Perfect for Summer - The Unique and Beautiful Wines of the Clos des Gravillas and End of Stock for Delicious Saint-Perays from Domaine de Lorient
We love the wines from Nicole and John Bojanowski at the Clos des Gravillas in St. Jean de Minervois! The reds are distinctive and full-flavored but retain a fabulous purity and freshness that makes them absolutely delicious served cool, perfect with anything off the grill this season. We particularly love the whites, made from local and ancient grape varieties - they are crystalline, subtle and mineral, with refreshing acidity - perfect with seafoods, salads and light summer meals. The orange wine - "A Fleur du Peau" - is one of the very best, and the sparkling "Jour de Teuf," is a delight - if you haven't tried these wonderful wines, please do so today, they are all highly recommended!
In 1996, Nicole, from Narbonne, convinced her American husband John, from Kentucky, that the stones of St Jean de Minervois were the most beautiful in the world. It was a real choice of life, to a village of 45 souls, and of terroir: the white limestone and marine fossils of the high causse northwest of Beziers. This dazzling terroir is reminiscent of the moon, and inspired their representation of the estate.
"The 9 ha vineyard on the Causse, at an altitude of 270 metres, benefits from a providential coolness descending from the Montagnes Noires on summer nights. The very mineral landscape makes it possible to imagine the nature of the wines. Biodiversity is a watchword, we are within the Haut Languedoc Natural Park and in a Natura 2000 protected area. Organic farming, of course. Agroforestry is practiced with the establishment or restoration of trees and hedges. An ideal "oasis" that serves as a refuge and creates havens of freshness. A living soil is essential to reflect a terroir and make unique wines. In addition to the biodynamic preparations, the vineyard is planted with legumes and grasses to create a mulch/ground cover and not leave the soil bare."
Indeed the location is extraordinary - a plateau surrounded by hills and mountains, composed of solid limestone with "soil" of limestone rocks and fossilized seashells. John and Nicole are serious, experienced winemakers who take advantage of this unusual spot to make profound wines of terroir that are both incredibly delicious and great fun to drink - in the true spirit of wine as a beverage to be shared and enjoyed. From the complex, delicate and beautifully made orange wine "A Fleur de Peau" to the dark and stormy "Cote Obscur," here is a rage of wines that is joyful and creative - we invite you to try them all! (Only available in the US at Chambers Street Wines!) -David Lillie
Domaine de Lorient is an inspiring project that is in its infancy, a farm winery that is located on the highest spot of the Saint-Péray appellation, resting on a granitic hilltop overlooking the Rhone. We feel honored to be able to present the wines and hope to share many vintages with you as the years go by. As we will be receiving new vintages from them later this year, we're offering the end of stock of their two Saint-Peray whites from their first shipment, at lower prices! If you haven't tried the wines yet, they are tasting better than ever with a bit of time in the bottle, and for the quality these are, without a doubt, the best value Rhone whites in the shop!
"We created our little winemaking farm in Ardèche in 2014 on the top hill of Saint-Péray AOC, between wild forests and fields, in a place called Lorient, because it faces the sunrise. We have now 20 hectares [around 50 acres] of diversified land.
We started from scratch by planting everything. Today we cultivate 4 hectares of vines in Saint-Péray, with a majority of Roussanne and a bit of Marsanne. We have 1 hectare in Cornas with exclusively Syrah and a half hectare in Saint-Joseph also with Syrah. In 2020 we planted 1.5 hectares of Mondeuse blanche and Mondeuse Noire in Vin de France.
We work our vines by hand, on steep slopes, trying always to respect our terroir and the nature in and around it. We are certified organic but we want to go much further. We want to bring back our vineyards to real nature, to make our paysan activity cohabitate with the wildlife, and to be part of the diversity." - Laure & Dimitri
