Millésime Bio 2025, ever more energetic and vibrant wines!

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Parution Sommeliers International Mag N°186 – 6 pages report (bloc 18-19-20)

A highly professional 32nd edition of the world’s largest organic wine, beer and spirits show, where almost 10,000 visitors over 3 intense days made their way to 1,500 stands staffed by experienced winemakers and distillers from 16 different countries.

Above all, it was the quality of the visitors from some fifty different countries, made up of wine merchants, sommeliers, import-export traders and even private foreign buyers who were alerted to the need for financial investment. The trip was very well managed by the SudVinBio organization.

The undeniable growth of the wine market, with or without alcohol, beers and spirits, enables us to respond without artifice to the wishes of distributors and demanding consumers.

Biodiversity techniques (specific: the variety of species in a given space, genetic: the diversity of genes within a single species, eco-systemic : analysis of the number and diversity of communities of species that come together because they participate in the same ecosystem) are presented. The importance of trees in vineyards, the creation of a favorable environment for auxiliary fauna, the organic contribution to soils, the development of parcel microclimates, for example, define the richness or reverse of biodiversity in a given environment.

For two weeks, the city of Montpellier became the international center of the Fête du Vin Bio, which followed the trade show.

Millésime BIO reflects the values of sustainability, fairness and innovation, while promoting Europe’s leading organic region: Occitanie.

For this 32nd edition, my chosen habit of Premium wines remains in place, this time from France, Italy, Portugal and even Romania, all with poetic flavors, where the sommelier will have the pleasure of sharing their essences with his guests.

The prices of these cuvées are, for the most part, accessible to all enthusiasts of emotionally rich tasting.
Reds, whites, bubbles, a variety of grape varieties, a luminous kaleidoscope more focused on fresh tastes, was my regency for this new visit to the eco-friendly exhibitors.

The importance of terroir and the winemaker’s know-how are crucial in crafting a wine with identity, with ever greater passion and knowledge.

My cuvée recommendations start this year in Burgundy, with the emphasis always on originality, the discovery of new things, complexity, vivacity, sensuality, the great aromatic and gustatory richness mastered with brio by these magician winemakers who respect their vines and their terroirs. They all have the merit of innovation without frontiers or limits, for meticulous experimental vinification, to reveal the beauty of wine, like music or poetry of great emotion.

To complete last year’s article on this show, here are the Chablis I tasted that delighted me: Romain and Damien Bouchard’s 33-hectares Domaine de l’Enclos, with its Kimmeridgian terroir of marl and limestone, vinifies its Chardonnay in 13 cuvées, using no inputs, no sulfur and indigenous yeasts, and ages its wines in vats and barrels for up to 18 months on lees. The wines are neither fined nor cold-treated. The 11 cuvées presented at the stand, including 9 in 2023 vintage as the 2 entry-level wines, then the 1er Crus, Beauroy, Montmains, Mont du Milieu, La Fourchaume, and in Grand Cru, Vaudésir, Les Clos, Blanchot. The 2 other cuvées in 2022, “A l’Ouest”, a natural, invigorating wine, and “Gabrielle”, with a more complex structure, will complete the range.

A mineral ensemble typical of the appellation, with sensations of flint or gunflint, sometimes smoky, iodized, mentholated or exotic, but also lime blossom, dried fruit such as almond, mousseron and fine honey notes.

The 23-hectares Domaine Jean Dauvissat Chablis completes the circuit, with the 2022 cuvées “Héritage” Vieilles vignes, “Les Tierces” and the 1er Cru Vaillons “Châtain” micro parcelle from a South-West-facing terroir, revealing roundness in addition to the qualities already mentioned.

Domaine Gérard Duplessis, 10 ha, also present, shines with its divine crus on this day, with Chablis 2023 with a well-curved gustatory torso, 1er Crus 2022 Vaillons, Montmains, and Montée de Tonnerre 2022, 2019 all in mineral symphony with graceful or slender variants.

Next up, Domaine des Clos de Grégoire Bichot, has a vineyard of 4 white crus and 7 red crus in 6 ha spread over the communes of Chablis, Beaune and Nuits-St-Georges.

