Producers

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    As at many family domaines with deep roots in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, vigneron Alexandre Favier was by his own account “raised in the vineyards”: Alexandre’s grandfather, Noël Sabon, is from one of the best known winemaking families in the region. Alexandre himself began his viticultural studies in Orange at the age of fifteen and passed the exams four years later in 2001. A year later (at age twenty!) he took over winemaking duties at the domaine when his father experienced health problems.

    This is a traditional house with 40 hectares of red grapes and 5 hectares of white. They have parcels in all of the main soil types of Châteauneuf and they vinify the top parcels separately. Only native yeasts are employed in the cellar, and the reds are mostly de-stemmed.

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    Charles Lachaux started his micro-négoce because of Aligoté. On several occasions, he had blind tasted d’Auvenay’s Aligoté Sous Châtelet alongside serious premier and grand cru chardonnays. Sometimes it trounced the other whites; sometimes it was a least in the same league —always, it was up there.

    The Arnoux family owns Aligoté and used to bottle it. But at some point it was deemed unworthy and the grapes were sold off to négociants. Charles wanted to vinify those grapes again. 

    In addition to the Aligoté, the début for the Charles Lachaux label included five wines. Only the Aligoté is owned, and the fruit is purchased from friends with conscientious farming practices for the other wines. Incidentally, the label was designed by Charles’ wife Louise who is a graphic designer. The rose is for the couple’s eldest daughter Rose.

    With one exception, there are no noteworthy differences in winemaking between the Charles Lachaux and Arnoux-Lachaux wines. The exception is ageing. The Charles Lachaux wines are bottled after a little less than a year as opposed to 18 months for the domaine wines. This difference does have an impact. The négoce wines are fruit-driven, caught before their stay in oak leaves noticeable patina —vins de soif. Of course, they’re still from Burgundy and can age. But the goal is immediate pleasure.

    All the grapes are picked by the Lachaux team. All the wines, including the Aligoté, are pressed in a vertical press. Fermentations are with ambient yeasts. There are no additions of sulfur until after malo.

    The reds are 100% whole cluster. Macerations are noteworthy for their brevity. In 2019, they range from 9 to 12 days. They are also noteworthy for their lack of extraction. All the reds in 2019 were punched down only twice by foot. There is a daily pump over. The reds were aged in older barrels with the exception of the Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru les Boudots and the Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru les Suchots, each having one new Stockinger barrel, or 20% of the cuvées. Total sulfur at bottling ranges between 23 and 38ppm.

    We remember telling William Kelley over lunch that we thought that with 2016, Charles had shot Arnoux-Lachaux straight into the very top tier of Burgundy. William chuckled and dismissed our hyperbole. He has since changed his mind. In the domaine’s vineyards, Charles has become the single most progressive vigneron in the region —no one had yet had the courage to try no till. In the winery, the crunch, precision, soul, and transparency of the wines, whether from the domaine or the négoce, is magical. - Paul Wasserman, Becky Wasserman and Co.

     

    Photos from Paul Wasserman.

     

     

    BOWLER E-Zine Issue 2 | Q1 2021: Regenerative Farming: Scratching at the Surface 
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    Built in the 18th century, the Château de Fleurie dominates a beautiful vineyard situated in the heart of the village itself, with views of Mont Blanc in the east. The current owners- the Boisen and the Barbet families- are direct descendants of the original owner. The property covers 4.5 hectares stretching over the best sites in Fleurie- les Grands Fers, la Madone and le Point du Jour- on the middle slopes facing southeast. The soil is of a very pure granite, ideal for a good drainage, with a pink color called “le gore”. Farming is very traditional and free of pesticides and herbicides. The winemaking process is traditional "Burgundian" method with extended fermentation of 12-15 days, in vats covered by a weighted grill, to extract color and flavor. Under the winery a vaulted cellar holds an impressive store of old, traditional large oak barrels which are still in use. Fleurie is locally known as the "Queen of the Beaujolais" for its elegant style of Gamay.

