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Saint Auguste is a selection of the best cuvées of Syrah, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Merlot. The robe is rich dark purple with bright ruby highlights. It offers alluring aromas of ripe black cherries, nutmeg and clove. It is full and concentrated and is a wine that can be enjoyed upon release and over the following ten to fifteen years. -
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Craig and Carla Hawkins launched Testalonga in the north of Swartland, South Africa in 2008. They are part of a revolutionary ground swell taking place in South African wine, where traditions are being challenged and brave new territory is being explored. The painfully small amount of wine that this duo produces gets snapped up in short order the world over. Known for their striking intensity and nervy energy, Craig and Carla's wines are on the cutting edge of the natural wine movement in their country.This is the lightest, daintiest version of Carignan one could imagine. It's got more in common with, say a Jura rouge or something Cab-Franc-like out of the Loire Valley than a classic Rhone red.It's fresh, racy, filled with character and seasoned with a little wildness. Great with on summer afternoon, first courses, seasoned vegetables. Enjoy -
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The Carminucci company, with its 90 years of history, is inserted in the wonderful wine landscape of the Marche, a region that gives powerful emotions thanks to its landscapes and a geographical conformation that allows it to have very particular climatic excursions. Kissed by the Adriatic and pampered by the hills, this region, rich in native vines and wine culture, offers a wine obtained from a blend rich in charm such as Rosso Piceno, which we tasted in its "superior" version. Montepulciano, combined with Sangiovese, ages in small and large barrels to bring to the table a product with marked minerality and softness, strength and structure, always sweetened by fresh notes that make it unique in its characteristics. The color is rich in anthocyanins, the light is unable to penetrate the richness of color of this red wine, but the first impact on the nose makes it less austere than you might imagine. Ample in its aromas of red fruit and slightly spicy in sweet notes, Carminucci's Rosso Piceno is a pleasant wine from the first sip for its authenticity and balance. If you leave it in your mouth for a moment, warm Mediterranean flavors emerge combined with a pleasant note of licorice, a balanced alcohol that has a strong but never invasive structure. Its harmony is given by the set of sensations and gustatory touches, a frank and very balanced wine, it combines the sapidity of the area with an acidity that leads it to be a long-lived wine with excellent resistance over time. Excellent with red meats or game. -
Broc Cellars is an organic urban winery located in Berkeley, California. The owner/winemaker is Chris Brockway, a minimalist who produces the most natural wines he can. Grapes are sourced only from sustainably, organically, or biodynamically-farmed old vine vineyards. Fruit all comes from Green valley in Solano County right on the eastern edge of Napa Valley. Grapes are pitchforked whole-cluster into the fermenters, and fermentation is allowed to happen spontaneously in a blend of old wood barrels, steel tanks, and concrete. All wines are basket pressed with little/no sulphur used until bottling.. An extremely pretty and approachable red that has a fruity, floral nose, a fresh, light palate with a serious finish. Interesting Cabernet Franc approach, so easy to drink that is almost gulpable. Unusual but a must try, definitely one of our favourites -
The El Bandito The Dark Side 2017 by Testalonga comes from Shiraz vineyards from the early 2000s - the vines are still in full bloom, but thanks to the low yield, they are already delivering phenolic grapes. The vineyards are cultivated by Craig with no herbicites, pesticides or fungicites. He also does without artificial irrigation. These measures alone have a positive effect on the quality of the grapes and keep the yield low. After hand-picking, the grapes are fermented spontaneously with the vineyard's own yeast and matured in 3000l wooden barrels. After expansion, it is neither fined nor filtered and filled with minimal sulfur. The Testalonga El Bandito The Dark Side has a deep dark color with a black core. It smells of red berries and dark stone fruits, of cloves, mocha and cocoa beans as well as tart spiciness. On the palate it has a present tannin and a fine interplay of acids. In terms of alcohol, the Shiraz is quite slim and straight, but still brings a weighty body into play. The finish is long and dominated by the heavier aromas. The El Bandito The Dark Side Shiraz demands air, so give it a few hours in the carafe before serving it slightly chilled from large glasses with roasted game, braised lamb or an oven-baked bean stew with roasted butter crumbs and thyme. -