I particularly liked the white Beaune “Poirier Malchaussé” 2021, with its sublime, full-bodied white fruit and sensuality. Then for the 2022 vintage, the low-yielding Beaune “Vieilles Vignes 1926” (22 hl/h), the regenerating Beaune 1er Cru “Les Avaux”, the mineral and minty Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru “Les Crots”, the complex Gevrey-Chambertin with firm red fruit.

Domaine Clos de La Chapelle, 5 ha, Pierre Meurgey atomized me on the series presented. The 2023 whites are atomic for the 2 Meursault “Les Vignes Blanches” and the 1er Cru “Charmes”, Corton Charlemagne Gd Cru. The Beaune 1er Cru “Les Reversées” and Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru “Sous Frétille”, with their powerful fruit, launched the tasting with fervor.

Domaine Clos de La Chapelle Meursault “Les Vignes Blanches” 2023 in symbiosis of tender purity with the supreme vocal composition “Peach velvet sky” from 2023 by Corinne Bailey Rae where the piano accompaniment signs the minerality of the wine on the palate.

 

The sharp 2023 reds with their fine spice, some with white pepper, fused my palate with Beaune 1er Cru “Champs Pimont”, Volnay 1er Cru “En Carelle” and “Clos de la Chapelle” Monopole, Pommard 1er Cru “Les Chanlins” Très Vieilles Vignes and “Les Grands Epenots”, to end on a high note with Corton Bressandes Gd Cru.

The Maison Sylvain Loichet in Chorey-lès-Beaune won me over with its white Côte-de-Nuits Villages Réserve de la Comtesse 2023 and its red Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru Les Valozières, wines that twirl on the palate.

The 18-hectare Domaine Chapelle & Fils in Santenay gave me a real treat with its Chardonnay Santenay 2023 “Villages”, “St Jean”, 1er Cru “Gravières”, Meursault “Les Malpoiriers”, Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot. Then the Pinot Noir Ladoix “Les Vris”, Santenay “Clos des Cornières”, Pommard “En Bœuf”, Santenay 1er Cru “Beaurepaire”, “Les Gravières”, “La Comme”, Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru “Morgeot”, Aloxe Corton Village and 1er Cru “Les Petites Lolières”.

Philippe Bouzereau in Meursault is not to be outdone, with a series of philtres including the impeccable Chardonnnay 2022, the cuvées “Les Grands Charrons”, Charmes “1er Cru and Auxey-Duresses 1er Cru ‘Les Duresses’.

Domaine Henri & Gilles Buisson in Saint Romain, Côte de Beaune, also boasts an impressive range of vintages for tasting at the stand, with white wines such as St Romain “Perrière”, “Sous la Velle” Vieilles Vignes (candied lemon, saline mineral), “Sous le Château” (apricot, peach, sweet spices), and red wines such as St Romain “Sous Roche” (freshness), Corton Grand Cru “Les Renardes” Vieilles Vignes (emaciated ash notes).

Domaine Mathias à Chaintre, 12.5 ha, has drawn some imperious 2023 skittles in white, Mâcon-Chaintré, Pouilly-Vinzelles “Les Longeays”, Pouilly-Fuissé “En Cénan”.

Corinne Bailey Rae “Red Horse” 2023 in mineral harmony with Domaine Mathias Pouilly 2023, where the sensuality of these mineral wines is reflected in the feminine vocal wave in all its splendor.

 

As an aside, I remember having tasted Domaine des Rouges-Queues in Sampigny Les Maranges at Vin de mes Amis, the day before the show, which impressed me with a moving line of wines, as much for their lyrical “plant birds” labels as for their delicate, vivacious red and white contents. This top-quality complement of Maranges and Santenay crus, Hautes-Côtes-de Beaune, seems to me an important one to point out to sommeliers.

We close the Burgundy region so much in vogue at the moment, with the Clos du Moulin aux Moines in Auxey-Duresses, 15 ha, where I have selected for this year, one cuvée out of the dense set of aristocratic crus on offer, the Pommard 1er Cru Clos Orgelot Monopole 2017 with splendid fruit on the palate.

