Who: Cinta Moreso Galiana and Carlos Ingala What: Terra Alta / Gredos Where: Vilalba dels Arcs / El Tiemblo When: Since 2021 La Nave de los Locos is a new project by two young and super enthusiastic producers who are parlaying their love of wine and nature into production. Cinta is a translator and trained … Continue reading La Nave de los Locos
Appellation: VDF Cuvée: Brutal Rouge Colour: Red Grapes: Syrah 60, Muscat Petit Grains 40 About: Once upon a time Brutal was the name given to a very limited production wine made exclusively for the new restaurant in Barcelona in which Joan Ramon Escoda was a partner with his distributor Cuvée 3000. Since there was no … Continue reading Matassa Brutal Rouge
Appellation: VDF Cuvée: Coume de l’Olla Rouge Colour: Red Grapes: Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris and Macabeu About: Again named after the vineyard from which it comes, it’s all about easy drinking, juicy fruit, as natural and digestible as wine may be, but a structure to lift it far beyond the ordinary. Vines Location: down the … Continue reading Matassa Coume de l’Olla Rouge
Appellation: none Cuvée: Atikete Colour: Red Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache Noir in equal proportions, plus 10% Macabeu About: The name comes from the word for etiquette when it refers to dressing up for a special occasion. This wine is a bit different from the others being aged in wood for 18 months. The label … Continue reading Jordi Llorens Atikete
Appellation: Vin de France. Cuvée: Same River Twice. Colour: Red. Grapes: Grenache Noir 80%, Syrah 20%. About: This wine is a fresh take on a classic blend of Grenache Noir with a touch Syrah that expresses aromatic richness of place with fruit purity for freshness and drinkability. It’s made to capture the aromatic richness of … Continue reading Heliocentric Wines Same River Twice VDF Rouge
Who: James Dunstan What: Vin de France Where: Southern Rhône When: Since 2019 Same River Twice is our own wine project. We buy and blend and bottle wines from our vigneron friends to make wines we love to drink, and which are a bit different. Our goal is to make everyday drinking wines that express … Continue reading Same River Twice Wines
Appellation: IGP Côtes Catalanes. Cuvée: L’Extrême Blanc. Colour: White. Grapes: Grenache gris 70%, Grenache blanc 25%, Grenache noir 5%. About: Paul’s deepest wine, just 900 to 1200 bottles per year, comes from an extraordinary parcel. A surprisingly steep north-facing hillside planted over 100 years ago that struggles to yield even 10 hl/ha. Vines Location: at … Continue reading Les Clos Perdus Côtes Catalanes L’Extrême Blanc
Appellation: Vin de France. Cuvée: Lundi. Colour: Pink. Grapes: Grenache 60%, Cinsault 30%, Syrah 10%. About: more of a pale red, richly flavoured, and quite deeply coloured – especially by comparison with watery pale (and insipid) Côtes de Provence rosés. Remarkable salty acidity balances the deliciously ripe fruit without any cloyingness. It’s named after a … Continue reading Lundi VDF Rosé
Everything we know about Jean-Philippe Padié’s wines for now has been posted here! Jean-Philippe Padié makes some of most natural, pure, delicate and complex wines in the Roussillon from his biodynamically farmed vines sited on a mosaic of soils in Calce. Each Cuvée is a fabulous adventure.
