Malakoff, Paris suburb along the 14th arrondissement
That's it, Raw Wine made its debut in Päris (march 12 & 13) after a long history (2012) of setting up tasting events along the past years in cities like London, Los Angeles, Berlin with the goal to present nature/biodynamic/organic producers to the growing crowd of winelovers focused on artisan wine. Raw Wine was created by Isabelle Legeron, a French expat who has been living in London for many years now, and given the UK culture of interest
for all wine regions across the world, you find this global touch in
the geographical diversity of the participating wineries. At Raw Wine Paris, some 150 wineries and vintners (see list here) were presenting their wines and the interesting thing compared with our usual natural wine fair in Paris is that it was very international oriented with some 15 countries involved, France and Italy holding the lion's share of course. The entry fee was quite high for the general public on sunday with 45 € if I'm right. The pro fee was more in line with what we usually pay (15 €) here (although it's even often free when it takes places in Restaurants). While questions arise if Raw Wine will find its niche in a city (Paris) already overflowing of vibrant natural-wine fairs and events, several outstanding nature vintners like Caleb Leisure of Stagiaire Wines (California) credit Raw Wine for having helped him early in his start (read this piece by Aaron Ayscough on Raw Wine Paris).
The nice thing also is that the event took place in a place with character, Espace Clacquesin, a 2000-square-meter ancient distillery reconverted into an event space for rent, for private or corporate use. It's in a suburb (very safe one, needs to be said nowadays) very close from Paris, you could almost go there by foot from the 14th arrondissement. They kept the 19th-century red brick chimney, and the cobblestone courtyard lovely ! And like it used to be in these late 19th-century industrial buildings, there's the administration/office building near the gate, nicely built in red bricks too... I Hope they'll keep this place for the following issues.
I initially wanted to start with Frank Cornelissen but couldn't find his table even though it was located on the plan, so I switched to Oszkar Maurer who makes wine in Serbia, in Hajdukovo close to the Hungarian border. Oszkar was at the table with his wife to pour
the wine. He now works on 16 hectares total.
__ Muscat 2017, dry white. Very interesting Muscat with noticeable acidity. Turbid, vividness feel. The vines were planted in 2008 on slopes where no chemicals were ever sprayed for 50 years. Delicious wine.
__ Fodor Olaszrizling 2021, élevage in big barrels. Gorgeous golden color, lightly turbid. All is made by gravity. A beautiful, exciting nose, mouth just the same, a gorgeous juicy wine ! 10 € pro.
__ Orion 2018, another Olaszrizling, there's here a light bitterness which comes to balance the otherwise smooth, sweetness-like mouthfeel. Delicious as well !
__ Vad Fekete (means wild black in Hungarian), it's an old local red variety to this region (formerly part of pre-1920 Hungary) and the vines here are old. Fruity wine, but kind of strange, not easy to have an opinion on this wine...
__ Kadarka 1880 2021. A red with a very light color, almost tile colored. 13 % alcohol (I checked because it looked to light).Interesting wine, still powerful and some tannic character in spite of the light color and supposedly light extraction. Love it !
__ Kadarka Gravitation 2020, Oszkar says it's made from a terroir similat to a Grand Cru climat in Burgundy. Such a light color here as well, impressive ! Wow, that's good !!! Subtile aromas, tender, feminine, love at first sip !! 16 € (pro price if I remember).
Oszkar tells me they have other, cheaper cuvées, still made naturally, also zero sulfites and unfiltered but made from their 20-year and younger vines.
Slobodné Vinárstvo is managed by Katarina and Miso Kuropka and is located in Slovakia, in Zemianske Sady, 65 km east of Bratislava. They farm 17 hectares now, and on biodynamics for 5 years now but not with an official certification.
__ Veltlina 2021 (Grüner Veltliner), direct press, spontaneous fermentation, élevage in plastic eggs made by Wine and Tools (a company based in Bordeaux if I'm right). These eggs are easy to move when
they're empty, which is a clear advantage compared to clay, and I guess they chose a fabric with some degree of micro-oxygenation. They added so2 at bottling here. Nice harmony, goes down easy ! 10 € pro. 10 % alcohol.
__ Partisan Cru 2018, a white blend made each year from the best grapes they have, like here Riesling, Sauvignon, Traminer. Darker color. Spends time in new oak but not marked toasting.
__ Eggstasy of Wine Alpinist 2019, maceration on skins for 7 days. Riesling. So2 : 25mg/Liter (the 2017 was without so2). Superb color, rather classy wine, nice character.
