Oupia "Les Heretiques"

Mer Soleil was born here

with his considerable resources he turned the small farmhouse and its garden into an organically farmed vineyard with a LEED-certified gravity-flow winery

The Altare family originally comes from the town of Dogliani

poured more freely and enjoyed without ceremony

Red berry fruit stays taut and crunchy

and an herb-tinged thread of wild thyme that threads through the finish

"Equal and subtle parts floral and spice driven

La Varenne Chinon Tradition opens with a cooler

edged with iron and wet stone

woodland berry and crushed botanical herb

even 15 years — and the wine will reveal new strata of earth

Here the raspberry shades into something more curranty and tenacious