Miguel Torres Cordillera Carignan is a 100% Carignan, sourced from old, dry vineyard in the Maule Valley. Miguel Torres acquired a small winery in Curicó, in the Chilean central valley, in 1979. It was the first foreign company to back Chilean vineyard production. The excellent climate conditions for cultivating grapevines, with great temperature differences between night and day and lands are free of the grape phylloxera, have contributed to the fact that sublime wines are being made in lands from where one can view the greatness of the Andes, crowned by snow and a noble beauty. As of 2010 Miguel Torres Chile is directed by Miguel Torres Maczassek, a fifth generation Torres winemaker who moved to Chile with his family in order to maintain the tradition and passion for winemaking that the Torres family has demonstrated for over a hundred years. Some of the Carignan vines in the Maule Valley from which this wine is made are up to 80 years old and are some of the world’s oldest. Opaque, intense ruby red color. Floral and fruit aromas with toasty oak imparted undertones. The palate is big and unfolds beautifully. Here the notes perceived on the nose are complemented by hints of bay leaf and mint. Ideal with patés, duck confit, rice with meat or vegetables, roast or barbecued beef, ragouts and beef stews. -
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This attractive wine has its origin in the coolest vineyards located near the Douro River. The soil is sandy-loam with a slight gravel content. This gives it a very characteristic freshness that, combined with its aging in the barrel for 5 months (50% French and 50% American), gives rise to a wine with great personality and marked fruity nuances. Intense, bright cherry color. Very intense aroma with marked fruity sensations of blackberry and blueberries perfectly integrated with a quality wood that surrounds everything. Good structure and good fruity expression on the palate, powerful and with ripe tannins. An Oak from Ribera del Duero that you cannot miss. -
Moment of Silence is a South African wine made by superstar wine maker Pieter Walser. He buys in the fruit to make this blended wine of Viognier, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay. It has been aged in old oak and it is a rich, powerful wine. Some of the fruit comes from vineyards which are over 50 years old.Stunning, all rounder, there is nothing you can fault in this wine. Aromas of candied lemon, cooked apple and mango with a core of minerality. Soft and voluptuous, it has a lovely ripeness and a fleshy, creamy mouthfeel, which leads to a perfect tangy freshness giving some zip to its otherwise mellow feel. -
The 2019 Cotes du Rhone Brézème is a big, well structured wine that retains the freshness and lively character always present in this cuvee. The wine was vinified naturally, without added sulfur. The wine shows vivid aromas of blackberry and black cherry with hints of musk, blueberry, earth and citrus. The palate is deep and textured with earthy black fruits, bitter chocolate and mineral flavours, quite pure and long. Serve now, slightly chilled, with grilled meats, tagines and full-flavored cheeses, or cellar fo five to ten years or more. -
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Zorzal, the Argentinian wine brand, was established in 2008, to reflect the immense wine potential of the Gualtallary region to the entire world. Ever since its inception, the group has been working hard so that the wines created here are true representations of the unique natural extravaganza of the Gualtallary region. Located in Tupungato towards the north of the Uco Valley in the Mendoza Province, this region is known for its high-altitude vineyards. Here, the vineyards are planted at a height of around 1200 to 1600m above sea level, which makes them the best place to produce terroir wines, the speciality of the Zorzal label. The Zorzal winery is set up in such a way that it uses sophisticated technology to ensure that the grapes are processed naturally with minimal use of machinery. The winery is constructed on four levels, to allow for natural transportation of the grapes with the help of gravity, so that the dependence on pumps would be reduced to a considerable extent. The use of roll fermenters, cement eggs and other advanced machinery for the grinding, fermenting and guarding processing ensure that the flavor and intensity of the fruits are retained even when the wines are bottled. The temperature-controlled French oak barrels, foudres and cement eggs used in the winery, help to keep the balance, purity, life and minerality of the wines intact. The Eggo line of wines is the modern range of wines that use cement eggs for fermentation and ageing. The conceptual range of wines aren’t limited by the Gualtallary region and are created by passionate winemakers. -