__ Cutis Pinoter 2020, almost a rosé but it's supposed to be a white. Pinot Gris that went through a 4- to 5-week maceration. Lightly turbid. Nice texture on the tongue ! Lovely, try this one as well !
__ Alternativa 2017, a red made from Blaufrankisch, evolved color, quite light. Not bad
__ Partisan Cru 2018, blend of Blaufrankisch and Cabernet Sauvignon (2 types of Cabernet Sauvignon actually). Nice harmony, I like that one too. 13 % alc. but you don't feel it at all.
__ Hopera 2022, a white, Sauvignon which macerated on wild hops. Goes down easy, like juice.
Bikicki is located in Serbia and is managed by Djordje Bikicki who farms today 10 hectares. He started making natural wines in 2013 after befriending Oszkar Maurer where he learnt the trade.
__ Nikka 2021, a red
blend of Pinot Noir, Merlot, Black Muscat. Vinified in Oszkar Maurer's cellar. Djordje will soon have his own cellar. This wine is supposed to be a petnat but not bubbly at all and I likeit this way. Stayed 1,5 year on lees. Lovely ! 13 % but feels like lower.
__ Moma 2021, Traminer, one day skin contact without stems and aged in ceramic tank. Quite aromatic with a nice, solid structure.
__ Uncensored 2020, a white made from Traminer, 6 days with skin contact, aging one year in Serbian oak (used barrels), 5000 bottles made total. Good length, 14 %. Man, that's really good ! Decanter also liked this cuvée and rated it at 95. 12 € pro export. Retail in Serbia is 12 € plus VAT.
__ Pinot Gris CU 2021, a rosé here. 7 days on skins, one year in old barrels, no filtration, 20 mg so2 before bottling. Light color, tile tones.13,5 %. Nice intensity, bitterness touch at the end of the mouth which is bringing an interesting plus.
__ Sfera Noir Pinot Noir 80 % and Black Muscat 20 %, short maceration (3 days), the maceration being chosen short because hot summer and he wanted to avoid a jammy character. A bit high alcohol here maybe, or at least it was my feel. 14,5 %.
__ Lily, 100 % Merlot (forgot to note the year), a classic Merlot with a 25-day maceration and one year in new oak, but light toasting and the barrel was washed before use by the cooperage. Excititing nose, oaky mouth for now.
Maloof Wines is managed by a couple of producers in Oregon (Willamette Valley), Ross and Bee Maloof, and Bee was there pouring the wines. Like often in America, they work with demanding growers from whom they buy the grapes, one of their contracted growers is no less than Jason
Lett (Eyrie Vineyards). From what I understand they work from 12 hectares plus negoce volume.
__ L'Eau Epicée 2021, a bubbly blend of Riesling and Gewürtztraminer, grapes sourced from Northern Oregon close to WA.
__ Maloof Pinot Gris 2021, direct press, stayed on its lees 12 months.
__ Ribolla Gialla 2021, very short skin contact, grapes sourced at Johan Vineyards. Nice mouth, smooth, gliding feel on the palate.
__ Gewürtztraminer sourced from Oak Ridge Vineyards, 3 weeks on skins plus some time in oak (9 months if I read my notes correctly). Turbid. So2 added after malolactic (and none after). 20 ppm. Speaking of prices, the wines go from 9 € to 13 € pro export.
__ Where ya PJs at ? 2021. 80% Pinot Gris, 15% Riesling, 5% Schönburger, a blend with a light tile color, like a rosé, some of their own grapes in this cuvée. 2000 cases made here. Nice one albeit with a bit of alcohol feel maybe.
__ Rouge de Gris, Pinot Gris 2021. Between rosé and red (tile color). Grapes from Johan, Vineyards. I love that one ! Very enjoyable texture, you need to try that ! 12,5 %. Bee says it costs probably 12 € pro export. 500 cases made.
__ No label yet for this red, a blend of Gamay, Gewürz and Pinot Gris 2022, made with their estate grapes, light color, like a rosé.
I was very happy to see Isabelle Jolly of Jolly Ferriol was there also pouring wines, Jean-Luc Chossart was there also but busy tasting fellow vintners when I stopped by, and you know what ? The sommelier from reknowned A.T. restaurant in Paris, Thibault Simon, was there making his selections of wines as well, like a few years ago in another tasting event, what a coincidence.... You may know that Isabelle and Jean Luc sold their domaine some 4 years ago but their kept the wines and sell them
__ Entre Temps 2019, Vin Doux Oxydatif, Grenache Noir in cement tank. 100 gr residual sugar, 16 % alcohol, onctuous and what a length ! And zero so2 !!! Love it !
