Les Valseuses
Les-Planches-près-Arbois, JuraAntoine Le Court-Chedevergne (Angers, France) and Julia Naar (Rio, Brasil) are part of an exciting new wave of winemaking talent to come through the Jura region. Antoine’s journey has taken him across the world making both wine and spontaneous ferment beer -- from Australia to California and Brasil, where he met Julia. Most influentially he spent a year working with Alice Bouvot in Arbois and in whose cellar he made his first vintage of ‘Les Valseuses’ wines in 2018. Now the couple have purchased a stunning guesthouse, Casa Antolia, in the small village of Les-Planches-pres-Arbois and are utilizing the centuries old cellar beneath the property. They’ve recently added
They are in the process of planting their own vines nearby, and in the meantime have travelled France to harvest organic fruit from friends around the country. The product of their labor is one of the most unique and daring negociant projects in France. In the cellar, gentle but long macerations are favored, and the infusion method, and blends of red and white varieties are common. There is neither pigeage nor pumping over and only ever one racking, with everything done by hand, including bottling. The resulting wines are concetrated and startlingly pure, these characteristics only emphasized by the long elevage and time in bottle. The name of each cuvee pays homage to the music they love from around the world that has inspired them along the way.
Agricola Fasolo Paolo di Alberto Buratti
Padua, VenetoAgricola Fasolo Paolo was founded in 1972 and named after its founder, Alberto’s grandfather. After pursuing studies in art history in Padua and art markets in Milan, Alberto returned to his roots and took over the estate in 2019 -- ‘we carry on the tradition with an innovative perspective of agricultural sustainability.’ He grew up surrounded by vines, and was influenced by his uncle Marco Buratti’s perspective on natural winemaking.
The farm includes 4.5 hectares of land of which 3 are vineyards. The vineyards are nestled in the northern slopes of the Colli Euganei Natural Park in Rovolon, in the province of Padova, at an altitude between 150 and 200m.
The soils are characterized by a thin layer of soil (about 40/50 cm) and a substrate composed of white and red marls, and white clay. Most of the vineyards are between 15 and 40 years old; since 2019 the vines are treated naturally with minimal doses of copper and sulfur, macerated and compounds that are naturally fermented. Nothing is added or removed from the grape juice; theree is no temperatuire control or addition of yeasts, sulfites or filtrations.
Eloi Gros
Blace, BeaujolaisEloi Gros comes from a family of winemakers and farmers, who have been working in the trade for 10+ generations. Eloi remains close to his parents, who manage a polyculture organic farm and vineyard under the name of Domaine des Terres Vivantes in Blace, Beaujolais. This has naturally been a formative source of knowledge for Eloi.
Early in his career journey, Eloi befriended and worked with Michel Guignier, who impacted his perspective on natural winemaking. Then, Sylvere Trichard of SELENE suggested that Eloi hone his craft at Domaine Lapierre. So, in 2019, Eloi began working at Domaine Lapierre, and over time he grew to his current role of vineyard manager and cellar master.
While working at Lapierre, Eloi leased .9 hectares nearby. The two parcels sit in close proximity, Le Perreon and Vaux-en-Beajolais. Each site produces old vine gamay on steep slopes, ranging from 30-50% grade, and are situated in quiet areas that are surrounded by forests and other biodiversity. Each site is quiet and scenic, and sits at about 500m altitude. Since the original lease of .9 hectares, Eloi has since gone on to add a few other plots in the area, which also diversify soil, aspect and sun exposure, and will be included in forthcoming vintages.
Each parcel is being farmed organically and is in the process of official conversion. Treatments are done with copper, as well as essential oils and plat-based preparations.
In terms of vinification, Eloi chooses to keep his method consistent, regardless of the parcel. This renders differences in taste the case of differences in terroir. In the cellar, whole bunches go into tanks and are injected with CO2. Vinification is practied according to the semi-carbonic maceration method. Grapes macerate from 10-20 days. Once maceration is over, grapes are pressed by vertical press so the grapes remain in whole bunches until the end of the process. Then , the juices keep fermenting in tanks and are barreled by gravity when only a few grams of sugar remain to be transformed by the yeast. Elevage takes place in 228L and 400L barrels for around 10 months. Wines are racked by gravity and bottled at the beginning of sumer. No inputs (except CO2 at encuvage) are added to the wines during the vniification and bottling.