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Ricardo Alves and Frederico Machado visited Bemposta for the first time together in 2017. They were on the Portuguese back roads in the Parque Natural das Arribas do Douro, with its wealth of ancient, indigenous and largely forgotten grapevines chaotically perched on the extreme slopes on the Douro river gorge, when they came upon the perfect location for their life project, the place to which they would commit their youth. They set out to rediscover and revitalize an ancient wine culture whose local home winegrowers have just barely kept the faint bloodline of their vinous history from extinction. Trás-os-Montes is a large, but not too well known, wine region of north eastern Portugal (Translation: behind the Mountains), is where the Arribas Wine Company are based and both are very passionate have been making some very interesting wines. Saroto Tinto is made from a small, old parcel of vines comprised of old-fashioned red and white Douro varieties. The resultant wine is full of wild forest fruit, lots of berries with a kick of natural sourness. Plenty of fresh acidity adds juiciness and balances the rustic, grippy tannins, making for quite a light red. Earthy minerality adds extra complexity and the finish is long and moreish. Its bottled unfined and unfiltered so may have natural sediment in the bottle. -
Casa Ferreirinha, was acquired by Sogrape Vinhos in 1987, its wines are synonymous with time and art. This has happened since its foundation, in the 18th century, by the hand of Bernardo Ferreira, who saw the formula refined by his descendants, especially by his granddaughter Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira, who affectionately became known as "Ferreirinha" or "Ferreirinha-da-Régua" for the people of that land. Through the hands of Dona Antónia, who twice widowed herself at the head of a large company, Ferreira consolidated itself admirably. Her entrepreneurial spirit taught her to foresee, decide, create, teach and love, making her a figure of great projection and charisma. Barca Velha is the result of the passion of Fernando Nicolau de Almeida (Casa Ferreirinha Head Winemaker in 1952), who envisioned a high quality Douro Red Wines made with the aging potential of Vintage Ports. The first harvest was 1952. Barca Velha is only released in exceptional years, current head winemaker Luis Sottomayor began his career at this house as an apprentice learning directly from Fernando Nicolau D'Almeida. ''2011 was an extraordinary year-one of the best ever in Douro-Intense and exceptional quality. When this wine was born, we soon realized that it would be destined for Barca-Velha”. But even so, it was necessary to pass the great test of time with distinction. In the barrels, first, and then in the bottle, it was followed and evaluated over nine years, until the final decision was made. -
Històric Negre is a red wine from the D.O. Priorat, produced by the Terroir al Límit winery.All the wines at Terroir Al Límit are elaborated practicing sustainable viticulture, with a great respect for the nature and its surroundings. The wines are organically farmed following ecological principles. Respect of the environment makes itself throughout the winemaking process, from the grape harvest down to the bottling. The grapes are hand harvested and hand sorted both in the vineyards an the Cellar. Since its beginning in 2004, Terroir Al Limit has reached a highly respected status not only in the region but also worldwide, producing wines of highest purity and maximum expression of terroir.
Made from mostly Garnacha with the remaining quarter being Cariñena the fruit is sourced from vineyards in nine of the historic Priorat villages. The fruit is put in cement tanks, gently crushed and then essentially left to ferment with as little interference as possible. Super elegant wine, with a lot of character and honest expression of the one most iconic regions in Spain.
