Wines of the World

Lou Dilun Red 2021,

Clos des B

Lou Dilun ("Monday" in Provençal) is an organic and natural wine from the Côtes-de-Provence appellation and under the Écocert organic label, with no added sulfites. In the Grimaud vineyards, the Grenache and Cinsault grapes are selected on the vine. Everything is done, in the vineyard and in the cellar, to ensure the harvest is in perfect health and to avoid the use of sulfur in the vineyard or sulfites in the cellar. Fresh on the palate, Lou Dilun is lively and fruity, silky and velvety, with beautiful body. Light notes of fruit pit emerge from the framework of melted tannins. The secret to its incomparable roundness and fruitiness? Six months of aging in Atelier Centre France oak barrels. This is a wine that will be a pleasure to pair with a beautiful roast poultry.

Learn more about Clos des B

Clos des B (initials of the two owners) is an organic and natural wine estate located in Grimaud, in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. Gwendolyn Berger and Jean-Jacques Branger are the proud producers of the very first natural cuvées from this geographical area. 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 is under the Ecocert label, applied for in 2020), biodynamics, and natural. The wines are without added sulfites, fining, or filtration. The wines of Clos des B are a true reflection of their terroir and climate: fresh, fruity, and very pleasant to drink, beautiful natural wines from the terroir of Provence.

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Nuits Saint Georges Aux Croix Rouges White 2021

Fréderic Cossard

Don't be fooled by the name of the climat on the label: this is a Nuits-Saint-Georges white, an object of curiosity but above all of delicacy: it is important to know that the appellation doesn't only excel in red wines; it also produces spectacular whites. This wine from the Aux Croix Rouges plot has a beautiful deep gold color, a magnificent nose, opulent, deep, and heady, with notes of white flowers. On the palate, there is plenty of presence and freshness, a beautiful honeyed and brioche-like palate. This superb Nuits-Saint-Georges white seduces with its rarity but also with its freshness and balance. The Pinot Blanc grapes from which it is made grow on marl-limestone soils. They are around forty years old. The harvest is directly pressed and the must is fermented without punching down. The aging is one year in concrete.

To find out more

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

La Chassornade Sparkling White 2021

Fréderic Cossard

This beautiful golden yellow color catches the eye; you pour yourself a small glass and suddenly you wake up. It sparkles, it's fresh, it's full of flavor and joie de vivre, and you could consider La Chassornade a festive wine if you didn't have a furious desire to drink it on any occasion, especially without an excuse or a word from your parents. It is, in short, a magnificent expression of the Aligoté grape variety in sparkling mode: floral, citrusy, taut, fresh, and mineral. It's also a natural sparkling wine that demonstrates the creativity of its winemaker. Aligoté was the first white grape variety in Burgundy—well before Chardonnay—and it deserves to regain its former glory. Vinifying it as a natural sparkling wine isn't a bad idea, quite the opposite: the grape's rounded, pleasant, and fruity notes (lemon and white grapefruit) stand out elegantly. Absolutely delicious. The grapes were harvested near Puligny-Montrachet, from vines that are around forty years old. The harvest is directly pressed, and bottling is done in the clear, without disgorging. Fermentation and aging take place in the bottle for around ten months. Native yeasts, no added sulfites, no additives. Remember to keep the bottle chilled in an upright position for twenty-four hours before tasting so that the lees remain at the bottom.

To find out more
Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undeformed by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful wine-growing practices, the winemaker used this counter-example to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for some 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 trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The exercise is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura, Languedoc, or 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 Blanc des Garennes White 2020,

Fond Cyprès

A beautiful texture, with notes of citrus and exotic fruits. Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and Viognier grown on the same plot: a southern blend that produces a truly southern white wine, original, balanced, fresh, structured by light maceration, fermented and aged in barrels. Its profile is atypical in Corbières. A distinctive feature: the plot was planted according to the desired wine, and chosen to face north to ensure good acidity. The three grape varieties are harvested at different ripeness levels. As soon as the Viognier (later ripening) is ripe, everything is harvested together: the Grenache Blanc is often overripe. This produces a very unique flavor balance, between freshness, richness, and roundness. After direct pressing, the must is vinified in old 225-liter barrels, then aged for ten months. It can be kept for around ten years, if given time: all pairings suit it.

