Now that Spring is upon us heralding the end of the endless winter mist we thought it time to put together a selection of natural wines fit for the Season. Light, bright, fresh, aromatic, sensual: these are the bottles we reach for at this time of year.
In addition to his Bourgueil, Clos de Pavée, Pierre has now branched out to make a second wine - another very tasty take on Cabernet Franc, this time geared up for easy drinking and quaffing at the bistro table. Find out more.
RegionBourgueil, Loire, France
GrapesCabernet Franc
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
Grolleau from a parcel of fifty year old vines surrounded by forest and planted over loam that has never been subjected to chemical farming. Bottled young and brimming with energy, this cooler vintage has produced a lively wine that pairs berries, earth and a gentle funk to brilliant effect. Find out more.
RegionAnjou, Loire, France
GrapesGrolleau
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, no additional sulphites
A real curiosity of a wine from Saint-Lô, and a brand new cuvée too. Light on its feet, supple and juicy. Something tea-like to the tannic structure, with stew-y forest fruits and vibrant aromas. A wine of intrigue! Find out more.
RegionSaumur, Loire, France
GrapesGrolleau Gris
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, no additional sulphites
Electric Touraine pet nat from a producer with a deft hand for the style. A refreshing balance of zippy green apple and lemon citrus, opening to ripe pear and melon. The overall character is unmistakably Loire and makes for a note-perfect aperitif.
Find out more.
RegionTouraine, Loire, France
GrapesMenu Pineau & Chardonnay
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, no additional sulphites
Inky Malbec (the eponymous Côt) that is much brighter and crunchier than most would expect of the grape. As always with Mikaël's wines, there is a noticeable mineral imprint; that hard-to-define aspect of wet stones or patio paving following rain on a hot day. Find out more.
RegionTouraine, Loire, France
GrapesMalbec
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, no additional sulphites
Blending together three of the key Loire grapes, and harvesting a little of each of their character, this is a dry, fruity rosé with lots going on. Flesh and texture from the Chenin, herbal cherry fruit from the Cab Franc and a lovely bit of fragrant spice from the d'Aunis. Find out more.
RegionSaumur-Champigny, Loire, France
GrapesChenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc & Pineau d'Aunis
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
A fresh, young-vine Bourgueil with plenty of bright red cherry fruit, herbaceous capsicum aromas and dark chocolate bitters in the finish. Plush, bright and an incredibly versatile wine for the table. Find out more.
RegionBourgueil, Loire, France
GrapesCabernet Franc
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
A change of style for this popular pet-nat - big losses in the Loire mean that this year Naturlich is made with mainly Semillon from Bergerac in the south. Find out more.
RegionNantes, Loire, France
GrapesFolle Blanche, Gamay & Pinot Noir
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
Like all of Mikaël's wines from the dry 2022 vintage, there is a chiselled structure and profound minerality, the vines having reached deep down to the limestone bedrock for nutrients. White peach and spices with taut acidity and a delicate, honeyed quality, neatly balanced out with a pronounced salty minerals. A wine of precision and poise. Find out more.
RegionTouraine, Loire, France
GrapesChenin Blanc
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
A serious wine with a silly name - Couilles d'Anes translates as 'donkey balls', a colloquial term coined by the local vigneron to describe the unusual black stones that can be found dotting the vineyard soils in certain locations. A delightfully aromatic vintage, bright cherry and bramble fruits meld with a violet perfume in the glass. Find out more.
RegionTouraine, Loire, France
GrapesCôt
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
A restrained, nuanced wine made with 100% Menu Pineau, grown over alluvial limestone gravel. A pale green-gold in the glass, with shy citrus aromas, on the palate there is a delicate balance of pear and green melon, softened by a subtle touch of barrel influence. Find out more.
RegionTouraine, Loire, France
GrapesMenu Pineau
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
Ruby-red Gamay, organically farmed and hand-picked from various terriors around the Nantes region in the Loire. On the nose you’ll find plenty of juicy red fruits, cherries and red currants alongside a light savoury, spicy note. Find out more.
RegionNantes, Loire, France
GrapesGamay
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
Zippy, fresh, summer staple! A rosé made from 100% Gamay, direct pressed and rested in vat for 6 months. On the palate the wine bursts with crunchy red fruits with a light herbaceous edge. Find out more.
RegionNantes, Loire, France
GrapesGamay
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
Pineau d'Aunis - a highly distinctive grape we have a real soft spot for. The colour is a bright, vibrant ruby in the glass and the cracked white peppercorn notes we love from this varietal shimmer off the back of all the little red and black forest fruits. Find out more.
RegionTouraine, Loire, France
GrapesPineau d'Aunis
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
The macerated version of the wonderful 'Les Pouches' Chenin - a method that makes so much sense with this taut, fleshy wine. It really boosts the overall texture and aroma, and makes that electrically-charged finish zing on for even longer. So good! Find out more.
RegionSaumur, Loire, France
GrapesChenin Blanc
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, no additional sulphites
Only the second ever time that François has vinified this rare and special cuvée, making it as he does with a selection of Pineau d'Aunis grapes from within the Bois Guyon vineyard parcel. Find out more.
RegionSaumur, Loire, France
GrapesPineau d'Aunis
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, no additional sulphites
Lucky You is a blend of around 2/3 Sauvignon blanc with 1/3 Chardonnay. The two grapes work together effortlessly, the Sauvignon Blanc bringing beautiful bright fruits while the Chardonnay adds minerality and soft creamy texture. Find out more.
RegionTouraine, Loire, France
GrapesChardonnay & Sauvignon Blanc
VineyardOrganic & Biodynamic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
Less steely and with softer edges than his more classical staple 'La Pente de Chavigny', this feels open and expressive, but never anything other than laser-beam linear. Juicy green apple, elderflower and ripe pear come together in a salivating meld, with a line of raw lemon citrus cutting it all through - without intervention, none of Mikaël’s whites complete malolactic, giving the wine some good vibrancy and edge. Find out more.
RegionTouraine, Loire, France
GrapesSauvignon Blanc
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
Simple, thirst-quenching rosé made from the same base wine as his La Bulle pet-nat, a direct press of Gamay and Côt. It's a straightforward vinification, similarly completed in steel only and then bottled young. The style is less fruit-forward, more lean and savoury - little red fruits sit below a more prominent saline minerality. With a good chill this is one of those no-brainer pours for those moments when more is more. Find out more.
RegionTouraine, Loire, France
GrapesGamay & Côt
VineyardOrganic
CellarFermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, minimal additional sulphites
£19.50
Quantity
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