Decant it for 2 hours, enjoy it with great food or on its own -
Since 1481, the Chave family has been lording the soils of the Hermitage. Probably they are amongst the best visionaries and observers of the French wines in general. The vineyards are cultivated organically, with methods that favor very low yields and full ripeness, followed by minimal intervention in the winemaking process. The family's pride and joy is the Syrah planted on the fabled hill of Hermitage, but their wines from Saint-Joseph, a small nearby village devoted to the same grape, are a close second and represent distinct value. Syrah here doesn't taste like the bombastic syrah of California or Australia; rather, it's smoky, savory, and tastes like blackberries and black pepper. -
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The history of the Porro family is closely related to Langhe and Doljani. In Monforte d'alba lies the Ribote farm, where the best dolcetto wines are born, structured, complex and long-lasting. In this land there is a monastery where you guessed it monks lived for hundred of years. This monastery is divided in two parts, one is where the father of Fabrizio Porro (Bruno Porro) lives and the other is where the famous artist Gianni Gallo used to live. Monks knew where to find the best lands, hidden from prying eyes and rich in water resources. The Ribote farm has a natural amphitheater that is protected from all directions from the wind and creates a special micro climate and has spring frost that is super important for the vines. Ribote vineyards cover 25 hectares, a single ownership of such a large area is not often found in the Langhe. This moment, as well as the absence of neighbors, simplifies the issue of biological viticulture. As Fabrizio explains ''“I would like to get a bio certificate, but my father adheres to a different philosophy, he always says that we are the first to suffer from chemical fertilizers in the vineyards, so they should be eliminated. In addition, we want to leave the land healthy for future generations, not to engage in marketing gimmicks.'' The Nebbiolo grape does not travel well and is high maintenance, which is why it has never thrived quite as well elsewhere as on the Piemontese slopes. Like its top contender, Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo takes kindly to its terroir, thus displaying the subtleties of its environment. The white soils that host the Ribote vineyards are a mixture of limestone, clay and sand. Dolcetto, barbera, nebbiolo, arneis and viognier are cultivated. The area next to the winery is characterized by red soils, which are considered more suitable for barbera. The main variety of Doljani is the Dolcetto, which shows excellent results here. Different clones are planted, but a preference is given to the red-footed dolcetto, which has small berries and a long bunch with one shoulder. In August, the end of the bunch and the shoulder are cut off and discarded, because these berries have a very high acidity, which is considered excessive. 2016 was a rainy and difficult year, which has the advantage of being ready to drink earlier. Pair it with meats, game and cheeses. -
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Fourth project of Bodegas Forlong (Cádiz). Vineyard consists of albariza soils in the Pago de “el Forlon” in Balbaina Baja, located in the coastal area of Puerto de Santa Maria, 7 km from the sea. Takes advantage of the proximity of the sea, and the purity of the albariza, as well as the local salt-peters which impart saline, chalky character to the grapes. The Tintilla de Rota grape, a native variety of the area, already existed on the farm along with the rest of the grapes, but they did not give it any value at the beginning, to the point that the first year they even gave it away. Once they discovered its potential "we almost pulled our hair at the thought that we had been giving it away." Has limited production of 2700 Bottles. As it is a native variety, they wanted to reflect it in some way on the label, and what better way than to put a native animal like the chameleon, which needs albariza soils that are easy to move to bury its eggs. Their long and rolled tongue is a reflection of Rocío and Alejandro's adventure of "rolling the blanket over their heads" when making a quality organic wine with Tintilla de Rota. Its vinification is carried out in clay jars, thus being a different wine. Pair it with entrecote steak, slow-cooked lamb, suckling pig, BBQ and grilled meats, porcini mushrooms, Jerusalem artichokes, hard cheeses, olives, jamón de pata negra. -
The wine owes its name to the port city of Porto, but comes from the Douro Valley. Here you will find one of the most spectacular wine landscapes in the world with terraced vineyards on steep slopes. It is scorching hot in summer, freezing cold in winter. The Douro Valley was already demarcated in 1756, making it the oldest regulated area of origin in the world. Port itself is a fortified wine. By interrupting the fermentation by adding wine alcohol, the wine retains its residual sugars and also gets its relatively high alcohol percentage. Port does not stand for a single wine, but for a whole series of wines. Wines with very different styles and tastes due to differences in the blending and aging of the base wines. In 1636 Nicolau Kopkë settled in Portugal as 'consul general' (a kind of representative) of the Hanseatic League, a partnership between merchants and cities, during the Middle Ages. Two years later, the first bottles of wine were shipped to Northern Europe. And when Nicolau bought a farm in the Douro in 1781, he changed from buyer to producer. Port wine soon became the focus of the company. Kpke now is one of the oldest Port Wine House. Recognized by the variety and distinction of its Ports, Kopke represents in XXI century a symbol of quality and prestige. LBV stands for Late Bottle Vintage and is the result of single year's harvest of superior quality, aged in oak Vats. Balancing the intensity of flavours, the Late Bottled Vintage Port is the ideal choice to serve with main courses of meat, like filet mignon encrusted four peppers and veal cutlet with Bérnaise sauce. Its versatility knows no borders, being perfect to combine with an exuberant cheesecake of chocolate mint, a pear and chocolate mille-feuille or simply to enjoy with cheeses of medium intensity. -
A Vintage Port is only declared in years of exceptional quality. Quinta do Vesuvio is arguably the most magnificent estate in the Douro valley. Located in the beautiful and austere Port-growing region of the Upper Douro valley, its history dates back to the 16th Century. “The quinta of all quintas – one of the wonders of the world”. At Vesuvio, the work of man and the work of nature achieve a perfect and enduring harmony. More than anywhere else in the Douro it has a haunting and enchanting beauty; when you leave it, you take with you a sense of the place that does not fade with time. Quinta do Vesuvio 2016 will surely make any lunch or dinner a memorable one. It is a fabulous accompaniment to chocolate desserts, such as chocolate pudding, but can also be enjoyed on its own - it is an experience in itself. -
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Founded in 2008 to promote the un-explored wine region of Gualtallary. The project is benefitting from investment in the best equipment and team possible. This new project is based on traditional winemaking, with medium scale production. Juan Pablo Michelini is responsible for the core of the concept, which revolves around majority of work being done in the vineyards. This combined with minimal intervention winemaking, best reflects the Gualtallary terroir.
