Abel Benmaamar, a former railway engineer, trained with Matthieu Barret in Cornas and Thillardon in Beaujolais before founding Domaine 7 in 2018. About four hectares on the slopes above the Lys, a tributary of the Layon: lean schist and quartz, organic since 2010, including Cabernet Franc planted in 1967. Natural fermentations with native yeasts, ageing in barrel or stainless steel.
0.5ha of stunning 30yo vines planted at 580m altitude, one of the highest and coolest parcels in the cru of St-Jean-de-la-Porte. Aged in foudre a wine would need least a year to begin opening out. It’s denser and richer than La Pente.
Domaine Tempier, at Le Castellet, is the Peyraud family`s Bandol estate; Lucien Peyraud led the appellation`s revival. Cabassaou is a single-plot Mourvèdre-driven red.
The Chateau Pradeaux style is unashamedly old-school: structured, deep-coloured and gastronomic and designed to age, natural yeasts, malolactic fermentation is avoided` 96 Points Decanter
A hommage to the greatness of the Mouvedre grape. One of the greatest wines in Bandol, the grapes are never destemmed, so these wines can age breathtakingly well and never offer anything less then a beaker of the warm south, with an abundance of character.
A hommage to the greatness of the Mouvedre grape. One of the greatest wines in Bandol, the grapes are never destemmed, so these wines can age breathtakingly well and never offer anything less then a beaker of the warm south, with an abundance of character.
Cyril Fhal has farmed 7.5 hectares of old vines at Latour-de-France in Roussillon since 2002, biodynamically from the start, on schist, gneiss, granite and clay-limestone. Natural fermentations with native yeasts, minimal sulphur, no filtering. Col du Loup is Grenache Noir, sold as IGP Côtes Catalanes.
Cyril Fhal has farmed 7.5 hectares of old vines at Latour-de-France in Roussillon since 2002, biodynamically from the start, on schist, gneiss, granite and clay-limestone. Natural fermentations with native yeasts, minimal sulphur, no filtering. The estate`s red blends Carignan and Grenache, sold as IGP Côtes Catalanes.
Cyril Fhal has farmed 7.5 hectares of old vines at Latour-de-France in Roussillon since 2002, biodynamically from the start, on schist, gneiss, granite and clay-limestone. Natural fermentations with native yeasts, minimal sulphur, no filtering. Vieilles Vignes is old-vine Carignan and Grenache Noir, the flagship red.
Axel Domont, a former professional cyclist, made his first vintage in 2020 in Les Marches, in the Combe de Savoie, working with organic grapes. Native yeasts, no additives. Nuit Blanche is 100% Gamay, juicy and fluid with almost no tannin, sold as Vin de France.
Iglesia Vella Cotes Catalane Domaine Le Roc des Anges
Grenache Gris Planted in 1954 on Schists, a pure bedrock wine. Meaning old church" in Catalan, Iglesia Vella comes from a single parcel close to the former village church site with minerality and length to the wine. It has vertical depth, complexity, and a saline finish. Biodynamic and organic for over 10 years. Vinification à la Gauby."
The result of a three-week carbonic maceration of three red grape varieties, Cab Franc and Sauv and Merlot. Aged in stainless steel vats. The wine is lighter; fruity and more supple then the Anciens cuvee.
Daniel Sage, who trained in metalwork before turning to wine, farms about three hectares of granite and gneiss at Bogy, near Annonay in the northern Ardèche, working the steep slopes by horse. Gamay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier and Poulsard; native yeasts, with only a little copper and sulphur. Sold as Vin de France.
Didier Dagueneau, the Loire`s most celebrated Sauvignon grower, also made a small amount of sweet Jurançon in the Southwest. Late-harvest Petit Manseng, rich and bright. He died in a plane crash in 2008.
Philippe Chatillon spent 18 years running Domaine de la Pinte in Arbois before founding his own estate in 2013: 3.5 hectares, organic and biodynamic, bottled without filtering or fining. Old-vine Pinot Noir and Trousseau from Passenans in the Côtes du Jura.
`Single bottle. Classic and structured, much more a bordeaux style, not really hurt by the rain, floral Cabernet, good evolution, Barton comes to mind.` 93 Points Xavier Auerbach 11.12.2023 Cellertracker.
Axel Domont, a former professional cyclist, made his first vintage in 2020 in Les Marches, in the Combe de Savoie, working with organic grapes. Native yeasts, no additives. Rencontres is 100% Mondeuse from a single parcel, about 11 days` maceration, aged in 228-litre demi-muids, no fining or filtration.
Nicolas Ferrand is a paysan vigneron" farming naturally at Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte, in the Combe de Savoie. Ensemble is Altesse (Roussette de Savoie), the estate`s tribute to everyone who helped with its first vintage: opulence with Alpine tension."
Nicolas Ferrand is a paysan vigneron" farming naturally at Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte, in the Combe de Savoie. Les Montagnes Rousses is Mondeuse from the cru of Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte, one of Savoie`s named crus."
100% Grenache Noir, from old vines grown on a unique terroir of limestone gravels and sand. Cultivated biodynamically. Manual harvest and natural vinification: carbonic maceration for 10 days, 6 months of maturation in vats, and all without sulphur. Bottled without fining or filtration, tiny suphur at bottling.
This vineyard that used to be worked by Jacques Puffenay is also exceptional, especially for focussed, laser-pure Chardonnay. The plot faces due south and sits on extremely limestone-rich soil so pale it appears white, which imparts striking minerality, chalky freshness, and longevity to the wine. Since 2016, this plot has been bottled separately.
Bruno Duchêne, a former wild-mushroom distributor, moved to Banyuls in 2000 and made his first vintage in 2002 after nine months with Frédéric Cossard at Chassorney. Four hectares on four schist parcels at about 300 metres. L`Anodine, bottled only in magnum, comes from the oldest vines on ground that can only be worked by hand; Grenache Noir, Gris and Blanc with a touch of Carignan, spontaneous fermentation, barrel ageing, no added sulphur.
Reynald Héaulé, self-taught after time in Burgundy and with Claude Courtois, settled in 2002 at Cléry-Saint-André, south of Orléans, starting on half a hectare. He now farms about six hectares with some twenty often rare or forgotten varieties, planted at high density, organic with biodynamic inspiration. Native yeasts, no additives, gentle maceration, long ageing, up to 30 months in demi-muids in some vintages.
Vin de France La Guillaume XVIII NV Jean Maupertuis
Jean Maupertuis, a former computer scientist, bought a small parcel in 1992, studied oenology in Mâcon and now farms 3.8 hectares at Saint-Georges-sur-Allier and La Roche Noir, south-west of Clermont-Ferrand, on volcanic basalt and clay. Organic, native yeasts, no filtering or fining, little or no added sulphur. Louis Dressner calls him the original natural winemaker of Auvergne.
Valentin Vallès is a natural vigneron in Occitanie, bottling Vins de France from Rhône Valley fruit and Banyuls. Rollier blends Syrah, Grenache Noir and Cinsault.