Appellation: Vin de France. Cuvée: Gibraltar. Colour: Red. Grapes: Grenache Noir. About: this Cuvée and Pacha were born in 2014 out of the old Ciel Liquide Cuvée that is no more since 2012. It’s a great decision born of Jean-Philippe’s long, careful work in the vines to grow beautiful fruit. Gibraltar represents the celestial side … Continue reading Jean-Philippe Padié Gibraltar VDF
Appellation: Vin de France. Cuvée: Petit Taureau. Colour: Red. Grapes: Carignan Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre, exact blend depends on the year, see below. About: named after a song by Claude Nougaro from 1967 filled with references to wine, women and song, “Je suis un petit taureau…”. An extraordinary wine that captures the terroir, the Mediterranean, … Continue reading Jean-Philippe Padié Petit Taureau VDF
Appellation: Vin de France. Cuvée: Calice. Colour: Red. Grapes: Carignan, Mourvèdre, Grenache Noir, exact blend depends on the year, see below. About: pale in colour, fresh, light, soft, with a gentle and salty astringency, digestible, this wine is made for easy drinking yet has a very satisfactory depth of fruit, made in Jean-Philippe’s unique fashion … Continue reading Jean-Philippe Padié Calice VDF
Appellation: Vin de France. Cuvée: Tourbillon de la Vie Rouge. Colour: Red. Grapes: Grenache Noir. About: the Cuvée name means Roundabout of Life, and comes from a song by Jeanne Moreau in the celebrated film Jules et Jim by François Truffaut. The wine is a negociant wine from vineyards Jean-Philippe supervises and has made since … Continue reading Jean-Philippe Padié Tourbillon de la Vie VDF Rouge
Everything we know about Laurent Charvin’s wines for now has been posted here! Laurent Charvin is one of the greatest producers in all of France, crafting great Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes du Rhône unlike almost any others in these Appellations, bringing incredible freshness and elegance to the rich natural taste of the terroir.
Appellation: Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Cuvée: Rouge. Colour: Red. Grapes: Grenache 85%, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Vaccarèse, around 5% each. About: a classic of the Appellation and an outstanding southern French wine, an outstanding example of Grenache Noir. Every year the wine gets better and fully reflects the vintage. It’s fabulously rich, yet always refreshing and very elegant. Always … Continue reading Charvin Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Appellation: Côtes du Rhône. Cuvée: Rouge. Colour: Red. Grapes: Grenache 80%, Syrah 15%, Carignan 5%. About: as far from generic Côtes du Rhône as you could imagine, this is made from old Grenache Noir lying just outside the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Appellation. The vines are looked after with the same attention as the Châteauneuf and the wine … Continue reading Charvin Côtes du Rhône
Who: Laurent Charvin. What: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône, Rhône. Where: Orange, Vaucluse. When: Since 1850. The Story This small Domaine of 8ha of Châteauneuf and 15ha of Côtes du Rhône produces some of the finest and most elegant wines in the south of France. It’s one of the few estates in the Rhône valley that … Continue reading Charvin
Everything we know about Bois de Boursan’s wines for now has been posted here! Jean-Paul Versino is one of the few remaining producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape to work traditionally: a blend of all terroirs of the Appellation, very old vines, whole bunch fermentation with natural yeasts, minimal intervention and long ageing in foudre. He consistently produces … Continue reading Bois de Boursan information posted!
Appellation: Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Cuvée: des Félix. Colour: Red. Grapes: Grenache 75%, Mourvèdre 20%, Syrah 5%. About: both of Jean-Paul’s grandfathers were called Felix. He created this blend in 1995. In a blind tasting by collectors of 15 year-old 1998’s (a great year), published in the Wine Advocate in 2013 (but not tasted by Parker), the 1998 … Continue reading Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée des Félix
Appellation: Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Cuvée: Tradition. Colour: Red. Grapes: Grenache Noir 60 to 70% depending on the vintage, Mourvèdre around 10%, Syrah around 10% and all the others notably Cinsault, Counoise, and Vaccarèse. About: the way Châteauneuf-du-Pape used to be. As traditionally made as it gets, and all the more elegant for it. The key elements are … Continue reading Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tradition