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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 and 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.

Magnum Saint Romain sous le Chateau Clos du Cerisier White 2019,

Domaine de Chassorney

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 viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counterexample to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for some time as a wine broker before creating the Domaine de Chassorney with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The practice is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc regions. At his place, the soil and vines are worked as naturally as possible: regular horse-drawn plowing, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to biodynamic principles: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper, and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting. This Chardonnay comes from a steep plot located between 280 and 400 meters above sea level. The soils are mainly marl, limestone, and clay. After direct pressing, aging is approximately one year in barrels. This wine is only available in magnum format; it is elegant, mineral, and powerful. The nose reveals a magnificent bouquet of white flowers, and the finish is accentuated by notes of yellow fruits.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Guy Sweet Wine 2011

La Sorga

Antony Tortul loves old vineyards: he devotes his life to finding and vinifying them. Just as there are landless shepherds, he can be defined as a landless winegrower, in other words, a wine merchant whose area of activity extends throughout Languedoc and, eastward, as far as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in search of the best terroirs. Born in Foix, with six years of experience as a wine technician and oenologist in various vineyards in the south of France, he created La Sorga in 2008. His enthusiasm leads him on a path filled with favorites, and each of these favorites is a vineyard. The result is a dizzying mosaic of natural, lively, and spirited wines, which reinvents itself each year with around thirty cuvées per vintage. Few winemakers can list such a variety of grape varieties on their list: the whole of southern France is there with muscats, grenaches, picpoul, mauzac, carignan, cinsault, marsanne, alicante, braucol, duras, viognier, len-de-l’el, and tutti quanti.

The Guy cuvée is obtained from a blend of two southern grape varieties growing on the hard Urgonian limestone of Puéchabon (Hérault): vermentino (called rolle in France), at eighty percent, from twenty-five-year-old vines, and viognier, twenty percent, from twenty-five-year-old vines. These two grape varieties macerate together in whole bunches for two weeks. Then, only the heart of the press is selected before aging in old barrels, without topping up, for more than nine years. A wine with a strong personality and finely oxidative notes, presenting a nose of bergamot, candied melon, and fresh walnut. The palate is ample, devoid of any residual sugar or woody sensation, powerful and of great complexity. The finish is lively. This wine holds up very well to air (more than six months) and offers a rock-solid structure.

Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Le Litre Arbitre White 2019

Château Lafitte

Pairs with: Oysters and Shellfish, Raw Fish, Cooked Fish, Grilled Fish

Syrah Rouge 2017

Domaine des Miquettes

Syrah of course, bursting with fruit and flavor, from an isolated one-hectare plot on granite and black mica soils, at an altitude of 350 meters.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

My Sweet Navine White 2013

Les Vignes de Babass Dervieux

A small bottle but a great wine! A sweet white made from 100% Chenin, My Sweet Navine is produced from late harvests on the schist plot where the estate's other Chenins are also grown. A delicate amber color, with notes of citrus and candied fruit on the nose. On the palate, there is a surprising freshness despite the residual sugar: this is explained by the lack of sorting, as the grapes are at varying stages of ripeness. We thus benefit from green berries, ripe berries, and varying degrees of noble rot. and a light sparkle which gives way to a beautiful length, always with notes of candied fruit.
Natural wine without added sulfites.

Coyade White 2015

Domaine Vinci

A voluptuous southern white wine born from a blend of Macabeu, Grenache Blanc, and Carignan Blanc planted in the Agly Valley, in the heart of Roussillon, Coyade comes from vines grown on a predominantly clay-limestone terroir. Malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel vats, and the three grape varieties were vinified separately before being blended. The color is intense and golden, with notes of straw and honey on the nose, and a slight oxidation on the palate that pairs perfectly with hard cheeses.

Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Es d'aqui Cinsauriel Red 2017

Jean Louis Pinto

This 100% Cinsault, grown on schist soils near Saint-Chinian, is produced by fermentation with indigenous yeasts during twenty-eight days of whole-bunch maceration. Part of the wine is aged in steel vats. With a beautiful, vibrant ruby color, it offers a nose of pepper, rose, and strawberry, as well as notes of garrigue, candied black olive, and prune. Lively and powerful.

Es d’aqui CFCR Red 2011

Jean-Louis Pinto

A blend of Cabernet Franc and Carignan, fiery, powerful, and deep, balanced by a touch of freshness. Lovely notes of black olive.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

LP Clarete Red 2021,

Ladidadi/Pinheiro

Clarete ("clairet") lives up to its name with its light, airy tannins. Medium-bodied, it is crisp, vibrant, and lively with refreshing acidity. It is a wine full of red fruits and spices, elegant without being solemn, and therefore suitable for all occasions. This is a blend of red and white grape varieties that represents an ampelographic anthology of the estate, as it brings together 80% red grape varieties (Jaen, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Alfrocheiro) and 20% white grape varieties (Encruzado, Bical, Malvasia, Cerceal and Terrantez). The effect produced by this blend is an increased fluidity of the red wine, which becomes supple and light. The vines grew on granite and clay-sand soils facing south in the hills of Penalva do Castelo, surrounded by oak, pine, olive and chestnut trees. The harvest is manual. The grapes are destemmed and slowly crushed by foot for two days before macerating in stainless steel vats. Fermentation is spontaneous, using indigenous yeasts. Aging is ten months and bottling is done without filtration. No chemical inputs are added to the vineyard or the winery.

To find out more

The duality of the name Ladidadi/Pinheiro is simply due to the fact that this winemaking entity is the result of a friendship: that of Florian Tonello, creator of the Ladidadi Wine brand, wine merchant-DJ-globetrotter who devotes his life to making natural wines known and loved, and Hugo Pinheiro, winemaker at the head of a small estate of two and a half hectares in Penalva do Castelo, district of Viseu, Dão appellation (central Portugal). Together, they decided to produce several vintages of natural wines, obtained through organic farming, manual harvests, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, without filtration or the addition of sulfites, from the emblematic grape varieties of the appellation on an estate planted around thirty years ago, with a small part planted in the 1980s. We therefore find Touriga Nacional as the main grape variety in red, followed by Clarete, Jaen and Encruzado, and in white Malvasia, Cerceal, Bical and Terrantez. Vibrant, lively wines, and a great opportunity to discover Portugal's wine-growing region in natural mode.

TN Tinto Natural Red 2022,

Partida Creus

A structured and natural Tempranillo, faithful to the Catalan terroir
The TN Tinto Natural 2022, produced by Partida Creus, is a characterful red made from Tempranillo. With a three-week whole-bunch maceration and 8 months of aging in stainless steel vats, this wine captures the raw and sincere essence of this iconic grape variety, while respecting the principles of natural winemaking.

Tasting: Intensity and Complexity
On the nose, notes of leather mingle with aromas of ripe red fruits and spices, offering a beautiful aromatic complexity. On the palate, the Tempranillo's tannic structure is fully expressed, supported by a lively acidity that balances its power. The finish is long, with a persistence that reflects the careful work of the winemaker and the richness of the clay-limestone terroir.

A red for beautiful tables
This structured red pairs perfectly with rich Mediterranean dishes, such as lamb with herbs, stews, or grilled meats. Its complexity and intensity also make it an excellent choice for pairing with mature cheeses.

Serve between 14 and 16°C, this wine does not require decanting but is best opened half an hour before tasting. With an aging potential of 5 years, it will evolve towards deeper and silkier aromas.

Magma Red 2020

Cornelissen

Magma is Frank Cornelissen's classic red grand cru. Produced organically (Eurofeuille label) and biodynamically, and classified as DOP (AOP) Sicilia-IGP Terre Siciliane Nerello Mascalese, it is a wine for laying down, produced only in great vintages, when phenolic maturity is reached. It comes from old, ungrafted Nerello Mascalese vines, planted in 1910 on the Barbabecchi contrada, at an altitude of 910 m, renowned for capturing the first rays of the sun in the cool of the morning.