We head further south to discover one of the masters of the Côte Rôtie appellation, Clusel-Roch, 14 ha, with a range of cuvées all presented with great care: very honorable Chardonnay 2023, the jovial 2022 “Sur le Mont” (roussanne, altesse, viognier, clairette) Vin de France, “Les Traboules” gamay Côteaux du Lyonnais with a lovely gourmet sheen, “Les Vergers” Côtes du Rhône in roundness, “Les Schistes” & “Les Grandes Places” Côte-Rôtie in 100% syrah spinning off the truffle sensation in fresh, mineral black fruit flavor tension.

A detour east to Savoie, to taste a white wine from Kevin Foucher of Domaine des Crocs Blancs, the energetic cuvée 2023 “On the road again” (jacquère, altesse) thirst-quenching at just 10.5% vol!

Then it’s back to Côtes du Rhône-Villages Gadagne and Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with the 50-hectare Domaine des Garriguettes, for the cuvées “Fontisson” powerful syrah with refined flavors, “L’Amista” grenache noir régalade Médaille d’Or, “La Borne” grenache mourvèdre whole bunches. “Le Béret bleu” 2024 cinsault Demeter also seduced me with its poetic swing on the palate. Justine Féraud’s 4-hectare Domaine Porte Rouge brilliantly enchanted me with the sensual gallantry of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, aged 24 months, with the blend “Tradition” 2021, “Aura”, “Discrète” syrah, “Ju” Parcellaire La Crau 2022, all adorned with inspiring labels crystallizing vine blood, tannins and aldehydes.

Further south, in the Côtes de Provence Sainte Victoire, Domaine Le Loup Bleu in Puyloubier is once again my favorite rosé “stop” in terms of value for money. The cuvées Vol de Nuit (grenache, syrah, rolle and clairette) & Croix du Sud 2024 (syrah, grenache) in the pipeline can be enjoyed: one is vineyard peach with a rocky, taut freshness, the other more complex, fruity clementine redcurrant and, above all, without added sugar!

In Corsica, the Patrimonio region has always appealed to me for its schist terroir wines delivering a full-bodied, fresh fruity salinity due to mixed amphora & sandstone egg ageing, so Clos San Quilico sparkles with clarity with 2 cuvées Minera 2023 blanc vermentinu and 2021 rouge niellucio.

Yazmin Lacey – Eye to Eye 2023, with its sparkling notes of youth, is the perfect match for Domaine San Quilico’s 2 white Minera 2023 vintages, illustrating their curvaceous, fruity and saline delicacy.

 

In the Languedoc‘s organic stronghold, the 4-hectare Domaine Chazalon at Claret in Pic Saint Loup, where I appreciated the sincerity of the reds “Vendanges Entières”, “Altitude 658” 2022 (syrah, grenache, cinsault) and the white “Cariclos” 2023 (carignan, vermentino, roussanne).

Françoise and Thierry Hasard’s Domaine de la Marfée in Murviel-lès-Montpellier, in the Languedoc-Grès de Montpellier or Languedoc-St Georges D’Orques appellation, emancipates itself with each vintage, with munificent cuvées “Les Gamines” 2021 red (mourvèdre, syrah, grenache), “Della Francisca” 2021 (mourvèdre, grenache), “Les Champs Murmurés” 2022 (syrah, mourvèdre), then in IGP Pays d’Hérault, “Frissons d’Ombelle” 2022 (roussanne, chardonnay, vermentino), “Les Vignes Qu’on Abat” 2022 (carignan), in Vin de France, “Les Robes Légères” 2023 (rare autochthonous grape varieties) – a swirling ensemble of unmistakable aromas.

Domaine de la Marfée “Les Champs Murmurés” 2022 – Languedoc-St Georges D’Orques in grandiose finesse accord with Artie Zaitz‘s jazz-stitched “GoodYear”, Mark Kavuma feat. Will Cleasby “Cedar Tree” 2022, where the Hammond organ joins the aromatic ballet coveted by the swirling olfactory sweetness of this magical cru.

