Grapes: 80% Grenache Blanc + 10% Roussanne + 10% Marsanne
Region: Languedoc, France
Vintage: 2023
Viticulture: Organic
Soils: Schist
Vinification: Dry-farmed, hand harvested. Whole cluster gently pressed directly using pneumatic press in stainless steel
Aging: 18 months on the lees in stainless steel
Fining and Filtering: none
Sulfur: Minimal added at bottling
Notes from the Importer: Soft, rounded yellow fruit and fennel notes on the nose are matched with great minerality on the palate, followed by the distinguished, elongated finish of Grenache Blanc on schist characteristic to the region.
Italian oenologist and vigneronne Sybil Baldassarre created La Graine Sauvage in 2015, following almost 20 years of research into the ideal terroir for her white cuvées. The hilltop domaine, located within the nature reserve Parc du Haut Languedoc in Faugères, stands at an elevation of 450 meters above the small village of Cabrerolles, and is privilege to grand south-eastern exposure that provides stunning views of the Mediterranean. Here, she cultivates three hectares of old vines traditional to the region on ancient schist terroirs, which provide robust mineral nourishment to the plants. All vineyard practices promote and ensure the vitality of the soil, respecting and complimenting the natural equilibrium of the ecosystem. Only plant and mineral-based substances are used as treatments, with the addition of vegetal and animal composts.
As in the vineyard, the work in the cellar is intimate and manual, marked by Sybil’s constant strive towards ultimate precision. The four varieties of the domaine—Grenache Blanc, Vermentino, Roussanne and Marsanne—are harvested individually by hand and vinified separately and spontaneously with their respective indigenous yeasts. No oenological entrants, nor sulfur, are ever used.
