2023 Les Vignerons D' Estézargues Rouge 'Carambouille'

70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 9% Cinsault, 6% Carignan, 4% Mourvedre, 1% Counoise. As far as we know, Vignerons d’Estézargues is the only co-op in France (and quite possibly the world) to make natural wines! Organically-farmed vines planted on alluvial marls and clay with ‘galets’ (rounded pebbles typical of the area, think Châteauneuf), with South-facing exposure. Fruit for this cuvée comes from multiple co-op members. They use all native yeasts, don’t filter or fine, and don’t add anything but a fractional amount of SO2 at bottling. All fruit is destemmed before a quick 5-day maceration in stainless steel, and 6 months aging in concrete tank.

Aromas start with the namesake star fruit - or Carambola, for the official english name - strawberry, orange peel, Rainier cherry, and Rhône-esque notes of sage and tarragon. The light bodied, low tannin palate is bright and juicy and brimming with red and orange fruits before gentle sprinkles of garrigue herbs land on the finish. Drink cold when it’s hot outside, with charcuterie, caprese, and margarita pizza. Definite candidate for the new chillable/glou glou wine of the summer. 

Les Vignerons d’Estezargues is a southern French cooperative based in the village of Villeneuve-les-Avignon in the Gard region of the Rhone Valley. It was founded in 1965 and consists of 10 independent vignerons who farm a total of 420 hectares and who currently employ the services of the youthful but experienced Denis Deschamps to oversee the wine making. This excellent coop is set apart by the fact that only ‘natural’ wine making procedures are adopted - no external yeasts, no fining, no enzymes, no sulphur and so on - all of which contribute to very precise and structured wines. All of the fruit for these wines is organic, the majority of it certified as such.