Gualtallary is a remote place in the pre Andes, located in the Tupungato Department in the Northernmost sector of the Uco Valley in Mendoza. It is the highest altitude zone in the region, 1,200 to 1,600m above the sea level.
It has alluvial, primarily sandy soils with calcareous deposit and sectors with a presence of smooth round granitic riverbed stones, covered by calcium carbonate. The vineyard where this variety is grown is situated 1300 metres above sea level. It is a young vineyard, planted on chalky soils, with a very pronounced slope. This helps to keep the ground healthy, because there is no accumulation of water or frosts. The climate is mountainous, so we have a very wide temperature range, resulting in grapes with thicker skins considering it is a Pinot Noir.
The wines have lively, slightly austere profile, reflecting the soils and the altitude of the area. This hand harvested, single vineyard from Gualtallary is 100% Pinot Noir and is completely un-oaked to let the fruit driven quality of the wine shine. Great with and without food
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This wine is a gem in the middle of great wines produced in the renowned region of Napa Valley. Grapes are meticulously picked from the best parts of the different vineyards belonging to the estate. Great investment wine, with a fantastic long drinking window. The 2018 growing season in Napa Valley was marked by cool, mild weather. The cooler than normal spring delayed bud break, bloom and veraison by two weeks compared to the previous five years. The mild weather patterns in August and September allowed for excellent overall phenological ripening and development of a complex aroma and flavor profile in the finished wines. Outstanding flavor development and color were key indicators of this exceptional vintage. The winery was founded in 1973 by Joseph Phelps, a successful construction executive and entrepreneur whose early interest in wine led him to establish vineyards on a 670-acre former cattle ranch in Napa Valley. Over the next 42 years Joe became one of the most respected figures in the California wine industry, building Joseph Phelps Vineyards into a critically-acclaimed winery internationally known for its iconic wines and unwavering commitment to quality. Every wine in the Joseph Phelps portfolio is 100% estate-grown, overseen from grape to bottle by our dedicated winegrowing team. The family owns and farms 390 acres of vines in Napa Valley on eight estate vineyards in St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, the Stags Leap District, the Oak Knoll District, South Napa and Carneros, as well as 100 acres over two vineyards on the western Sonoma Coast. Strategically chosen over many decades, each vineyard has its own personality and brings a different characteristic to their wines. Their commitment to the estate-grown model is their way of ensuring consistency and the highest quality that can be achieved. Having estate vineyards give the winemaking teams unparalleled depth and diversity when it comes to producing Joseph Phelps wines. Only 12,400 cases were produced. -
That of the Mazzei is one of the longest and most structured stories that wine Tuscany can give. A story that has as its fulcrum the Chianti Classico and precisely the Castello di Fonterutoli; today a modern cellar with 117 hectares of vineyards for a production of 800,000 bottles. But also a story, made up of great personalities such as, to stay in the near future, Lapo Mazzei, in a period of strong changes, at the same time lays the foundations of today's company. Today, at the helm of this company are the sons Filippi and Francesco who over time have achieved significant goals and given the company a broader scope starting with some acquisitions, even outside Tuscany. In the mid-90s, however, the Belguardo estate project in Maremma was born, with 34 hectares of vineyards. From here comes a non-trivial variation of Vermentino, now it has become the main vine of the Tuscan coast. The white Vermentino "Codice V" of the Belguardo estate of the Mazzei family is a wine born in the heart of the Maremma, on the hills of Grosseto and Montiano. The vines were planted with Vermentino clones originating from Corsica, on loose soils with a predominantly sandy matrix, facing south, south-west. Fermentation takes place in steel tanks at low temperatures and for 20% of the mass in terracotta dolium with maceration on the skins for 4 months. Before final assembly and bottling, the wine rests in steel and terracotta for a few months. on the hills of Grosseto and Montiano. Recommended with fish and white meat savoury dishes, risotto, porcini mushrooms. A tutti! -
