Le Temps des Cerises 2023 Avanti Popolo

Axel Prufer, of Le Temps des Cerises, could be considered one of the early adopters of carbonic maceration in the Languedoc, where it was not used as a winemaking approach as it has been historically in the Beaujolais. Trying it with grapes like Carignan, Cinsault, Aramaon and Grenache, unlocked new tools for making wines with freshness and lower alcohol, which Prufer has done since he first started making wines in the Languedoc in 2003 (he's originally from Germany). With the intention of making wines without additives, Prufer has relied on great farming, natural acidity and the absence of oxygen to make natural wines without added SO2. Avanti Popolo is a nice Languedoc medley, with rustic, brambly aromas, which blend well with the traditional wild raspberry notes common with carbonic maceration. This is an easy-going light bodied red, and a great introduction to the wines of Axel Prufer.