Who: Jean-Paul Versino. What: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône. Where: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vaucluse. When: Since 1955. The Story Jean-Paul Versino is one of the most affable and enthusiastic vignerons we know. He’s also one of the few remaining producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape to work traditionally (a blend of all the terroirs of the Appellation, very old vines, whole bunch fermentation … Continue reading Bois de Boursan
Appellation: Vi de Taula. Cuvée: Brutalment. Colour: Red. Grapes: Mainly Grenache Noir and Syrah, then Sumoll red and white, Macabeu and Moscatel, depending on the year. About: another a la ancienne wine, a blend of red and white grapes, made wholly by whole bunch, limited production. The free history of the ‘brutal wine corporation’ comes … Continue reading Jordi Llorens Brutalment
Appellation: none Cuvée: Blankaforti Colour: Red Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache Noir, Syrah. It’s usually around 50% Cab and then 25% each Grenache and Syrah. About: Blankaforti means the wine from Blancafort and is representative of all of Jordi’s black grapes in his home commune. Where Jordi’s whites are delicate and water like, his reds are … Continue reading Jordi Llorens Blankaforti
Appellation: Vi de Taula. Cuvée: Les Paradetes. Colour: Red. Grapes: based on Grenache Noir and Carignan depending on the vintage, sometimes some Sumoll. About: the most intense and finessed of Joan Ramon’s reds, changing every year with the vintage conditions, a mirror of the year. A badger appears on the label. Vines Location: just north … Continue reading Escoda Les Paradetes
Appellation: Corbières. Cuvée: Prioundo. Colour: Red. Grapes: Grenache 80%, Cinsault 20%. About: Prioundo means “the beautiful valley” in the language of Oc, the “langue d’oc”. The wine wears an air of serenity. From a blend more typical of the Rhône than the Corbières, it’s beautifully fresh, floral and digestible. And zero sulphites. Vines Location: in the … Continue reading Les Clos Perdus Corbières Prioundo
Appellation: Languedoc. Cuvée: L’Année Rouge. Colour: Red. Grapes: Grenache 60%, Syrah 30%, Carignan 10%. About: a blend designed to tell the story of the year rather than selected parcels. Yet it always reflects the Clos Perdus style for rich fruit and vibrant energy. From 2018, there’s some purchased fruit, so the wines are released under … Continue reading Les Clos Perdus Languedoc L’Année Rouge
Appellation: Vin de France. Cuvée: Anima. Colour: Red. Grapes: Grenache noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre a third each. About: FX Dauré’s second, big red, but still typical of his style for freshness and digestibility. Made by whole bunch carbonic maceration without any extraction. Vines Location: just south of Espira in the Roussillon. Size: 1.5 hectares. Age: … Continue reading VDF Anima
Appellation: Vin de France Cuvée: Fleur de Carotte Colour: Red Grapes: Grenache Noir 100% About: the Cuvée name reflects Philippe’s love of literature that references agricultural life. The phrase comes from a novel by the great French writer Jean Giono “Que Ma Joie Demeure”. A peasant farmer is ploughing one night and marvels at the … Continue reading Philippe Badea VDF Fleur de Carotte
Appellation: Vin de France Cuvée: Les Chibanettes Colour: Red Grapes: Grenache Noir 100% About: the Cuvée name comes from the colloquial and charming word for old folk in the Magreb of North Africa. Badea’s own name has Romanian roots and also means old folk, coincidentally. The old school character of the wine is driven by … Continue reading Philippe Badea VDF Les Chibanettes
Appellation: Vin de France Cuvée: Libre Comme l’Air Colour: Red Grapes: Grenache Noir 100% About: Means free as the air. This Cuvée was made without any added sulfites for the first time in 2017. So there’s a looser, less structured feel to the wine, a little bit untamed fruit character. The fruit is selected from … Continue reading Philippe Badea VDF Libre Comme l’Air
Appellation: Vin de France Cuvée: La Foulée des Zinzins Colour: Red Grapes: Grenache Noir 100% About: The Badea’s sweetly priced entry level wine. The name means a bunch of “loonies” in a nice way, with a nod to the crushing of grapes. It’s what their friends called them when they announced their intention to start … Continue reading Philippe Badea VDF La Foulée des Zinzins
Who: Agnes and Philippe Badea What: Vin de France, Southern Rhône Where: Tulette, Drome When: Since 2012 The Story Husband and wife Agnes and Philippe Badea, both natives of Provence, worked at Domaine Jean David for many years, Philippe for nearly twenty years and Agnes continues to work there. Jean David, in Seguret, one of … Continue reading Philippe Badea
