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Vin Nature

Patrick Bouju – Domaine La Bohème (Auvergne)

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Patrick Bouju – Domaine La Bohème (Auvergne) Domaine La Bohème, led by Patrick Bouju, is located in the Auvergne in the village of St Georges sur Allier near Clermont Ferrand a historic yet often overlooked wine region in central France, defined by its volcanic geology and continental climate. Vineyards are spread across sites around the Puy-de-Dôme, where basalt, lava, and volcanic ash soils play a crucial role in shaping the wines’ tension, mineral expression, and natural acidity. The region sits at relatively high altitude (often between 400–600 meters), with strong diurnal temperature variation. These conditions slow ripening, preserve freshness, and contribute to moderate alcohol levels—an essential factor in the vibrancy and drinkability of Bouju’s wines. Rainfall is balanced, and wind exposure helps maintain healthy vineyards despite minimal treatments. Patrick Bouju works with a mix of estate and long-term partner growers, focusing on old vines planted to Gamay d’Au...
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Delrieu-Ducleux in the heart of Anjou Noir

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Delrieu-Ducleux in the heart of Anjou Noir: Delrieu-Ducleux is a small, low-intervention domaine based in Faveraye-Mâchelles, Anjou (Loire Valley), working schist-rich vineyards in the heart of Anjou Noir. The project was born from the meeting of Julien Delrieu and Thibault Ducleux, whose shared background in natural wine, farming, and fermentation led to a collaborative vision rooted in terroir expression and precision. The two met while working within the Loire natural wine scene and quickly aligned around a common philosophy: organic viticulture, minimal intervention in the cellar, and wines defined by energy rather than force. Julien began the project by farming and planting vineyards in Anjou; Thibault joined later, formalising the domaine and expanding both vineyard work and vinification. The estate farms approximately 4 hectares, primarily planted to Chenin Blanc, alongside Grolleau, Cabernet Franc and some Cabernet Sauvignon, on soils dominated by schist with clay ...
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Domaine de l’Iserand – The Vertical Purity of Saint-Joseph

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In the steep hills of Sécheras, in the northern Rhône, Jean-François Malsert tends his vines like a craftsman sculpting granite. His Domaine de l’Iserand , founded in 2011, is small, rugged, and quietly uncompromising — a few hectares of Syrah, Marsanne, and Roussanne clinging to schist and granite soils overlooking the Rhône Valley. Malsert farms organically and works with a mule on the most difficult slopes, following a rhythm closer to nature than to commerce. In the cellar, everything is gentle: indigenous yeasts, whole-cluster ferments, amphora, concrete, and minimal sulphur . The goal is purity and expression — wines that taste of where they come from, not what’s done to them. The reds, especially the Saint-Joseph “Les Sabots de Coppi” , are all about lifted fruit, pepper, and mineral tension rather than weight or extraction. The whites, like “Rodéo” , made from Marsanne and Roussanne, carry herbal notes, texture, and a quiet depth that lingers. 2023 Domaine de l'Iserand Sai...
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Champagne Clandestin / Champagne Solemme / Champagne Ruppert-Leroy - Villers-aux-Nœuds - Essoyes - Buxières-sur-Arce and Landreville

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  Champagne Clandestin: The Secret Revolution in the Côte des Bar Founded in the mid-2010s by Benoît Doussot, a Burgundian winemaker, in collaboration with Bertrand Gautherot of Vouette & Sorbée, Clandestin is a Champagne project born out of curiosity and conviction. Doussot came from Burgundy, not Champagne — and that’s exactly what makes his approach so refreshing. The name Clandestin (“hidden” or “secret”) reflects both the spirit of independence and the origin of the grapes themselves. These are not the famous, postcard-perfect slopes of Champagne, but rather lesser-known parcels tucked away in the southern reaches of the region, the Côte des Bar — particularly around Buxières-sur-Arce and Landreville . Champagne Clandestin stands as a quiet rebellion — one that values terroir, transparency, and authenticity above the polished glamour of the grandes maisons. The Philosophy: Natural by Nature Clandestin’s vineyards are farmed organically and biodynamically, reflecting a...
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2017 in Burgundy, what Vin Vivant is doing

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Press used to say 2017 in Burgundy is a vintage to enjoy: charming, open-knit, and generous, with whites that are precise and reds that are fragrant and fluid.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ For lovers of natural wine, it's a year that gives authenticity without austerity; bottles that sing of terroir while remaining utterly drinkable. I opened three bottles of Burgundy, all from the 2017 vintage and all from natural producers. Drinking them gave me a real sense of what this year is about and why it's worth paying attention to, especially if you love wines that speak with clarity and immediacy. 2017 might not go down as a "great" Burgundy year, but after three bottles, I can say it's one of the most enjoyable to drink right now after 8 years, and you can keep more in the cellar. It's a vintage that rewards curiosity, where the point isn't to analyze but to share, pour, and enjoy. 2017...
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Twin Spirits of the Rhône: Tradition and Terroir in Cornas and Saint-Péray

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In the southern reaches of the northern Rhône, tucked between granite hills and windswept limestone ridges, lie two characterful yet contrasting appellations: Cornas and Saint-Péray . Though separated by only a few kilometers, and in some cases, by a vineyard path, their personalities could hardly be more different. One is fiercely red, the other quietly white. One has a legacy of rustic intensity, the other of sparkling nobility fallen into quiet obscurity, only to be reborn through stillness. Both, however, are shaped by terroir as much as tradition , and today, both are being reshaped by a new wave of winemakers unafraid to innovate within the lines of heritage. Cornas: Where Granite Bleeds Syrah Cornas has always been a wine of the land. Its name, derived from the Celtic cornasse , meaning “burnt land,” speaks to its sun-drenched, south-facing slopes carved into an amphitheater of ancient granite . This decomposed granite, or gore , crumbles underfoot and drains fast, stressing ...
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vin nature & vin vivant

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Vin nature is a wine made exclusively from healthy, pure grapes, completely free from chemicals and synthetic products. It undergoes no corrections, with only naturally occurring sulfites from the grapes themselves. I have always enjoyed wines made without intervention, staying away from the conventional industrial enological approach. I find wines made with conventional techniques quite boring-they all seem alike. You'd have to study hard to distinguish a Grüner Veltliner from Kamptal and an Albariño from the O Rosal subzone in Rías Baixas in a blind tasting. On the other hand, the character and expression of the terroir shine through intensely, even if there's some degree of volatile acidity (V.A.), a natural byproduct of fermentation that, in small amounts, can add vibrancy and complexity. Similarly, hints of Brettanomyces (Brett), a wild yeast, can introduce earthy, spicy, or animalistic notes that contribute to a wine's depth. These elements elevate the wine and enhanc...
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