__ Au Fil du Temps, a solera in demijohn. Isabelle told me I would taste a dry after the first wine and somehow I guessed it'd be a solera.. The demijohn here stayed 4 years outside by all sort of weather and then it joins old barrels where the oldest part is somrthing like 70 years (when they got these cellars they found old barrels filled with wine standing there in the dark for decades). Man, that's nice !
__ Au Fil du Temps "cuisine", this is the top layer of the solera and they intend these bottlings for kitchen use to go with oysters, scallops and other seafood for example. Delicious !! I may give a secret but I think the A.T. sommelier ordered several of these... Recently bottled, they don't communicate about it yet.
Abbia Nova is a 7-hectare domaine located in Latium, Italy, it is managed by Daniele Proietti and Pierluca Proietti and Barbara was at the table to pour and explain the wines and the work.
__ #Senzavandalismi 2021, a white (Passerina) that went through 12 hours of skin contact. Harmony, Umami feel. 6,5 € pro.
__ Single
vineyard Passerina del Frusinate, vines 85 years old, it's a blend because these old parcels were at the time complantations of multiple varieties [as it was the case in France as well, by the way].. 12 hours skin contact also, stainless steel. Lightly turbid. 6,5 € pro.
__ Rosato del Frusinate "Berlame", a rosé with vines on sandy soil. 12 hours skin contact, stainless steel tanks. Blend of Cesanese di Affile (50 %) and Cesanese Nostrano (50 %), lovely tile color. I love that one ! What an energy and length in what looks like a light-colored claret ! 9 € export.
__ #Senzavandalismi2021 red, a blend of 2 varieties, a darker wine here, more serious stuff, good to go wuth hearty food I guess.
__ Piglio 2020, some kind of village cuvée, a blend of 6 parcels. Fermentation in cement tank. Majestic mouth, quite powerful, could be still young at this stage.
__ Piglio San Giovanni, single vineyard of Cesanese di Affile, a very local variety, I'm told it's somehow genetically related to Syrah and Pinot Noir. Highest elevation parcel, at 550 meter. Oldest vines too, like 85 years. Very classy wine with an oxydative note.
__ Piglio Cercia 2020, fermented and aged in porcelain eggs (Clayver). A bit high-alcohol feel on the tongue.
__ Belarme Rosso 2020, vines on silt and sand soil at 350 m elevation, the wine stayed 18 months in amphorae. 15 % alcohol, the sun was pretty strong that year, that's why. A bit excessive alcohol feel here also. Betyter with food probably, to check back in two years.
Here are casualties of the strikes in the French trains nation wide, the vintners Paolo and Lorenzo Marchionni couldn't come in person from Tuscany, Italy and if we could pour ourselves tasting samples of their two cuvées there was no way to exchange with the vignerons...
__ L'Erta, Trebbiano 2020, unfiltered (non Filtrato).
__ Rossovigliano 2020, Sangiovese, tannin feel on the side of the palate, still a bit young I guess.
Domaine Grosbois, a 25-hectare domaine which is farming biodynamic is located in Chinon, I knew its name because I'm fond of the everyday-wine they began to make with Domaine Amirault a few years ago in 2016 when they lost most of their fruit to frost, buying grapes to an organic grower in the Gaillac region (South West) to make a very enjoyable vin de france cuvée named Les Mullaudières, and they were very happy from this experience and kept making it year after year, you'll find it usually at Monoprix and/or Super U at around 7 €. Grosbois also raise meat cows, including of the Black Angus type.
__ Extraball, Chinon 2021, Cab Franc on sandy soil, picked under maturity, vinified in order to be rapidly drinkable, 2-day destemmed grape maceration without remontage, 11 % alc. 12 € tax included (retail).
__ Gabare, Chinon 2020, yellow limestone soil, very friable stones, sea bed sediments, this all yields roundness in the wine. One year in cement tank. A bit high-alcohol feel
__ Clôture, Chinon 2018, the jewel of the domaine, from vines planted in 1915. Alcohol feel here also alas.
__ La Cuisine de ma Mère, Chginon 2021, vines on sandt soil but a bit more maceration time. I feel also some unpleasant dryness in the mouth here.
Domaine Amirault is located not far from Grosbois, in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, it is a 36-hectare biodynamic family estate (Xavier, pictured here, says it's been active for 150 years and counting...).
All here is vinified naturally, without so2 and without filtration. All wines certified Demeter and Méthode Nature. They export 25 % of their wine.
__ La Ferme des Fontaines, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil 2021, Can Franc of course here again like in Chinon. Precise wine, sharp and neat.