Pieter Walser from Blankbottle has got to be one of the most interesting, inspired, and avant-garde winemakers there is. His wine background mounts to college when he drove past a winery that had bottles with no labels on offer and he could only afford 3 cases. Went back and sold the 3 at a profit. That very moment started a fascinating story that would inspire any of us. As per his own words: “Moment of Silence predominantly comes from a farm in Wellington called Twyfeling. Boberg is situated on a farm right next to Twyfeling and literally looks onto the vineyards of Twyfeling. Now Twyfeling was owned by my direct family seven generations ago. So on the label it shows 7 generations with Boberg overlooking all seven generations of the Hauptfleisch family. 2015 was the first year that I bought the grapes from this Vineyard. The Farmer calls the vineyard BOBERG, which means “on top of the Mountain”. It was a neglected little vineyard, old bush vines with no irrigation. The farmer identified it as a site with potential and started with a restoration process. The vineyard grows in decomposed granitic soil in Wellington. The site is cooler than the others in the area. -
Founded in 1955, this co-operative is comprised of 200 members with 550 hectares of vineyards around Nizza Monferrato. This is an excellent area for Barbera, which constitutes over 60% of the grapes that are harvested and crushed by this co-op. In Alba, the best sites are given to Nebbiolo, but in Asti this privilege is afforded to Barbera. Director and winemaker Giovanni Chiarle oversees all aspects of production and is determined to make wines that fully express the quality of the grapes that he harvests. This wine is made from grapes from the oldest vines grown on the co-op’s best sites. After fermentation, the wine is aged for a period of around six months in large Slavonian oak and then blended to make a wine that is vibrant and, at the same time, structured and long, a worthy example of a Barbera Superiore from Nizza. Delicious with pizza, grilled lamb cutlets or pasta with meaty sauces. Also perfect with strong hard cheeses. -
Located in Crouttes-sur-Marne, about 25km east of Meaux, the Bourgeois Diaz vineyard comprises 6.80 hectares of vines, of which 3.5 hectares are planted with Pinot Meunier, 2 with Pinot Noir and 1.3 with Chardonnay. The vines are on average 40 years old and have their roots in soils of clay, silt and chalk . Jérôme is the fourth generation of winegrowers on his father's side. His wife Charlotte, joined the estate in 2016, and today plays an important role in overseeing the estate, helping to develop the quality of the Champagnes. No pesticides, no chemical fertilizers, no technological manipulation, the wines of Jérôme and Charlotte are not only cared for, they are loved. The estate has been certified in organic and biodynamic viticulture since 2014. The biodynamic preparations 5 00P (twice a year) and 501 (3 to 4 times a year) are combined with low doses of copper and sulfur, horsetail decoctions, nettle, wicker, meadowsweet, chamomile, yarrow herbal teas, etc. Green manures are sown every other row, and an agro-forestry project was launched in 2019 (planting of 50 trees in a plot of 45 ares). Most of the work is done manually, foot by foot, to bring the maximum attention to the vines, which explains why the estate employs almost one person per hectare year-round. The harvest is manual, and most of the pickers are regulars, knowing the terroir and the state of mind of the estate. The bunches are harvested when ripe and sorted, so as to bring in grapes only in perfect sanitary condition. Disgorged on 01/12/2019 after 5 years of ageing, this non-dosed brut nature Champagne is straight, ample and deep, with great complexity brought by the long aging in the bottle Pair it with Lobster, bar carpaccio, lean tartare, Saint-Pierre, sweetbreads. Salut!!
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