Alsace
- André Kientzler André Kientzler
The quiet André Kientzler is now helped by his son, Eric, in the running of their small 13.8 hectares estate which include vineyards in 3 Grand Crus of Ribeauvillé. Their style remains unique, displaying André’s craft and experience with wines that mirror his calm and unassuming character. They are very fine with underlying purity and intense mineral notes. The Rieslings are like crystal, gaining great complexity over the years. Do not expect big showy wines here, just wines that are classy and racy.
https://www.vinskientzler.com/ - Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Domaine Zind-Humbrecht
The Humbrecht family can trace their winemaking heritage back over 10 generations, although the Domaine Zind Humbrecht story really began in 1959 through the amalgamation of the Zind and Humbrecht family vineyards. Under the stewardship of first Léonard Humbrecht and then his son Olivier, the domain has grown to around 40 hectares, including some of the very best parcels in Alsace’s top Grand Cru and Lieu-Dit sites. Taking a non-interventionist approach in the cellar and paying incredible attention to detail in the biodynamic management of his vineyards, Olivier is leading the field in crafting superb terroir-driven wines
http://www.zindhumbrecht.fr/en/ - Albert Mann Albert Mann
This well-regarded 21 hectares Alsace domaine is run by two brothers, Maurice and Jacky Barthelmé, in the village of Wettolsheim near Colmar. Albert Mann, Maurice’s father-in-law, decided to use modern production tools without neglecting the constraints of the land. His philosophy was to make wine using the elements of the soil without the help of fertilizers. The Barthelmé brothers have embraced his beliefs and are now at the forefront of a group of organic/biodynamic Alsace producers.
http://www.albertmann.com/site/Accueil-2.html - Domaine Paul Ginglinger Domaine Paul Ginglinger
The Ginglinger family is deeply rooted in the history of Eguisheim. Michel is the 13th generation at the helm since he took over from his father Paul in 2000. Rigorous in the vineyard and in the cellar, he applies the many techniques encountered during his various internships at Champagne Lanson and Domaine Armand Rosseau along with his time in South Africa and Chile.
Located 5 km south of Colmar, the Paul Ginglinger estate consists of 13 hectares of vines on slopes particularly sunny, exposed to the east and south-east, at an altitude of 220 to 340 m. The vineyards are sheltered by the foothills of the Vosges Mountains and benefit from a particularly dry and hot microclimate. The subsoil is marly, slightly granite, and rests on a very stony clay soil. The wines from these terroirs are robust, powerful and defined, capable of longevity while maintaining their typicity and floral aromas. The estate is certified organic since 2018.
https://www.paul-ginglinger.fr/
Bordeaux
- Château La Tour Baladoz Château La Tour Baladoz
Owned by the De Schepper family, this relatively little-known 9 hectares property lies in the commune of St-Laurent-des-Combes, just 3km southeast of St Emilion. The vineyards are planted on a chalk/clay soil with vines averaging 30 years of age. Matured for 12-15 months in 50% new oak, the wine is rich yet restrained with a rewarding depth of fruit and finely tempered structure.
http://www.de-mour.com/fr/chateau-tour-baladoz.aspx - Stéphane Derenoncourt Stéphane Derenoncourt
Stéphane Derenoncourt began working in the vineyard at the age of 19, becoming proficient in all aspects of vine work. When he became the cellar master at Château Pavie-Macquin, he was able to put his vine knowledge to use by making exceptional wines. Now working as a consultant for many leading properties, he continues with great sensitivity and a belief in the sacrosanct nature of wines to evoke their terroir and individuality. Stéphane’s consultant venture ‘Derenoncourt Consultants’ embodies a new generation of consultancy in viticulture & winemaking. His philosophy is that there is no such thing as a “petit vin”. With a broad palette of clients, a lot of investment & hard work, he is able to showcase many lesser-known terroirs, producing exceptional wines. Stéphane’s personal property, Domaine de l’A, is a 10 hectares estate planted to Merlot (80%) & Cabernet Franc (20%) at Sainte-Colombe to the east of St. Emilion in the Côtes de Castillon.
