Introducing "La Grain Sauvage" and "Pèira Levada" - Beautiful Natural Wines from Sybil Baldassarre and Alexandre Durand in Faugères

6/14/19 -

We're proud to introduce these outstanding natural wines to the US, originating from high altitude vineyards on soils of shiste in Faugères, and produced with zero or minimal added sulfur. Sybil Balassarre is a young Italian oenologist who worked with Anna Schneider at the University of Turin in a project of "study, recovery and the safeguard of Vitis genetic resourses'" and then worked at the important organic estate Chateau Tours des Gendres in Bergerac. Thanks to retailer Ludovic Aventin and to crowdfunding by his society "Terra Hominis," Sybil was able to obtain 2.5 hectares of old vines - all white varieties - for her dream project in Faugères. Here she is joined by her partner Alexandre Durand, from Bergerac, whose project is Pèira Levada, producing red wines, with zero added sulfur, from Cinsault, Grenache, Carignan and Mourvedre as well as ancient grapes such as Oeillades and Aramon.

We met Sybil and Alex in Caussiniojouls(?), and tried to follow their Jeep up  to the vineyards in the hamlet of Cabrerolles, bathed in luminous winter light, at 1300ft in altitude. It's a unique and beautiful spot, cool enough to retain acidity in the white wines, even in the Languedoc, on a great terroir of shiste, with old vines primarily of Grenache Blanc, Vermentino, Roussanne and Marsanne. Her farming is organic, of course, with minimal treatments for mildew and a great diversity of flora and fauna in and around the vines. She is planting Terret, Clairette, Maccabeo and other old varieties and hopes to develop a conservatory to preserve the ancient vines that are adapted to the region.

Ms Baldassarre is passionate, energetic and obviously a highly skilled and knowledgeable winemaker as was shown during our subsequent tasting in her cellar/garage. The wines are fantastically complex and ripe, but balanced by firm acidity, and while they possess the ''sauvage" character of natural wines, they remain "clean," saline and very long in the finish. They will be superb accompaniments to creative vegetarian cooking, fish or chicken in sauce and full flavored cheeses. We are thrilled to offer these unique wines in the US and we congratulate Ms. Badassarre on her work and her committment to the region and it's old varieties.

Alexandre Durand's parcels for Pèira Levada are nearby at a slightly lower altitude on terroirs of shiste and marble. Alexandre is making wines without added SO2, with a two month maceration, with no pigeage or remontage, just an infusion of fruit. His first two wines to reach us are "Dynamite," made with Cinsault on a terroir of marble and "Velvet Underschiste" on, you guessed it, schiste soils. While they are obviously full-flavored wines of the south, they retain cool acidity and are balanced and pretty - perfect for grilled foods this summer, served a bit cool.

All wines arrive by Tuesday June 18th.

Pascaline Lepeltier and staff will be introducing these unique wines at Racines this Tuesday, June 18th, beginning at 6pm. Six half-pours $30, for reservations call Racines at 212-227-3400 or email info@racinesny.com