Natural Wine

We are proud to announce that we have our Demeter label/ biodynamic certification for our wines and vineyards, starting cuvees 2021.

So what exactly is natural wine? While wines can officially be labelled as biodynamic, there currently is no certified natural wine certification. However, all natural wines have the same things in common:

No additives
No added sulfites (though some natural winemakers add a minimal amount 30-40mg/L)
Indigenous yeast and Spontaneous Fermentation
No pesticides and no chemicals (other than a weak dosage of copper) are used on the vines or the soil.

Many natural wine makers also choose to not filter their wines and to not use fining agents. The clarification process is aimed at taking things out of the wine. However, natural wines are only made of grapes, so there is no need to remove anything. This often results in natural wines having some sediment at the bottom of a bottle which is a mixtures of the grapes and yeast.

The general principle of natural wine is to use a minimal amount of human intervention and to let the grapes do the talking. This creates a final product that is essentially different than conventional wines. Conventional wines often aim to reproduce a specific taste year after year by using chemical intervention where natural wine is usually more variable every year.

Furthermore, natural wine is more than just an end product, it is a philosophy. It focuses on sustainable agriculture, healthy soil, and a wine that consists only of the ingredients of the land it came from. As wine consumption and demand continues to increase around the world this type of sustainable agriculture is a healthy way to supply high quality wines to the world.

Our Wines

Our natural wines:

Domaine la Taupe produces natural wines. For us this means just grapes. No sulfites or additives, no filtering/clarification, and always relying on spontaneous fermentation that is accomplished by using indigenous yeast. The result is a living and energetic wine that reflects its terroir.

Reds:

Carnyx: Cabernet Franc (70%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (30%)


A light wine with very fine tannins. The body of the wine is made up of Cabernet Franc that is topped off with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon

Bruno Bert & Co: Côt


This is a wine with a lot of tannins. With hints of black fruits and cherry, this is a very drinkable and vivid wine that has a lot of freshness despite it’s bold character. Overall this is a well balanced wine that is strong, but not heavy.

AK 400: Gamay


The first sip is a mouth full of juice, red, fruity and ripe. This wine has a refreshing tint of acidity and a very nice touch of tension and volatility, every sip is an adventure. It is young and is very much still alive in the bottle, opening bottles on different days will end with different tasting experiences.

During the vinification process, the grapes are partly destemmed and the wine is put into old oaken barrels.

White:

Surin: Sauvignon Blanc


This sauvignon blanc, right after bottling, has a slightly oxidative flair with pleasant notes of acidity. While still young there is an apple flavor that dominates the wine. As it ages it becomes more structured and has had the time to lose its oxidative side.

This wine is great to drink young or old, it is a refreshing drink for any occasion. Our 2018 bottles are ready to be enjoyed now or stowed away in a cave for later.

Surin is pressed directly after the grapes are harvested. The juice stays 5 days in a tank before finding its new home in old oaken barrels for 1.5-2 years.

The above are our 4 standard cuvees. We make many different cuvees each year, depending on the year, the harvest, the energy. You will find Sauvignon Blanc macerated (Nicole), the pet nat (Triangle), or any of our projects. We have our negoce wines to experiment with other grape varieties and we let young people make wine in our cellar. The Cellar hand project.

Our Vines

You will find us at 40 TER, Rue Nationale, Thésée, France with 8,5 ha of vines. In details our vines are broken down in the following parcels:

  • Le paradis: 1,5ha sauvignon blanc
  • Le poira: 1,84ha sauvignon blanc et gamay
  • La maison neuve: 0,77ha cot
  • Toucheronde: 0,7ha cabernet franc and 0,5 ha gamay
  • Hannah: 0,45 ha Pineau d’aunis (planted in 2019) and 0,2 ha sauvignon blanc (planted in 2019)
  • Le sonnemot: 0,4 ha sauvignon blanc
  • 2 hectares Monthou – les pas d’ane: planted in 1976 – Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin.

Our soil is rich and has a mixture of clay, limestone, flint, and smaller amounts of other rock.

None of our vines or land is treated with pesticides or herbicides and everything is done by hand with personal attention given to each vines throughout the year. We let nature take the lead while taking a hands on approach when it comes to pruning, harvesting, and other vine care. Although there are no official certifications for natural wine in France we are certified as agriculture biologique (AB) by Ecocert and as biodynamic by a French wine organization called Demeter. 

Natural Wine

We are proud to announce that we have our Demeter label/ biodynamic certification for our wines and vineyards, starting cuvees 2021.

So what exactly is natural wine? While wines can officially be labelled as biodynamic, there currently is no certified natural wine certification. However, all natural wines have the same things in common:

No additives
No added sulfites (though some natural winemakers add a minimal amount 30-40mg/L)
Indigenous yeast and Spontaneous Fermentation
No pesticides and no chemicals (other than a weak dosage of copper) are used on the vines or the soil.

Many natural wine makers also choose to not filter their wines and to not use fining agents. The clarification process is aimed at taking things out of the wine. However, natural wines are only made of grapes, so there is no need to remove anything. This often results in natural wines having some sediment at the bottom of a bottle which is a mixtures of the grapes and yeast.

The general principle of natural wine is to use a minimal amount of human intervention and to let the grapes do the talking. This creates a final product that is essentially different than conventional wines. Conventional wines often aim to reproduce a specific taste year after year by using chemical intervention where natural wine is usually more variable every year.

Furthermore, natural wine is more than just an end product, it is a philosophy. It focuses on sustainable agriculture, healthy soil, and a wine that consists only of the ingredients of the land it came from. As wine consumption and demand continues to increase around the world this type of sustainable agriculture is a healthy way to supply high quality wines to the world.

Work With Us

Talent

All year long we look for people who willing to work and help in our bio-dynamic vineyard. We pay a fair wage for labor and also take volunteers.

Are you motivated, do you have experience in wine making or bio-dynamic gardening/ bio-culture? If so, we look forward to hearing from you. We know that we can’t do this work alone and we don’t want to. We love to share our love and understanding of wine and nature with others and we hope to learn from you as well. We will both have an opportunity to learn and grow from each other, that’s our philosophy.

Just contact us, we have already welcomed people from all over the world to come and join us.

Internships

We create a environment where you can learn and advance in the fields of wine and bio-dynamic techniques. We take students starting age 16+.  We will support your learning goals and can provide accommodation.

Contact Us

If you would like to get in touch with us for business, work, planning an event with us or anything else, we are located at:

Domaine la Taupe:

40 Ter, Rue Nationale

41140 Thésée

France

Visits to the domain are possible if scheduled in advance.

Telephone:

France: +33 06 49 00 58 94 / +33 06 47 66 75 26

Netherlands: +31 6 41461766

E-mail: domainelataupe@gmail.com

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