Matej makes exclusively natural wines and he loves to experiment with various grapes, from native ones to more recognizable ones like Merlot. He follows only his instinct and relentless exploration. This produces singular and pretty much always delicious wines. When we say "natural", some of you may expect funkiness (which we are not opposed to), but this one has none. This Merlot has a seductive freshness. It is well balanced with good acidity that will allow it to age gracefully for many more years, but it's unlikely you'll have the patience even if you keep reordering!
"Escaravay" means beetle in the local Occitan language. It was the nickname given by the villagers to the 17th century owners of the land. Made with Grenache and Syrah grapes, growing on old vines, La Ponce is the property's marquis wine. The maceration is long, and it is left to age in concrete tanks and then barrels for 18 months before bottling. The wine is powerful and structured with notes of thyme and leather. As always, open the wine at least a couple of hours before serving. This is not a wine for aperitif. Serve it a little chilled to enjoy the balance and pair it with food that holds its own!
The genius "Beaujolais nouveau" marketing idea undermined for a long time the ability of the really good Beaujolais to get the respect they're due. But, it's no longer a secret. Morgon is one of ten crus within the Beaujolais region and our favorite. The 100% Gamay grapes are vinified with their native yeast without using any SO2. This wine is pleasant and we mean this in the best possible way. During the blind tasting session that it emerged from, one of the participants asked everyone else: "would you finish this bottle sip by sip with a friend?" The unanimous answer was YES. Serve chilled, excellent for aperitif.
This 100% Sauvignon blanc is an elegant illustration of the Loire Valley sauvignons. Made from a blend of grapes organically farmed on a variety of soils: clay, flint, sand and limestone. It is aged in steel tanks for 6 months and filtered before bottling. Drink cool and it'll still be good - if not better - the next day.
The grape Viognier, made famous by the appellation "Condrieu" in the Rhone Valley, is typically easily recognizable for its distinctive fruity taste. This Viognier is different, it is the type of wine that is hard to pinpoint and you just give in to its simple elegance and complexity. It is a testament to the talent of Remi Vendôme, who makes only delicious wines in an appellation which thanks to his hard work - and others - will one day be famous too.
We do not mean any disrespect, but this is not a German Moselle Riesling that the word "Moselle" usually evokes in the US. First of all, it is from the French bank of Moselle, where people make drier wines. And then, it is a delightfully surprising blend of Auxerrois, Müller-Thurgau and Pinot Gris. The result is to put it simply "Très bon". They even agree on the other side of the border. You will scratch your head, wondering of which other wine you loved it reminds you.