Vinification

This natural, organic, and biodynamic wine is obtained by sixty days of skin maceration of destemmed and lightly crushed grapes. No fining, no addition of sulfites. Light filtration before bottling.

Tasting

Magma restores the remarkable depth of Nerello Mascalese. Rich and elegant, with a dense texture, it has character, personality, and great finesse. More mineral than fruity, it offers notes of secondary fruits (blackberry, prune) and melted tannins. This great wine requires great dishes: we recommend stewed beef or coq au vin. So think about a can of Isabelle Leydier Delavallade or Fermiers du Bord de Sèvre.

Learn more about Frank Cornelissen

A key and universally respected figure in natural, organic and biodynamic wine, the Belgian Frank Cornelissen, a winemaker conquered by Sicily, is a classic. This man of constant questioning lives in human and cosmic resonance with his terroir: he has demonstrated that the powerful minerality of a great volcanic soil could be highlighted by the naturalness of his wines.

An ideal terroir for plot-by-plot vinification

In Passopisciaro, Sicily, in the north of the Etna valley, the 19 plots cover 24 hectares of basalt soils spread over numerous localities (contrade) between 600 and 900 meters above sea level on the side of the volcano. It is, says Frank Cornelissen, the "Night Coast of Sicily". Frank Cornelissen's contrade are all cultivated biodynamically and vinified separately: he decides on the blends based on the quality of each.

The nobility of Nerello Mascalese

Nerello Mascalese is the dominant variety and alone makes up the greatest vintages. This traditional red grape variety from the northern Etna valley produces hypermineral wines due to its long growing cycle. Other grape varieties in the azienda: Nerello Capuccio, Minella Bianco, Minella Nera, Alicante Bouschet, Malvasia, Catarratto, Moscadella, Grecanico Dorato, Carricante…

XL Ancestral Sparkling White 2021

Partida Creus
"With its delicious, straightforward, saline acidity and fine, festive bubbles, this smoky, deep, full-bodied, mineral, and explosive sparkling wine is a true invitation to celebrate. The nose offers aromas of ripe white fruits—apple, pear, white peach—followed by mineral notes on the palate that frame yeasty touches reminiscent of buttery pastries and fresh bread. Very elegant, XL Xarel·lo Ancestral is a highly drinkable and enjoyable Vino de Mesa (table wine). Made from the indigenous Catalan Xarel·lo grape variety, harvested by hand and directly pressed, it is fermented in stainless steel vats using indigenous yeasts and finishes fermenting in bottles on fine lees for a minimum of ten months, without the slightest addition of sulfites.

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Partida Creus is an important estate, both from a winemaking and historical perspective – 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 tickled them, and soon they abandoned the big city and its sophistication for the vineyards of southern Catalonia, in Bonastre in Baix-Penedés. There they found a quantity 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 heritage, no: it's a matter of taste and nature. Of wines nature, which they will continue to do 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: it is a true conservatory of native Catalan grape varieties that Partida Creus cares for. There is also moscatel, grenache, merlot and cabernet (among others). Few wineries can boast of cultivating so many different grape varieties. The wines reflect this diversity, with winemakers striving to convey the signature of the soil and the grape variety as best as possible: single-variety wines 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 vintage. The wines, fresh, vibrant, lush but always straight and impeccably juicy and fruity, breathe life. The arrival of a Partida Creus at the table always elicits cries of satisfaction.

Perill Noir Sumoll Red 2014

Clos Lentiscus

Sensuality, seduction, charm, a touch of wildness: this vibrant, fruity, flavorful, and addictive Perill Noir Sumoll lives up to its name. Redcurrant, morello cherry, spices, herbaceous notes… The "black" alludes to the dark color of the Sumoll grapes, the native Catalan variety from which it is composed. Perill Noir Sumoll is a natural red whose freshness owes much to the local limestone soil, and Manel Avinyo's mastery of this notoriously difficult grape variety is evident. The harvest is destemmed and macerated for two weeks. Aging, in French oak barrels, lasts thirty months. Calm, deep, intense, and structured, this is a magnificent and chiseled wine that will accompany all that is best.

