“R" VDF Blanc 2020
A light white wine from Riesling with apple, hints of gasoline, and crisp electric acidity.
Tasting Notes: Apricot, pineapple, mango, orange and vanilla.
Pairing Suggestions: Tartiflette, Pan-Fried Breaded Trout, Steamed Mussels in Spicy Broth
Alsace, France
Type: White | Vintage: 2020 | Sulfur: Minimal | Varietal: Riesling (Savoie) | Alcohol: 12% | Production: Organic, Biodynamic | Style: Glou Glou
Producer Profile
After a lifetime before, Patrick Bouju settled in the Auvergne, where he released his first commercial vintage in 2002 and left his job as an engineer in 2008 to make wine full time. Patrick first started drinking wine while he was a chemistry student in Clermont-Ferrand, realizing he had a dislike for classical wine, as his body had an intolerance for sulphur. In 1994 and 1995, while joining the military in Chalon-sur-Saône, Patrick met many sons of low-intervention winemakers, inspiring him to go on to study viticulture in Beaune. Following his studies, Patrick moved to the village of Glaine-Montaigut in the Auvergne and started cultivating a small handful of vines, little by little. There is a scarcity of vines in this region, having been wiped out by phylloxera after Wold War I and II. The terroir is very unique, with many complexities, but most apparent is the volcanic content of the soil. Patrick tends to several small plots of vines around his village, with some vines aging back 120 years. He runs every aspect of the winery, from working in the vineyards by horse, to bottling, labeling, and bookkeeping. - Zev Rovine
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About Natural Wine
Great question! There are a lot of definitions for natural wine with the main term you'll hear being that it has had minimal intervention. To be more specific, our definition is that the wine must first be sustainably farmed, which typically means it was organically or biodynamically farmed.
Then, in the cellar the natural winemaking process has some differences as well! The wine is typically unfined, unfiltered, and goes through spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts. If you want to know more about what natural wine is, we have an entire guide under our reference section!
The short answer is that natural wine can taste like any other kind of conventional wine (we like to call these stealth natural wines) or it can taste quite a bit different, as production methods can vary and potentially be lighter, or in a style you've never had before (like orange, pet-nat or amphora).
The natural wine community is also more accepting of some qualities in wines that conventional would consider a flaw, like Brett, some oxidation, or volatile acidity. We would consider these in high amounts to also be a flaw, but in many cases a touch of these qualities can ultimately improve their flavor and texture and be happily accepted in a natural wine.
To find out more about what natural wine tastes like, check out our full blog and podcast on the topic here.
The short answer is, no! But many are. Glou-glou describes winesthat are easily chuggable, impossible to put the glass down, and seductively delicious! They tend to be young and fresh, designed to be drunk early with an average ABV of around 10%. Check out different styles or glou glou natural wine here on our site.