 

Mas Lumen in Gabian, Vin de France, 15 ha, and its cuvée Eurydice 2023 (terret blanc, gris, noir) from schist, basalt, sandstone, clay-limestone soils, facing south-east, aged in sandstone ovoids, struck me as very interesting for Mediterranean food pairings.

Thee Sacred Souls – Future Lover 2023 modern soul adjusted to vintage notes in fluid echo with Mas Lumen’s Eurydice Vin de France 2023 to underline the refined, iodized flavors of this little-known cru.

 

Domaine Mas du Novi, 50 ha + 50 ha of woods and garrigues, a very important ecological ensemble for the criteria already mentioned, declines a series of cuvées that rockets with flavor in Languedoc-Grès de Montpellier. I tested “Prestige” 2019 blend, the very low-yielding Vieilles Vignes of “Novi” 2017 blend, “N de Novi” 2017 & 2019 parcel-based syrah and a touch of viognier, aged in amphorae and jars, “Le Point de Novi” 2020 grenache and “Chardonnay” 2023 oak barrels. The reds are bursting with spicy black berries, from silky to full-bodied. The whites are fresh and fruity, with controlled acidity.

In Terrasses du Larzac, I’ve been following 2 estates for several vintages, and their results have been highly acclaimed, especially this past year, 2024: the first, Mas Cal Demoura Famille Goumard in Jonquières, 16 ha, gives us gustatory bliss with the blend 2023 reds “Terre de Jonquières”, “Les Combariolles” and “Fragments” 2023 (syrah, mourvèdre, cinsault), then in St Guilhem du Désert “L’étincelle” (chenin, carignan, roussanne, petit manseng) enjoys a mineral complexity unheard of in this region.

The second, Mas Combarèla, Olivier Faucon, pulls out all the stops with 2021’s “Ode aux Ignorants” blended in barrels and the opulent “Lueurs d’Espar” mourvèdre maj. in amphorae and barrels, then “Grain de Folie” 2024 (cinsault syrah) Vin de France, “L’Eclat” 2022 (chenin, carignan) St Guilhem du Désert.

Serious change at Domaine Daurion, 55 ha, Languedoc, Pezenas, Pays d’Oc, in the midst of a complete renovation of the cellars and a turnaround in cuvée production, gave me a soothing pleasure with the tasting, to fresh, playful musical notes for “Secrets de Caux” 2024 in 2 successful rosés, one in Cinsault, the other blend and a young-vine chardonnay.

Lucas Arruda “The mountain” 2024, a fairy-tale Brazilian elan, is a perfect match for the 2 new Secrets de Caux 2024 rosés from Domaine Daurion Pays d’Oc, illustrating their combined liveliness, freshness and purity.

 

Domaine de Pélican in Pays d’Oc slips a superb glouglou into confidential production, Lo Gafèt 2023 & 2024, a digestible gustatory infusion of syrah, grenache to each his keel.

His musical track, chosen to pair with Lo Gafèt 2024 from Domaine de Pélican in Pays d’Oc, inspires me with T-U-V by Grupo Climate, signed in 2024, illustrating the voluble, playful freshness of devouring cinematic happiness in the image of the vintage’s petulance.

 

Domaine L’Anqueven, Pays d’Oc with Frédéric Fage, “L’Amphore” 2022 clairette vieilles vignes or petit verdot will delight the most demanding palate with its lively, swirling chasuble.

Château Anglade, Antoine Rigaud in Faugères and his cuvées “Le Canon” Oc 2022 cinsault, “Les Fondamentaux” Oc 2023 carignan, cinsault, “Comète” 2021 syrah in foudres remain a value for money like a sunset.

In the Minervois region, Ciry Cattaneo, 9.5 ha, signs off, as he does every year, with successful experimental cuvées such as the blanc de noirs “Grenache noir” 2024 Vin de France and the red “La Curiosité” 2022 cinsault lledoner pelout, to complete his already rich range.

A sparkle with wines from Harriet Churchill’s Domaine ZigZag is to follow in the Minervois too.

Domaine Duffau in Gaillac, delighted me with originality and saline uprightness with “Loin de l’œil” 2023 and the sapid “Braucol” 2023 blend.