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Purity, elegance, and a crisp minerality due to the limestone characterize the productions of Clos Lentiscus. The note of controlled oxidation, when it is felt, does not dominate the tasting, and the wines are never deviant. The cavas are known for being exuberant, but those of Clos Lentiscus never have more than two grams of residual sugar per liter. The estate also produces still wines, red, white, and rosé. Located in Sitges, Catalonia, Clos Lentiscus is a winery in the heart of the Garraf Natural Park. 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 as soon as the two brothers took over the estate, organic and biodynamic farming replaced conventional practices, the entire harvest goes into the house vintages, and organic and biodynamic practices have allowed this beautiful property to regain its former prestige: in the 19th century, its wines were sold in France and as far away as the Americas. Very quickly, Manel received a nickname: The Bubbleman, a tribute to his talent for vinifying cavas, these sparkling whites characteristic of the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, from indigenous varieties for which Catalonia holds the secret: sumoll, ull de llebre, xarel·lo, malvasia of Sitges, cartoixà vermell, cariñena (carignan), accompanied by tempranillo and muscat of Alexandria. The vines are old, some of them 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.

Fontana Blanc 2021

La Vinicola di Antonio Gismondi
On the nose, white flowers, exotic fruits, Mediterranean plants, garrigue, and maquis: Fontana is a fragrant, savory, and generous white wine. The retro-olfaction is very fruity. Opulent and powerful, this wine is known as a "falanghina beneventano," or a falanghina from Benevento. This means that it is produced in Benevento from the falanghina grape, a very old local variety that, in ancient times, formed the basis of the famous Falerna cru (falernum), then considered top-of-the-range. Fontana is obtained by direct pressing with fermentation in stainless steel vats. Round, low in acidity, very aromatic, with a lot of sweetness and opulence on the finish, it offers good aging qualities. This wine can be drunk now, but it will also be able to keep for a long time.

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The azienda of Antonio and Anabel Gismondi is located in Cerreto Sanita, in the Benevento region of Campania. A microclimate gives this area almost continental accents: the humid winds coming from the Tyrrhenian Sea collide with the first ramparts of the Apennine chain, causing condensation in the air and a drop in temperatures, which are significantly cooler and more humid than on the coast. If we add a phenomenon of thermal inversion between day and night frequent in the Apennine climate, the freshness of the wines of the Antonio Gismondi estate is nothing mysterious in this southern Italy, which is nevertheless known for its very hot climate. The estate is family-run: for generations, the Gismondi family has cultivated vines and made wine using the most traditional and natural methods, to which biodynamic techniques are added. For a long time, of the fifteen tons of grapes produced each year, one ton was reserved for on-site vinification for family consumption, the rest going to the local wine cooperative. It was the meeting with Massimo Marchiori and Antonella de Partida Creus [link] that decided Antonio and his wife Anabel to start producing natural wines at home from the entire harvest. The two-hectare vineyard is located between 350 and 380 meters above sea level, on clay, loam, and stony soils, with two-thirds facing south, planted with vines around six years old. The rest faces southwest and corresponds to the Pietre and Cerreto cuvées, with vines thirty years old. The grape varieties are Merlot, Freisa and Sangiovese for the reds, and Falanghina and Malvasia di Candia for the whites.

GT Garrut Red 2017

Partida Creus

With GT Garrut, a lovely and unusual single-varietal wine, the surprise knows no bounds and thirst is quickly quenched. The purplish color alone is a testament to 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 notes of red fruit as well, and a delicious acidity. This brilliant wine, perfect for the summer months, is harvested by hand. Fully destemmed, the grapes macerate for three days with a punch-down every three hours, and the alcoholic fermentation on 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, wine without limits.

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Partida Creus is an important estate, both in terms of wine and history – we are talking here about the history of the vine in Catalonia. Massimo Marchiori and Antonella Gerosa, originally from Piedmont – and even from the Langhe region, where they know a lot about wines – first pursued careers as architects in Barcelona. But the wine bug tickles them, and soon they abandon 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, which they passionately revive to save these varieties – and their wines – from oblivion. For them, it's not just a matter of heritage rescue, 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 viticulture, entirely manual and natural 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.