https://www.derenoncourtconsultants.com/en/our-clients/ - Château Falfas Château Falfas
With 20 hectares of vineyards planted on rolling hillsides of Bayon in the Côtes de Bourg, Château Falfas has a winemaking heritage that dates back to the 14th century. The Château was in fact one of the very first in Bordeaux to practise organic and biodynamic methods. Today Château Falfas is owned by Véronique and John Cochran, who are building on the traditions of the past with a very simple philosophy: the best wines are not “made” but rather “grown”. They remain passionate about practising biodynamic principles to extract the very essence of the terroir, producing authentic, rich and generous wines.
http://chateaufalfas.com/index.php/fr/ - Château Penin Château Penin
Château Penin’s 40 hectares of vines are located between the limestone plateau and the marshland on the left bank of the Dordogne River facing Saint Emilion. It has a majority of high density Merlot vineyards planted on gravel soil. Patrick Carteyron has been making cracking Bordeaux for a number of years. He consistently receives high praise for his work and is one of the new wave of Bordeaux producers who succeeds in delivering great early drinking wines, whilst still keeping some of the traditional balance between savoury fruit, tannin and acidity.
http://www.chateaupenin.com/en/ - François Thienpont François Thienpont
The Thienpont heritage is impressive: Vieux Château Certan and Le Pin in Pomerol, Puygueraud, Lauriol and Les Charmes Godard in the Côtes de Bordeaux. In 2001, François Thienpont set out to create a family of wines that expressed the truth of the terroir and ‘Terra Burdigala’ was born. Wines were to be produced with absolute respect for the soil and the environment. From vine to bottling, all aspects of the creation of each wine were to be fully within the control of François and his team. Each wine hails from meticulously selected vineyards and each parcel of vines is tended individually. Natural yeasts are welcome; chemical fertilisers are banned! The end results are wines of authenticity and great value.
https://www.francois-thienpont.com/en/
Champagne
- Champagne Dehours Champagne Dehours
Jérôme Dehours believes in the Pinot Meunier grape and low dosage. His 14 hectares of family-owned vineyards are located in the heart of Cerseuil, in the Vallée de la Marne, the best area for Pinot Meunier and he fully exploits its true potential. Vinifying small parcels, he produces some excellent single vineyard cuvées, as well as a very successful blend. Jérôme’s Extra Brut shows all the characteristics of Pinot Meunier with fine minerality and iodine notes.
https://champagne-dehours.fr/ - Champagne Deutz Champagne Deutz
As one of the oldest Grandes Marques, Champagne Deutz has been making their distinctive, carefully crafted Champagnes in Aÿ, Vallée de la Marne, since 1838. With Fabrice Rosset now at the helm, Deutz continues its tradition of producing wines characterised by their finesse, elegance and complexity. The house owns vineyards in some of the finest sites of Champagne and works closely with its grape growers to ensure quality and authenticity. Their special cuvées ‘William Deutz’ and ‘Amour de Deutz’ are testaments to the house’s meticulous winemaking and patience.
https://www.champagne-deutz.com/ - Champagne Jean de Villaré Champagne Jean de Villaré
Champagne Jean de Villaré is produced by Baron-Fuente in the Vallée de la Marne, where Pinot Meunier is king. Their Grande Réserve Brut is a blend representative of the region, with a strong Pinot Meunier dominance and much finesse from the 35% Chardonnay in the blend.
https://jean-de-villare.com/en/home/ - Champagne Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Larmandier-Bernier
Averaging 33 years of age, Larmandier-Bernier’s 15 hectares of vineyards lie on the spectacular terroirs of the Côte des Blancs: Vertus, a 1er cru village, as well as the Grand Crus Cramant, Chouilly, Oger and Avize. According to Pierre and Sophie Larmandier, “the creation of a great Champagne, like the creation of any great wine, begins in the vineyard.” This philosophy is why they manage their vineyards biodynamically, harvesting their grapes manually at optimal ripeness to produce extraordinary expressions of each terroir. Fermentations using natural yeasts in a mixture of stainless steel vats, wooden casks and barrels, together with long, slow ageing at either Brut Nature (0g/l) or Extra Brut (2-5g/l) allows for the clearest of expressions
https://larmandier.fr/en/
Corsica
- Clos Canarelli Clos Canarelli
Yves Canarelli is no doubt one of the most gifted Corsican winemakers and renowned worldwide to boot! Using biodynamic methods, he is a great ambassador of the local grape varieties. Yves Canarelli’s wines symbolise the renewal and vitality of ancient vineyards in the area around Figari, the oldest growing region in Corsica
Languedoc & Roussillon
- Grange des Rocs Grange des Rocs
Languedoc is the source of many great wines, as well as some very mediocre. Grange des Rocs is our own label, comprising two special cuvées. Both are blends of the best local grapes selected by us to reflect H2Vin’s house style and ethos. Winemaker Claude Serra is highly respected in the Languedoc, acting as a consultant for several estates, as well as producing wine at his own domaine. We work closely with Claude to produce these wines, which display the region’s character, whilst also delivering great value.
