Two expressions of Pinot, shaped by place, precision and beauty. Yannick Meckert & Fabrizio Niccolaini

Two expressions of Pinot, shaped by place, precision and beauty. 

From the Tuscan coast, the 2019 Aia Vecchia Massa Vecchia offers a darker, more sun-kissed interpretation-silky yet structured, with depth, wild herbs, and a savoury edge. 

In the rugged hills of the Alta Maremma, Massa Vecchia stands as one of the earliest and most uncompromising expressions of Italian natural wine. Founded in 1985 by Fabrizio Niccolaini, the estate quickly moved away from conventional winemaking, embracing a radical philosophy: no additives, no selected yeasts, no temperature control—often not even sulphur. Wine, here, is not something to be constructed, but something to be accompanied.

Surrounded by forests and rooted in mineral-rich soils, the vineyards produce wines that  feel alive—sometimes volatile, often textural, always expressive. Sangiovese, Malvasia, and Trebbiano take on a different voice in this environment: earthy, saline, herbal, occasionally unpredictable. These are not polished wines, but they carry a depth and energy that place Massa Vecchia among the foundational names of Italy’s natural wine movement.

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After stepping away from the estate, Niccolaini retreated further into a more intimate and radical project: Aia Vecchia (Podere Aia Vecchia). If Massa Vecchia challenged the system, Aia Vecchia quietly exists outside of it. Set at around 700 metres altitude, on a tiny parcel of land, the project is less a winery than a self-sufficient farm—integrating vines, animals, and, at times, cheese production into a single ecosystem.

Here, the choice of Pinot Noir is telling. In a region dominated by Mediterranean varieties, this delicate grape becomes a vehicle for experimentation, shaped by altitude, limestone soils, and a refusal of control. Fermentations take place with whole clusters in small stone vats, without sulphur or intervention, resulting in wines that are fragile, vibrant, and deeply personal—far removed from any classical interpretation.

Together, Massa Vecchia and Aia Vecchia form a continuum rather than a contrast. The first laid the groundwork for a different way of thinking about wine; the second pushes that thinking to its most essential form. Both reject polish and predictability in favour of something more immediate: a direct translation of place, season, and human gesture.

In the end, these are not just wines. They are expressions of a broader idea—that farming, fermenting, and living are not separate acts, but part of the same rhythm.

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2023 Yannick Meckert Baisers Retrouvés from Alsace is all about lift and purity- bright red fruit, fine acidity, and an almost weightless elegance that dances across the palate.

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Yannick Meckert: Redefining Alsatian Terroir.

Yannick is a rising star in the Alsace natural wine scene, bringing a unique dual heritage with an Alsatian father and a Burgundian mother. After studying oenology in Beaune and Montpellier, he rejected the conventional, chemical-heavy methods of his family’s estate. Instead, he spent years as a "backpacker" working with natural wine luminaries like Philippe Pacalet, Patrick Meyer, and Christian Binner, and even trained in ancestral sake production in Japan at Terada Honke.

He Returned to Rosheim in 2020, Meckert launched his own project on approximately 3.5 to 4 hectares of vines. His farming is defined by:

Biodiversity over control: He allows wild herbs and flowers to flourish, creating an ecosystem that "teems with life".

Extreme Organic approach: He avoids not only synthetic chemicals but also significantly limits or entirely eschews copper and sulfur, opting for clay, herbal infusions, and essential oils to treat the vines.

While he owns vines on clay and limestone, he also sources grapes (négoce) from friends to explore different soils like volcanic sandstone, blue slate, and schist.

Cellar Philosophy:

The "Zero-Zero" Approach...

Deeply inspired by Jules Chauvet, Meckert’s winemaking is intuitive and minimalist.

Vinification: He frequently uses whole-cluster maceration (carbonic or semi-carbonic) for both reds and whites, often barefoot stomping the grapes to ensure gentle extraction without breaking stems.

Purity: 

His wines are typically "Zero-Zero"—meaning no added sulfites, no filtration, and no fining.

Aging: Wines are aged for 1–2 years in varied vessels, including old oak barrels, fiberglass, or amphorae.

Meckert is part of a "vanguard" of young winemakers reinventing Alsace. His work focuses on capturing the "soul of a wine" through a balance of terrestrial precision and cosmic intuition, resulting in wines that prioritize feeling and energy over textbook perfection.