Domaine de Herrebouc, owned by the 2 women Carine Fitte and Hélène Archidec in the Gers at St Jean Poutge, 18 ha in 2 sectors, with its medieval Gascon warrior château, produces very accessible gourmet wines in Demeter quality, with a well-crafted wine tourism welcome.

Emmanuel Rybinski’s 19-hectare Clos Troteligotte in Villesèque, Lot, produces digestive wonders in Vin de France 2023, such as K-Barré in 5-varietal “blouge”, K-Libre in chardo, Delit-K in malbec merlot, then in Cahors, K-Nom and K-Pot in 2022, K-Or in 2021, K-Lys and K-2 in 2020, combining the latest trendy techniques and always on the cutting edge of taste.

In the Périgord region, Camille and Mathias Marquet of Château Lestignac in Sigoules, 13 ha, have propelled me into youthfulness by offering Le Vin des Amis with their mirific Vin de France cuvées “Hommage à Elzéard” 2021, the sweet “Blast” and the UFO “Comète” 2018 for savvy whites, the raging reds “Tempête” 2023 and “Racigas” 2021.

In the Bordeaux region, as I live in the area, I’ve chosen to focus on winemakers who are really making a name for themselves. Maison Blanche à Montagne by Despagne-Rapin is the ace of 7 cuvées without fail: “Vinum Simplex” solera nature cabernet franc 7 vintages, ‘Eleonor,’ glouglou, ‘Amélie Constant’ Brut Nature, ‘Pour La Vie’ rosé cab franc direct pressing and the 3 parcel-based cuvées Sud, Sud Est, Nord for Paula, Oriens, Petra 2020 cab franc à la bourguignonne conceived with magical dexterity – not to mention the 3 traditional cuvées already well known all in all still well in place.

Petra 2020 cab franc de Maison Blanche à Montagne by Despagne-Rapin in luxurious harmony with a luscious vocal cover of Wind Parade by Jordan Rakei in 2020 (originally created by trumpeter Donald Byrd on the Blue Note US label in the seventies), to chant the haute couture gracefulness of this divine vintage.

 

Guns blazing! Château Mangot Gd Cru Classé St Emilion 2020 & 2022 at the stand with Yan Todeschini at the helm of a complex, fresh cru combining tension and fruit “o top!”, plus bonus cuvée “Distique 14” Gd Cru St Em 2021 cab franc well governed.

Château Fleur de Lisse – Saint Emilion Grand Cru – Vignobles Jade SAS Famille Teycheney in St Hippolyte charmed me with “Bien-Aimé de Fleur de Lisse”, “Font fleurie” and the grand cuvée in 2020 with mixed amphora and barrel ageing with the art of the most astute oenologist.

In the Médoc, Château Peylaby in St Germain d’Esteuil, fortifies the appellation with well-hemmed, natural red cuvées, with a gallant, sensual perfume of fruit and flowers.

The biodynamic stalwarts, Château Dufort-Vivens Margaux 2016 & the surprising Blanc de Noirs 2023, Haut-Bages Libéral-Pauillac 2019 are accomplished and have a lactescent range with varied and always successful experimentation, combining natural wine, amphora and useful, tactical agro-forestry.

In the Loire region, I have chosen this time to highlight the creations of Fabien Duveau, biodynamic on 16 ha in Anjou, with “Humelay” Chacé 2023 parcellaire blanc de cab. Franc en Vin de France, the chenin of “Hunaudière” 2023, “Poyeux” Chacé 2022, “Clos de Bellevue” St Cyr 2023, “Bois du chêne” Brézé 2022 – Saumur, the cab. franc of “Menais” Varrains, “Bourg” Varrains, “Bas Poyeux” Chacé 2023, “Hauts Poyeux” Chacé 2022 – Saumur Champigny. A very attractive ensemble of high-precision taste – go for it!

Fabien Duveau “Hauts Poyeux” Chacé 2022 – Saumur Champigny reminds us that the Paulée d’Anjou 2025 is just around the corner in June. A musical pairing for the 2022 vintage has been created with Kokoroko “War Dance”, to celebrate this eagerly-awaited event with Afro rhythms and rock guitar riffs, and to highlight the vibrant flavor of Loire Cabernet Franc.

