100% Natural: Notes on Organic Wine from the I V Y paris Boozehound Society

By I V Y paris Wine Guru Matthew Rose

Most wines consumed on the planet are the results of committees of chemists, marketers, designers and growers, with the poor grapes waiting around to become something they're not. So, last Friday, a group of Paris Ivy boozehounds got together to sample three 100 percent natural wines, made from unique cepages – Pinot Noir, Groulleau and Grenache, in a effort to avoid sobriety and morning after hangovers.

Without added sugars or chemical manipulation, these wines, now a vogue in France, leave your bloodstream without constricting your capillaries. The taste in general is quite different from your standard industrially-produced Bordeaux or Côtes du Rhones, and would probably produce and induce reactions ranging from "What is this? This is not wine" and "Why is this so cloudy?" to "I've never had anything like it" and "Hey, where can I get this stuff?"

The Three Wines

8 € Ocre Rouge π-Note 2006 (Pinot Noir) : Produced in Gard, near Nîmes, in a particular parcel of land that is characterized by clay and calcium.

10 € Le Cousin 2006 (100% Grolleau) : Produced in Anjou.

10 € Mazel 2005 (100% Grenache) : Produced in Ardéche.

The Orcre Rouge π-Note (get it? Pi-note) was, for a Pinot Noir, not what you'd expect from this fragile grape, grown largely in Burgundy and Alsace and known for it's particularly tart flavor in its lesser incarnations and its sexy rich tones in its high-end and high priced jewels of the vine – Nuits St. Georges, Pommard, Gevrey-Chambertin, Romanée Conti, etc.).

Our panel of low-grade and entertaining alcoholics – Susie Hollands, Ashley Byock, Adrian Sanders, Wendy Billingslea and myself, liked this menthol/minerally Pi Note commenting, (these are unfiltered comments): "Fresh! Sweet! Easy to drink. Sharp, Raw, Tangy, Spicy! Name sounds like a rapper." One drinker didn't like the label and dismissed the wine.

On the I V Y paris Boozehound scale from 1 - 10, the wine scored: 6, 4, 3.5, 4, and 7.5 for an average of 6.25.

Le Cousin, with its distinctive drawing of a mosquito on the label was produced from Grolleau, a grape that, from our friends at the Wikipedia, "is a red wine grape grown primarily in the Loire Valley of France. The name is derived from the French word grolle, meaning "crow" and is said reflect the deep black berries of the Grolleau vine. It is most commonly made into rosé wine, particularly when it is grown in the Anjou region. Grolleau wines tend to be low in alcohol and have high acidity."

That said, in the glass the 2006 version of this popular non-filtered wine, was, reported our group, "Cloudy, tart and immediate." Another drinker, new mother Susie Hollands, said "Mmmm! Reviving!" But the quick, rich taste soon disappeared. "Not much of an end," added Adrian. I agreed: "No real signature or story." I found the 2005 to be wholly distinct and rich with a lot to talk about coming and going. Quelle difference a year makes.

On the I V Y paris Boozehound scale from 1 - 10, the wine scored:: 5, 4, 3, 4, and 5 for an average of 5.25.

Our last bottle was the 2005 Mazel Briand, which, as expected, wowed the group. The Mazel Briand 2005 is made from 100 percent Grenache. Wiki says: "Grenache is probably the most widely planted variety of red wine grape in the world. It ripens late, so needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain and in the south of France. It is generally spicy, berry-flavoured and soft on the palate with a relatively high alcohol content, but it needs careful control of yields for best results. It tends to lack acid, tannin and colour, and is usually blended with other varieties such as Syrah, Carignan and Cinsaut. Grenache is the dominant variety in most Southern Rhône wines, especially in Châteauneuf-du-Pape where it is typically over 80% of the blend.

Comments flowed freely: "Full bodied! Fruit-forward, Opens up over time – minute by minute." "I always like it." "Where did you get this?" "I have to change my baby." Kinda dry, but I never had anything like it. Very very original. I like the finish a lot. Say...Is there any more?"

On the I V Y paris Boozehound scale from 1 - 10, the wine scored:: 8, 6, 6, 7, and 9 for an average of 7.5.

It should be noted that 2005 was an exceptional year for wine in France, with strong consistent sun throughout the growing season. Friends have said a good deal of excellent wine was produced in 2005, so it should remain reasonably priced and have good staying power in the cave, which translates to good drinking for several years to come.

We purchased these three wines from natural wine seller, La Cave de Papilles, 35 Rue Daguerre 75014 (Metro Denfert Rochereau). Ask for Jean-Pascal, Gerard or Francky.

Comments

[simon]

When I am in France I find the french wines ( real ones) to be "softer" than the Australian wines, and I think it is because of the chemicals that are added in the main.

I certainly wake up feeling great, not "rooted."

[simon]

ps! If memory serves me- the wine shop you recommend is the very one I buy from, and I buy bread in a shop in Rue Didot (in fact the bread shop owner recommended this wine shop to me!)

Makes the world seem very small :o)

[adrian]

Organic wines are new for me too, I was really surprised at how different they taste. It really is a distinct flavor!

[MATTHEW ROSE]

You might also try Mi-fugue, Mi-raisin, also run by friends. 36/28 rue Delambre 75014 Paris. E: mifugue.miraisin@orange.fr Tel: 01 43 20 12 06. Here, amidst the constant stream of classical music (also for sale), you can scout a wide range of excellent wines from Leon Barral's faugères and Jadis, to excellent St. Josephs and hard to beat bourgognes. Prices are extremely reasonable.

[simon]

"cloudy, tart and immediate" Sounds like a girlfriend I used to know. But she ended up "full bodied, fruit forward and opened up over time"

ahahah! ;o)

[Steven Herbert]

Natural wines are gaining popularity in the UK too with a wine shop based in Highgate, called Zelas which seem to specialise in these type of wine - http://www.zelas.co.uk and the recently opened wine bar called Terroirs in central London.