Issue 4.5: From Arles to Uzès
The Gard contains multitudes. More reports from this culturally hybrid wine region before we head further south for Issue 5, coming in early October.
Bonjour, folks. As harvest begins in earnest throughout France, I find myself occupying a tiny, almost windowless studio in Uzès, where I’ve come to finish an addendum to July’s issue on the flourishing natural wine scene of the Gard - which, for anyone just joining now, is a French department spanning the Cevennes mountains to Avignon to the Camargue west of Arles, and combining, in its wine culture, elements of the Languedoc, the southern Rhône, and Provence.
The Gard was a waypoint in the southward expansion of the French natural wine community in the early 2000s. Nowadays it’s a hotbed of inventive natural winemaking. It would have been remiss of me to depart for other subjects before before mentioning:
An interview with veteran natural vigneron ALAIN ALLIER of Domaine Mouressipe, a onetime Pfifferling acolyte and serious MANURE CONNOISSEUR.
A report on Emilie and Brice Bolognini of MAS MELLET, among the most recent Anglore protégés, who are creating pristine whites and deep rosés from the salt flats of the COSTIERES DE NIMES.
A late-summer dinner in Uzès at LES INSOLENTS, Nathan George and Kim Eberhard’s enchanting terraced wine bistrot, which hosts a parade of traveling chefs as well as one of the GREAT NATURAL WINE LISTS of southern France. (No paywall.)
Also included in Issue 4.5 is:
The fourth installment of my series on BEAUNE VITICULTURAL SCHOOL, concerning its courses in VITICULTURE. Sample instruction: Don’t bring your dog to the vines during phytochemical spray treatments. Unless your dog has a hazmat suit. (No paywall.)
A visit to pioneering natural wine retailer LUC DESROUSSEAUX at his legendary Arles wine bistrot LE GIBOLIN.
A report on CRUCIAL CHANGES to the organization, if one can call it that, of the phenomenon that is BRUTAL WINE COMPANY a.k.a. BRUTAL!!!
That’s all for now. Next full issue coming early October. Many many thanks for reading, as always!