 

Château des Vaults, Domaine du Closel in Savennières, 15 ha, gives birth to majestic wines for all budgets, the chenin cuvées “Belle-Dame” 2023, Vin de France, “La Jalousie”, “Les Caillardières” on sandstone schists, “Clos des Papillons” on quartz schists 2022 – Savennières and a red on 2ha plot “Une Emotion” 2022 cab franc and cab sauvignon.

In Anjou Noir, Domaine Frédéric Mabileau, Clos des Quarterons, Château de Minière in St Nicolas de Bourgueil and Bourgueil in tandem with de Suronde in Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru line up the 3 “frantastic” musketeers to discover the appellation both in chenin or cab franc tastings, and in wine tours put together with great spontaneity. For the first, let’s mention the whites “Chemin des Milles Rocs”, “Anima” Nature Vin de France, both in 2023, then the reds “Les Racines” 2022, “Les Coutures” 2021, “Eclipse N°14” Très vieilles vignes 2018. For the second, 3 sharp reds “Clos de la Gaucherie” 2023, “Vieilles Vignes” 2022, “Grand Mont” 2020 to name but a few. The third in tandem, “Ceci n’est pas un blanc”, “Ceci n’est pas un rouge” 2023 Vin de France, “L’œuvre” 2019 blanc, “Vignes Centenaires” 2018, Quarts de Chaume Gd Cru 2021, “Bulles Rouge de Minière” 2020 to restrict ourselves to a huge series here. A Hi-Fi tasting adventure with labels designed by a talented painter of vineyards and nature in harmony!

Domaine Frédéric Mabileau “Anima” Nature Vin de France 2023 in contrasting electro-tonic harmony with bossa nova master João Donato feat. Donatinho “Lei Do Amor” 2023, to highlight the fruity ardor of this Chenin grape in a Loire bottle.

 

Château Bois-Brinçon, Famille Cailleau in Blaison-Saint-Suplice, Anjou, makes virtuous white wines (Terre de Grès 2023, Le Clos des Cosses Monopole 2022, Les Saules de Montbenault 2019) and red wines (La Seigneurie 2023, Garance 2022 Très Vieilles Vignes, Clos des Savarières Faye d’Anjou Coteaux du Layon 2011).

Le Fief Noir in Val-du-Layon in the Anjou Noir region, 30 hectares in size, produces an anthology of cuvées in the chenin varietal “L’Echappée-Les Vins Candides”, “L’Ame de Fond-Les Contemplatifs”, “Potardière”, “Cartelles”, ‘Bonnes Blanches’ 2022 and the 0-sugar bubble free white ‘Ô Temps suspend ton vol blanc-Les Aériennes’ for mineral freshness, followed by grolleau, pineau d’aunis, cab. sauvignon, cab. franc “Cocagne”, “Révolution” 2022, “Somnanbule-Les Vins Candides”, “Le Rêveur” 2021 my favorite! A variety of blends to delight fine dining pairings.

Domaine Patrick Baudouin – Anjou à Chaudefonds-sur-Layon presented by Paul Barbazanges, confirmed the richness of the Loire Valley’s meteoric crus with “La Fresnaye” cab. franc and “Les Coteaux d’Ardenay” blend 2018, “Les Touches” cab. sauvignon 2020, then in chenin “Effusion” and “Savennières-Bellevue” 2022, “Le Cornillard”, “Clos des Bruandières” , “Ronceray-Les Zeersiles” 2020, “Les Gâts” 2017 expo Nord Est with hydrocarbon sensations, “1896-Coteaux du Layon” 2022, “Quarts de Chaume” 2018, “Maria Juby” 2004 in liquoreux with angelic flavors.

Always high on quality, François Crochet in Sancerre at Marcigoué-Bué, continues his sketches of pure, mineral wines: “Les Amoureux”, “Exils”, “Le Grand Chemarin”, “Le Petit Chemarin”, “Le Chêne Marchand” 2023 in sauvignon, “Les Marnes” 2023 in pinot noir.

