Winemaking

Barrel quality control at the source: inspecting oak timbers from the Massif Central

My goal is to make delicious wines that express the place where they are grown. So I make tiny-batch, energetic wines from specific high-altitude French vineyards — not industrial, formula-driven products. My approach is minimal intervention: traditional techniques, no machine pruning, no heavy irrigation, no animal additives, no synthetics, no flavorings, no pasteurization or flash manipulation.

I sometimes include whole clusters when stems are ripe; otherwise I let the vineyard and season guide every choice. I use a touch of fully seasoned French oak only when it enhances mouthfeel, and occasional, minimal sulfur or light polishing filtration to protect the wine in transit while preserving provenance. My goal is abundant flavor.

Well-respected journalists, somms and wine merchants (experts who taste for a living) tell me my wines are vibrant and more balanced than most. That they exude the "where" more than the "who". Those are well-informed, serious accusations – and in a sea of over-ripe, sweet, factory-made oak bombs I am happy to be charged with such heresy. Either way, I strive to make high-energy wines that reflect their terroir, are vibrant and a joy to drink.

The quantities I produce are tiny, and often hard to find. My apologies, but I make in one year what the factory wineries spill in one day.

WineGlobe fermentation vessels