- Domaine de La Provenquière Domaine de La Provenquière
Domaine de la Provenquière is located in the heart of the Languedoc with a history dating back to the 15th century. Brigitte and Claude Robert are now at the helm, producing wines from the estate’s 150ha with vines planted on clay-calcareous soils. Their great attention to detail means that these fresh, vibrant wines are crammed with a mass of savoury ripe fruit and offer great value for the quality.
http://www.provenquiere.com/ - Domaine Bassac Domaine Bassac
The organically run Bassac vineyards cover some 80 hectares (200 acres) consisting of a wide variety of soil types around Puisalicon and the neighbouring village of Thézan-les-Béziers. The varied and original mix of vines at Bassac takes into account the specific nature of the individual terroirs – resulting from a combination of climate, soil and geographical situation.The organic Margalh white is aromatic, delicate and fresh with notes of white peach and honey.
http://domaine-bassac.com/en/ - Domaine de Bachellery Domaine de Bachellery
Bernard Julien and his team manage Domaine de Bachellery located near Béziers. Bernard is one of the best vignerons in the region with his vineyards producing consistently high quality grapes. Most of the picking is carried out at night to preserve the freshness whilst avoiding uncontrolled oxidation. The quality has improved again resulting in a range of great value wines that deliver exceptional flavour and texture.
http://www.bachellery.com/en/ - Château de La Négly Château de La Négly
Jean Paux Rosset and his team, with the help of consultant Claude Gros, have worked tirelessly to make sure that their wines are the very best of the appellation. The beautiful vineyards, a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean, receive the best viticultural care in order to ensure healthy grapes; this helps the team to pick extremely late if required, especially the Mourvèdre. The range is extremely consistent, with the ‘Brise Marine’ displaying notes of white stone fruit and iodine, while the reds have ripe tannins and great intensity without being heavy.
https://www.lanegly.com/?lang=en - Borie la Vitarèle Borie la Vitarèle
The Izarn family has run Borie la Vitarèle biodynamically for a number of years. The wines are highly underrated and deserve much more recognition. Here everything is very simple and honest, with a great sense of generosity; the wines are made with nothing to hide, just a lot of hard work in the 18 hectares of vineyards to obtain the best quality grapes. Their honest winemaking preserves such quality, using a mix of cement tanks and large oak barrels. Jean François Izarn sadly passed away in 2015; his wife Cathy and their daughter Camille work hard to continue his fine legacy.
https://www.borielavitarele.fr/ - Domaine Puech Claude Domaine Puech Claude
Owning 30 hectares of vines close to the Étang de Thau, this long established family-run domaine (since 1744), can claim six generations of accumulated ‘savoir-faire’. Combining the family wisdom with the cooling effect of the nearby étang (a coastal saltwater lagoon), proximity to the city of Montpellier (famous for its oyster farms) and modern temperature-controlled vinification, brings a wonderful freshness to the wines. Of the total vineyard holdings, Domaine Puech Claude is selected from 12 hectares of Picpoul, farmed using traditional methods. The vines of Picpoul Blanc have an average age of 45 years, and are grown on soils containing a mix of 54% pure limestone, the rest being calcareous clay. The name Picpoul derives from the French “Picque”, meaning sharp, and poul, meaning lips, translating as “lip stinger”.