A quick stop at Eric Chevalier’s Muscadets de Grand Lieu with “Le Clos de la Butte” and “La Noë” 2023 to romantically iodize the taste buds.

The limpid, sharp Champagnes from masters Francis Boulard & Fille “Rachais Chardo 2016”, Solemme Premier Cru “Nature de S”, Marie Copinet “Argila Villanossa Brut Nature”, Elemart Robion and the aristocratic “Petit Meslier 2019” shot me up with gustatory stars in zero dosage, pure magic!

Champagne Elmart Robion Petit Meslier 2019 in vertiginous harmony with the whirling pianist Ashley Henry and his “jazz-istic” vocal composition “I Still Believe” in 2019, to ennoble the olfactory and gustatory maestria of the vintage.

 

In Italy, I was able to enjoy several brilliant stands such as Luigi Baudana’s G.D.Vajra Barolo, which fascinated me with Barbera d’Alba Superiore and Langhe Freisa Kyè (Who are u?) 2022, Barolo “Albe-Fossati”, “Ravera”, “Bricco delle Viole”, “Luigi Baudana” and “Cerreta” 2021. TudoBem!

To single out the high quality of the Italian wines selected on these lines, I’ve chosen the syncopated Afro jazz musical comet of artist JAB – Game, Set, (Checkmate) in 2021 “echoing” with the furtive, straight and pure gustatory magnificence of Luigi Baudana G.D.Vajra Barolo estate’s “Cerreta” 2021 vintage as an example.

“buon ascolto!”

 

Fattoria Di Petrognano Chianti Superiore, 25 ha, Emanuele Pellegrini won me over with his whites « Mostofiore Trebbiano » Toscana 2023 (inox) and « Orci Trebbiano » 2022 (amphorae), then his Sangiovese « Florentia » and « Meme Riserva » 2023, « Orci Sangiovese » (amphorae) 2022.

Tenuta Santa Lucia in Mercato Saraceno, I was drawn to the white « Pagadebit » Romagna 2023 with mineral hawthorn notes alongside a red « Paride » Romagna 2019.

Massimago, Veneto, 30 ha, has put me « in a panic » with its killer Amarone del Valpolicella « Conte Gastone » 2020, « Grand Vin Amarone » 2018, and then « Profasio » 2021 Valpolicella Superiore (corvina, corvinone, rondinella).

Croce di Febo in Tuscany Nobile Di Montepulciano thrilled me with the reds « Noble » blend 2019 (sangiovese and more), « Cappucini » 2019, the crazy « Pietra » 2019, and « Somaio » white (malvasia, trebbiano, canaiolo bianco, and grechetto) 2024.

In Portugal, in the Alentejo, I discovered the loureiro white grape variety with the « Lour-inho » cuvées at the Cortes de Cima Vila Nova de Milfontes estate on the 2023 vintage and « Salino » with sapid salinity, as well as « Chaminé » white and red blend regional varieties, « Muscat d’Alexandrie – Branco » and « Nat’Cool – Palhete » 2024 syrah viognier au litre! The set of vintages is rich in oceanic and meritorious flavors, a panel provided!

To taste also wonders like the Domain Vizinho Vinhateiro in the DaÒ, 3 ha with «Novais» native grape varieties 2023 which comes from a unique plot.

Finally, in Romania, Domeniile Franco-Române in Sàhàteni taped me with very attractive quality-price ratios for these 3 Dealu Mare vintages: «Feteascà Albà» dry white 2023, «Paul Louis Albert-Galeron» chardonnay 2022 and «Pinot Noir Rosé» without added sugar.

A journey to the zenith, digested with balanced aromatic taste tension and rich in fiery sensations, sometimes insolent, but very much in demand for fine dishes!

See you next year.

Frédéric Beneix

PS: if you want to deepen during a specific report on your field soon, do not hesitate to let me know your interest, the magazine Sommeliers International works in partnership on this subject.

And if you want, you can consult me for the creation of a flash-code musical counter label on one of your cuvées which is the example:

Rosé Sainte barbe QR code Pique-Nique BBq Music & Wine Pairing