Mouvedre

Carole and Fabrice Martinez are members of the untraditional and naturel cooperative 'Les Vignerons des Estézargues' in the southern Rhône. Being a part of this coop means sharing the winery with like-minded colleagues, but still vinifying your own wine instead of blending everything to one uniform wine. Domaine des Fées is made from organic Grenache and Syrah, and although this wine is one of the cheaper wines in our portfolio, it is still a very delicious and clean example of the southern Rhône. Their first vintage was 2009, and they are organically certified.

Les Vignerons D’ Estézargues is a cooperative with a difference. The group of 10 vignerons in Gard in the South of Rhône share a winery and resources, but vinify their grapes separately, making cuvées instead of batches like most cooperatives. They also all make natural wine, which is extremely rare if not totally unique to Les Vignerons D’ Estézargues. Sharing a winery like this enables the vignerons to save a huge amount on winery overheads which is passed onto the consumer who gets amazing quality wines for a fraction of the price of most other wines.

Domaine Jean David is a small domaine in Séguret of Côtes du Rhône. When Jean David first turned his hands towards being a vigneron, he spoke to his father about the benefits of organic faming. His father, however, wasn't so sure, but after some persuasion he allowed Jean David to have 5 of his 17ha as a test patch. That was in the 1970's, and the rest is history. Jean David's father permitted him more and more hectares until the entire domain was certified organic by Ecocert ('87), allowing Jean David the freedom to progress with his philosophy.

In 1993, Philippe de Roy du Bliquy, an advertising mogul from Paris, was on the hunt for some vineyards and stumbled upon the then run-down Domaine de Villeneuve in the northern corner of Chateauneuf-du-Pape close to Chateau de Beaucastel. Together with a good friend, Stanislas Wallut and their families, they began restoring the 8.5ha, using biodynamic practices to heal the vines which are now certified Biodynamic by Ecocert. Only a small amount of vines had to be replanted, which means that nearly all of the vines are now between 30-100 years old.

From Bee Keeper to influential vigneron, Eric Pfifferling lives a life as close to nature as any. His work demonstrates energy, life and precise craftsmanship. Eric inherited 4ha of ancient vines from his grandmother in Southern Rhone's Tavel in 1988, later adding 3ha in Lirac. The soils are rich with gallets, identical to those found in neighbouring Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Initially Eric sold off his fruit to the local cooperative in Tavel, before deciding to making his own wine. After many trials, his first proper vintage was 2002. In the cellar, Eric is unique.

Alain Allier makes his wine in a small garage close to the Mouressipe mountains, the very same which used to be a vital lookout for the Romans; they probably even planted the vines. The vineyard covers 9ha in total of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Chardonnay and Chasselas on a limestone base with clay and blue marl. Alain only vinifies the fruit from 4 ha himself, offering the rest to the local coop. Alain's philosophy is simple: the more you do in the vineyard to create healthy, balanced fruit, the less you need to do in the winery.