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    The Château de la Pierre, owned by the Barbet family, is a ten hectare estate with vineyards in Brouilly and Régnié. This property has been certified organic since the 2013 vintage. The Régnié comes from Tour Bourdon, a very special plot of old vines. This vineyard is noteworthy for its soil- sandy and laced with purple granite, with excellent drainage- as well as the age of its vines (60-70 years old) which natrually keeps yields low. The age of the vines also means small grapes, which in turn means a higher juice-to-skin ratio, giving a more concentrated and structured wine. The site has a southern exposure.

    Xavier Barbet used to work with Jules Chauvet, who is considered the 'father' of natural winemaking in France. They did experiments together in the 1950's. After all of these years of experience, Barbet decided to bottle the Pierre Régnié as a 'vin nature', without any added sulfites during winemaking or before bottling. 

     

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    The Château de Respide is one of the oldest wineries in the region, with records mentioning the vineyards and woods of Respide going back to 1630. The Chatin family was drawn to this very special place and purchased the winery in 2021. They have 85 hectares of vines in three main plots and there are woods, bushes, and streams separating the vineyard areas.

    In the north, they have an 18 hectare plot named “Paparon”. It has sandy loam soils on top of a gravel and clay base. In some places, the erosion shows the pure gravel base called “graves” in French. They have Cabernet, Merlot, Semillon, and Sauvignon Blanc planted here. Southeast of the winery lies a 35 hectare plot named “Cueille” with an alluvial soil on a gravelly and clay base. Mostly Merolt and Cabernet are planted here, but there is also some Petit Verdot, Semillon, and Sauvignon Blanc. This terroir gives full bodied wines, with pronounced but delicate tannins and a salinity running throughout. The Callipyge Rouge comes from this site. And in the south west, they have a 25 hectare plot called “Boyrein”. It’s at 80 meters altitude and has two plateaus. The top plateau has gravel from the Garonne on top of clay and mostly Merlot is planted here. The lower plateau has a limestone soil on top of clay. Merlot planted here resembles right bank Bordeaux, powerful and robust. And Sauvignon Blanc planted here is complex and goes into the Callipyge Blanc.

    Amelie Chatin is from Champagne and worked as an oenologist for Ruinart for nine years, then in Uruguay for four years. Their ultimate goal is to do everything to express these special terroirs. The winery has been certified sustainable HVE3 since 2017 and the Chatin’s want to make the winery carbon neutral by 2030. They are working with green cover, natural fertilization, and biodiversity preservation. In the cellar, they guide the wines to their best expression, using as little intervention as possible.

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    Situated in Malepère, the most westerly region of the Languedoc, Château Guilhem was built in 1791. Then the property of the Marquis de Auberjon, it was bought by the Guilhem family in 1878. Bertrand is the fifth generation of his family to run the estate.

    The thirty-five hectares of vineyards are planted mainly to Bordeaux varieties— Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc— with some Chardonnay. There are some plantings of Grenache and Cinsault as well, that are used entirely for the rosé. Despite the vineyards' proximity to the Mediterranean, the climate here actually sees quite a bit of influence from the Atlantic; in addition, the soil here is atypical of the rest of the region, with a high proportion of calcareous sandstones. These stones help the soils to retain moisture over the winter so that the vines can flourish in the summer. The grapes are grown organically, with some biodynamic parcels as well, out of respect for both the vines and for the people who work them.

    The cellar was built in the late nineteenth century; old casks and concrete tanks stand next to modern stainless steel vats. Bertrand pulls both from older traditions and modern ideas in order to produce fresh, aromatic wines.

     

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    Much of the wine that comes under the name of Muscadet is indifferently made and destined for casual glasspours in Paris bistros or patio sipping. However, a small cadre of estates in the region is dedicated to good farming and quality winemaking. Château Guipière is a fresh face in that group making its coast-to-coast national debut in the US with Bowler.