__ Les Quarterons, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil 2021, 2-week maceration for this Cabernet Franc. Nice freshness with an enjoyable vinous character, and it's still young ! Check this one, now and later !
__ Les Gravilices 2019, vinified and élevage in foudres for 16 months, plus 6 months in bottles. Hot vintage, generous wine, interesting one.
__ Clos de la Gaucherie, Bourgueil 2020, their 1st vintage as it's a surface they took over recently (2019). You feel a different terroir here for sure, sharper wine, nice acidity.
__ Le Clos des Quarterons, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil 2020, old vines. Elevage 18 months. That's good !
__ Le Fondis, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil 2019. Renowned parcel in the past already, the equivalent of a Burgundy climat. Gravel soil. Destemmed and then the grapes are put inside barrels to ferment there in whole berries. Then on the 3rd week they take them out, press and go through 24 months of élevage. 5-barrel volume made of it. Round mouth, suave wine, silky, beautiful ! Xavier says that's thanks to the gravel soil. 22-24 € retail tax included.
__ Le Vau Renou, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil 2019, vines on limestone, 4 to 5 weeks of infusion (the berries macerating in its juice) in a large cuvier (wooden open fermenter), then they blend limestone wine with clay wine and fill amphorae for 30 months. Superb freshness in the mouth, try that too ! 25-28 € in a wine shop, says Xavier.
I didn't have time but I'd have like to taste again the wines of Domaine des Grandes Vignes, a biodynamic domaine with a pretty large surface of vineyards, I had loved several of their wines the last time I sampled a few.
Baia's Wines is located in the Imereti region in Georgia,
it's a family winery farming 12 hectares, they usually make 5 different cuvées and their yearly production is in the range of 24 000 bottles. Officially it's their 7th year of operation.
__ Tsitska 2021
__ Tsolikouri 2021, filtration with paper, so2 added at racking and before bottling.
__ Tsitska - Tsolikouri - Krakhuna 2020, a blend of 3 varieties. Interesting, a red with white-style tannins.
Árpád Balog is a family winery located in the Csongrad region near the Serbian border, they farm 10 hectares
and the domaine was started 10 years ago. I didn't taste everything, tasting (and swallowing) was beginning to take its toll...
__ Kekfrankos 2017, several months on skins, then they take out the juice but they don't press, just the free run juice here. Interesting. Nice acidity, lovely and easy to drink. 10 € export pro price.
__ Cabernet Franc 2019. All wine zero so2. Nice dusty notes, love it !
__ Pinot Noir2021. Some unbalanced alcohol feel here.
__ Kadarka 2021
I heard about Romain Jambon because his Beaujolais is the home cuvée of the Cave de Belleville, and I was happy to taste his osn cuvées in this event. He presently exports very little but given what I tasted that day that should change soon. Very nice wines and very reasonable prices ! (I just realized this tasting-notes section vanished and I'm currently looking for the original notes to put them back).
Johannes Zillinger's family has been producing organic wine for 30 years (organic since 1984, biodynamic since 2011) in Niederösterreich in Götzendorf [incidently, 20 km from Achau,
where one of my ancesters originated...]. His family has a mixed farm growing other crops than just vines, like Rudolf Steiner considered a real farm should be]. Surface : 23 hectares, export is 85 %. All the wines are unfiltered and get 15 mg so2 at bottling.
__ Parcellaire Blanc #1 2021, Welschriesling and Chardonnay. Soo good ! Energy with a super light tickling on the tip of the tongue...
__ Parcellaire Blanc & Sauvignon 2021, more aromatic side here.
__ Revolution, a 8-year solera with Riesling, Chardonnay and Scheurebe (an aromatic local variety).
__ Numen Fumé Blanc, a Sauvignon selection 2021, 18 months on lees, bottled a week before that day. I recognize the Sauvignon here, the wine feels very whole also, like the other I just tasted, that's biodynamics !
__ Numen Grünerveltliner, 5 days on skins, 22 months on its lees in barrels
__ Numen Riesling 2020, east-oriented slope. 4 days on skins, then adding fresh whole berries for some kind of infusion. Same exciting wheat, turbid color. Lots of character here. He uses only old barrels except for entry level cuvées where the new barrels get their oaky thing diluted.
__ Numen rosé 2020, made with Sankt Laurent. Superb color, like Aunis ! Turbid. Mouth and swallowed : Lovely indeed, Love it at first sip (I'd even say at first sight !)... 11,6 % alc. 1000 bottles. Vines planted in 1922, very small volume.
__ Perpetuum 2019, Sauvignon veil wine in old barrels. That's also something !
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