- Domaine Gardiés Domaine Gardiés
Jean Gardiés owns top vineyards on the chalky-clay soils of Vingrau and the black schist of Espira de l’Agly above Perpignan. One of the great French producers, he is quietly making wines representing his identity and interpretation of his terroir. Mixing traditional and modern styling, his wines have great intensity and definition with strong personality. The whites have lovely mineral touches, whilst the reds have all the Roussillon power balanced by freshness and, again, that classic mineral character.
http://www.domaine-gardies.fr/fr/index.html - Domaine Madeloc Domaine Madeloc
Madeloc is Pierre Gaillard’s estate in Collioure, supervised by his daughter Elise. The domaine is a real paradise with some of the vineyards ending directly at the edge of the Mediterranean. With a high concentration of granite and schist soil across the 29 hectares estate, the wines have a high level of minerality with subtle iodine notes. The white is a blend of Grenache Gris, Vermentino and Roussanne, with a short stint in oak barrels. The red and fortified wines are Grenache based with additions of Mourvèdre and Syrah.
https://www.domainespierregaillard.com/en/vins_madeloc_en.php
Provence
- Château de Roquefort Château de Roquefort
The flamboyant and eccentric Raimond de Villeneuve has propelled this 25 hectare estate to the very top of the Provence hierarchy. Benefiting from an altitude of 350m and old vines averaging more than 35 years, Raimond produces fresh and precise wines with a real sense of personality and unique style. A follower of biodynamic methods for many years, he captures all the sun and scents of Provence, whilst still managing to achieve elegance and subtlety
https://www.chateauderoquefort.com/#accueil - Château Revelette Château Revelette
Sheltered by Mount Saint-Victoire and nestled amidst thousands of hectares of wild, unspoiled woodland, lies the secluded Château Revelette. This picturesque estate is owned by German-born Peter Fischer and his wife Sandra, who have one aim: to craft ‘real’ wines, which are the purest expressions of their stunning terroir. A graduate of UC Davis, California, Peter first moved to Provence with the dream of owning his own vineyard; Revelette now comprises 30ha of land under vine, divided into 17 distinct plots with 11 different grape varieties, which Peter farms organically and follows biodynamic principles. At an altitude of 330m-400m, it has one of the coolest climates of Provence, which slows the ripening of the grapes, resulting in elegant, aromatic wines with unique characters.
https://revelette.fr/ - La Bastide Blanche La Bastide Blanche
Stéphane Bourret and his team have improved La Bastide wines’ quality beyond recognition. Despite the pressure of the many tourists ready to buy almost anything at any price, he has chosen a path of quality and hard work. All of the 28 hectares estate is now run using biodynamic methods and the results are a joy to behold, with many of their wines awarded great accolades in the national and international wine press. ‘Estagnol’ is produced from their best vineyards and improves after 3 or 4 years cellaring.
https://www.bastide-blanche.fr/
South West France
- Elian Da Ros Elian Da Ros
It was in 1998 that Elian Da Ros, a good friend of Nady Foucault, returned to the Côtes du Marmandais to take over the running of his father’s 5ha vineyard, having spent 5 years working at the iconic Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace. Since then, Elian no longer delivers the grapes to the local coop and has ensured that Marmandais is properly on the quality wine map, due to his hard work and determination. Today, Elian is regarded as a pioneer for the region, raising the flag for wines of distinction. Following in his footsteps, a small band of independent vignerons in the appellation now produce and bottle wine under their own estate labels.
https://eliandaros.fr/ - Clos des Verdots Clos des Verdots
David Fourtout at Clos des Verdots, with its 13 hectares of vineyards, along with his close friend Luc de Conti, are considered two of the best producers in South West France. The Clos des Verdots delivers incredible quality for the price. The Tour des Verdots is produced from a selection of older vines with careful oak treatment and expresses more richness and complexity.
http://www.verdots.com/ - Les Jardins de Babylone Les Jardins de Babylone
Didier Dagueneau was regarded as one of the greatest winemakers in the Loire and his son Louis-Benjamin is continuing his legacy after Didier’s untimely death. Didier’s love of dessert wines led him to search outside of the Loire for an under-theradar region, where he could produce world-class sweet wines. His search led him to a spectacular amphitheatre of terraced vineyards lying at the foot of the Pyrénees, just south of Pau in Jurançon, South West France, inspiring him to call the wines ‘Babylone’. Made in minute quantities, the resulting wines, both dry and sweet, are stunning and the talented Dagueneau family’s hallmark of quality shines through.
- Camin Larredya Camin Larredya
Jean Marc Grussaute is producing some of the most sought after Jurançons at his 11ha Camin Larredya. The dry wines are precise, powerful, but fresh and perfectly balanced. The sweet wines also display the same liveliness and precision; the residual sweetness is always in harmony with the crisp, balancing acidity
https://www.caminlarredya.fr/