On the same day as the Concours Amphore in Paris, there was a show called 'Les Affranchis.' Also devoted to Natural Wine. This fair has been going already for some years and attracts a young and 'branché' crowd.
The name Affranchi refers to the fact that the wines have been made in the main free of any rules or regulations.
Zipping round we discovered Nicolas Camarans having a spot of lunch.
We had come across his wines at L'Etiquette and were intrigued that he was growing Chenin in the Aveyron, not far from St. Come D'Olt where the Rencontres de Cepages Modestes takes place. Other cepages include Fer Servadou, Negret de Banhars, and Cabernet Franc.
Nicolas was owned and ran a bar in Paris but decided to go back to the family's native village where his forbears had been vignerons. The vineyards ahd been abandoned after the terrible frost of 1956 and Camarens nursed them back to life and now produces famous wines under the name 'Mauvais Temps' (the name of his house there) which can be found at Chambers St. Wines and Flatiron in New York, The Smiling Grape company in the UK, as well as in Australia, Switzerland and of course in many places in France.
It is a great pleasure and privilege to meet such producers who merit a pilgrimage themselves rather than hauling their wines to these events, sometimes on the other side of the world.
Another Chambers Street wine was Puzelat, the prominent Loire producer. We know the wines of Thierry Puzelat under the name of Clos du Tue Boeuf. Unusual grapes include Fie Gris, Menu Pinot and Romorantin. The Puzelat website claims nicely 'For the Puzelats, making wine entails positioning as an intermediary between the soil and the glass of wine.'
We were unaware that the family are also involved as agents for some of the other big names in Natural Wine.
Alaverdi
Arianna Occhipinti
Cascina Tavijn
Cos
Cotar
Dario Princic
Foradori
Iago
Natenadze
Pheasants Tears
Vinos Ambiz
and many other prominent natural wine and even Sake producers.
During our quick tour (we had a train to catch), we almost ignored the sole representative of Chile but there was something atypical about their labels so we paused for a moment. In this way we were introduced to the wines of Antoine and Dorothee Luyt. Luyt is another house imported by Puzelat and stocked by Chambers Street Wines by the way.
The story of how Louis-Antoire Luyt from Bourgogne found himself making natural wine in a remote part Maule in Chile is picaresque to say the least. It involved a move to Chile following discontent with Europe, disillusionmment with Chilean wine, a spell washing dishes in a restaurant, setting up a winery, a catastrophic earthquake and the rebuilding of his operation.
Today his Clos Ouvert wines are celebrated internationally. He farms Pais vines - some up to 300 years old - as well as growing and/or buying in Carignan, Carmenere, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Muscat of Alexandria for the whites.
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| We think this might be a pipeño behind the bottle but images are hard to come by. |
The wines themselves are completely different from anything you might associate with Chile. They are totally delightful and adorable. We made enquiries immediately as to how we could lay our hands on those not already available in the UK at Buon Vino, Yorkshire. They may be imported from Zoe Puzelat at Tue Boeuf or Chabrol wines in Amsterdam.
A day spent at the Concours Amphore and Les Affranchis was certainly packed with interest. Recommended.
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