    Founded in 1842 and situated in Vallet, just southeast of Nantes where the Loire River spills into the Atlantic Ocean, Château Guipière is a 28ha estate focused on cultivating the two mainstay grapes of the region, the Melon de Bourgogne which is bottled under its much more well-known AOP Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, and Gros Plant (a.k.a. Folle Blanche) a specialty of the region which attracts a small cult audience for being one of the most racy, high acid, minerally white wines in the world.

    In 2015 the Château and its vineyards became the property of current owner Philippe Nevoux, supported by Stéphane Gouraud, his vineyard manager and cellarmaster. In the years since, this team has transformed the winery into a burgeoning fine wine estate. The major change was to pursue HVE3 Certification (Haute Valeur Environmentale or “High Environmental Value”). This includes commitments to biodiversity conservation, managed fertilizer use, eco-friendly plant protection strategies, and water resources management. Protecting and nourishing the estate’s heritage vines, some of them up to 60 years old, is not just a viticultural imperative but a genuinely ethical one in the 21st century.

    UPDATE:   After 3 years of organic transition, 2024 will be the year of the Estate's first certified organic harvest.

    Another impressive practice at the winery is their commitment to bottling single-vineyard cuvees, thereby shining a spotlight on the different terroirs of their property. Lined up and tasted comparatively, these wines are a revelation of how Muscadet—often perceived by outsiders as a homogenous region—can produce nuanced and deliciously different wines from its varying geologies.

    Bowler has chosen to carry three of these single-vineyard Muscadets and the fabulously bright, quaffable Gros Plant whose stained-glass fish label is destined to pop up everywhere in US stores and restaurants. We could not be happier and more excited to start working with this wonderful new estate.

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    Located close to the vineyards of Saint-Emilion, this château has been in the Borderie family for five generations.The house style is classic: savory and elegant with ample fruit graced with a dusting of mineral aromatics. The wines are remarkably consistent from vintage to vintage. You will be hard pressed to find a better Bordeaux under $20. 

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    Château Mourgues du Grès is one of the pioneers of the Costières de Nîmes and is recognized as one of the very best estates in the region in the Wine Advocate and in the French magazines Revue de Vin de France, Guide Hachette, and Gilbert et Gaillard. Mourgues du Grès is run by Anne and François Collard. François’s father was the first owner and he made wine, but mostly sold grapes in bulk. François started his career in Bordeaux, working in the cellar at Château Lafite-Rothschild. In 1990, soon after the Costières de Nîmes received appellation status, François was inspired by the potential to make great wines from this little known appellation and he moved back to run the family winery. The first vintage bottled under the Château Mourgues du Grès name was in 1993. 

    Nîmes historically made great wines that were famously served centuries ago to the pope of Avignon. The wines were made by the Ursulines nuns of Beaucaire. The nuns were identified by their location; the nuns of the river, nuns from the sea, or nuns from the stones. Mourgues means ‘nuns’ in Provençal, an ancient French dialect. Mourgues du Grès means ‘nuns of the stones’. The nuns managed fruit orchards and vineyards and the Collard family still manages both today.

    The Costières de Nîmes is the southernmost region of the Rhône Valley. The terroir is influenced by the Rhône and the Mediterranean Sea. Like most of the southern Rhône, there is abundant sunshine, the weather is hot and mostly dry, and the Mistral wind helps to keep the vines healthy. The vineyards are covered with galets, the same round, flat stones that are famous in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The Costières de Nîmes is unique within the Rhône region because of the influence of the Mediterranean. The sea cools the nighttime temperature, giving the wines a lot of freshness.

