose very steep terroir consists of poor, rocky soils on gray granite rock. The vines rest on the bedrock through very thin soil, and their roots plunge deep into the rock. Depending on the configuration of the soil, the vines are pruned in goblet form or raised on stakes. Their average age is eighty years. The grape varieties, Gamay and Chardonnay, are classically Beaujolais. Nicolas also cultivates two other terroirs in the Régnié appellation: Les Bullats, with light, filtering sandy soils, and La Haute Ronze, very close to Morgon, whose deeper, clayey soils produce full-bodied wines. The wines undergo long macerations (from 18 to 30 days) with punching down and temperature control (Nicolas works cold, around 20 °C). The aging is partially done in thermoregulated concrete vats for a third, the remaining two thirds being spent in barrels of four to ten wines to provide oxygenation but little or no woody sensation. Nicolas Chemarin is already well known in the natural world for his sweet and fruity vintages, wines for pleasure, and for wines from difficult and magnificent terroirs, endowed with admirable and complex mineral, aromatic and spicy notes. As its name suggests, Je t’ai dans la peau is a matter of epidermis. Grape skin, of course, since it is a maceration white, an experiment carried out by Nicolas with various nuances since 2009 to obtain wines with a strong personality. The goal isn't to produce exuberant orange wines like those from Italy or the South, but rather controlled macerations with fruit and depth. The harvest comes from the same plot as P'tit Grobis Blanc: all Chardonnay, of course, on stony granite soils. The 2017 vintage is produced using pure maceration. This maceration is short: five to seven days. Aging is three years in barrels. This orange offers a beautiful old-gold color and delicately oxidative notes of walnut and hazelnut, leading to an exotic fruity palette. A superb balance to savor.