    Château Mourgues du Grès is on the plateau of Beaucaire, where they benefit from both northern and southern sun exposure. They have a mix of soils, galets stones, sand, and they even have an area with limestone, which is quite rare in the appellation. The Collard’s have always been innovators, working to unlock the very best of the terroir. François’s father was the first to plant Syrah in the region and today it is the most widely planted variety in the Costières de Nîmes. Syrah grows especially well here because of the cool nights. François planted Marselan in 2007 and reported the results back to the appellation administrators and it’s now allowed to be up to 10% of the blend in the red wines. It adds complexity and freshness and has a lower alcohol.

    François and Anne are both very passionate about nature. They have practiced organic agriculture since 2004 (certified in 2011); meticulous care and attention are paid to the work in the vineyards. François and Anne Collard never rush to make changes, but at the same time, are constantly searching for the best way to manage their vineyards to get a very pure expression of the Costières de Nîmes. In 2018, they began the process for biodynamic certification and from the 2020 vintage, the wines are certified.

    Like the work in the vineyards, in the cellar, all decisions are carefully taken with the aim of getting the best expression. For the Collards, this means making wines in a natural way while maintaining a classic style. Whites and rosés are fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks; the reds are fermented in cement so that there is an oxygen exchange, and then are aged in cement or barrels depending on the cuvée. Since 2015, no sulfur is used during vinification or aging on any of the wines, only a small amount at bottling. Total sulfur used is approximately 50mg/L on the whites and rosés and 40mg/L on the reds. Making wine without sulfur has its challenges, but it is worth the risk for all that is gained in greater fruit purity.

    Each bottle shows the emblem of the sundial that is on the wall of the winery, with the words "Sine Sole Nihil," which translates to "There is nothing without sunshine." For Mourgues du Grès, this symbolizes the maturity and harmony expressed in their wines. The Collards are dedicated in every step of the process to make the best wines and their work shines a light on what is possible from this modest appellation. The culmination of more than thirty years of the Collards work has established Château Mourgues du Grès as one of the very best in the Costières de Nîmes.

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    For several generations the Paumel family has farmed grapes in the Rhône Valley. The current patriarch, Jacques Paumel took control of the estate in 1962 from his father, and in 1988 he and his wife Josephine decided to start estate bottling their own wines using the name of the hill on which their ancient provençale farmhouse and many of their vines are situated. Technically semi-retired, Jacques and Josephine have turned over the running of the estate to their daughter Florence and her son Paul Verité.

    The Estate is 25 hectares in size with 3 ha in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the lieu-dits of La Crau, La Guigasse and Saintes Vierges. All are sandy terroirs. The Grenache found in these sites was planted in 1929 or in 1942 while the Mourvedre is a relatively recent addition, having been planted by Jacques in 1967. They have a 1.5 hectare plot of Grenache and Mourvedre, planted on clay limestone soil and located just outside the appellation of Châteauneuf du Pape in the lieu-dit of Clos de Grenadiers. The Grenache dates to 1925 and they are the oldest vines that the family owns. In 1969 Jacques planted Mourvedre and Grenache to supplement these old vines so it now totals 7 hectares. From this site the family makes their Côtes-du-Rhône Villages. In Plan de Dieu they have a newly acquired plot of 70-90 year old Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah grown on gravelly red clay soils. Finally there are 10 hectares of Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan, also on clay limestone soils and quite near the cellars of Mourre du Tendre. These vines are the source of their  Côtes-du-Rhône.

    Farming at Mourre du Tendre is minimalist and traditional. Everything is done by hand and the family has never used pesticides in their vineyards. The harvest is conducted in several passes and the grapes are carefully sorted when they reach the cellar. The Paumel family makes powerful and traditional wines and the fruit is not destemmed, fermentations occur spontaneously after a short semi-carbonic maceration, and the elevage is quite long – averaging about three years in a combination of concrete tanks and foudre. The resulting wines are charming, bold and structured with much more in common with Barolo and Barbaresco than most anything else you will find in the region. Needless to say they age beautifully and gracefully, even the Côtes-du-Rhône.

    This profile, including all tasting notes and photos, was edited from the European Cellars website. For more information please visit: European Cellars.

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