Try These French Natural Wines
Chin chin!
It is a truth universally acknowledged that the French make amazing wine. French wine is special; many people even say it’s the best, claiming France as their favorite wine region. It’s certainly a pivotal wine region for natural wine: some believe the natural wine movement started in Beaujolais in the 1960s, though it’s not possible to prove. All of that to say, French wine is some of my favorite, and it’s beyond time I shared some French natural wine recommendations with you all!
Let’s start with a classic, a Bordeaux. Beloved the world over, Bordeaux blends are iconic in the French wine world and for good reason. They’re balanced yet full of flavor, high quality yet you can find bottles at a great price. Bordeaux blends are comforting and delicious, so I was delighted to see this low-intervention Bordeaux at a natural wine shop.
Château Lauduc, a fourth generation winery crafts this blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc using organic grapes and sustainable practices. Le Babbler tastes like blackberries, plums, currants, leather, and vanilla. This one is perfect for one of those surprisingly cool evenings that pop up in late spring. Do as the winemaker intended with Le Babbler’s name and babble on about anything that brings joy over this wine with loved ones.
Reynard Rebels Théophile Milan by Henri Milan
You probably know by now how I feel about chillable red wines. (Spoiler alert: I love them.) Reynard Rebels is a blend of Merlot & Carignan crafted by natural winery Domaine Henri Milan in St. Remy de Provence. Milan took over his wine estate in 1986 from his father, Robert Milan, who began winemaking in 1956. This particular wine was made by Henri’s son, Théophile Milan. Talk about a natural winemaking tradition! You can tell from the first sip, the high level of quality that goes into the wines made at Domaine Henri Milan.
Reynard Rebels is chillable and chuggable, a true glou glou French natural wine. It tastes like crushed cherries, raspberries, limeade, juicy with a hint of mineral at the end. This wine is bright, refreshing, and lively! It would pair well with something spicy, like Chinese food.
If you want a light, bright white wine, look for this Chenin Blanc. It’s the perfect example of how delicate and clean a natural white wine can be: not all natural wines are funky or unfiltered! Gaspard Chenin Blanc is from the Loire Valley of France, a rockstar region for natural wine. It’s made with organic grapes, fermented with natural yeasts, and lightly filtered before bottling.
Gaspard Chenin Blanc tastes like apples, pears, Meyer lemon, and a hint of floral honey. It is high in acidity making it super refreshing on a hot day and perfect for pairing with a fresh meal like seafood or grilled veggies.
Oh my goodness, this rosé! Never have I ever tasted France in a bottle quite like this; the wine term terroir (how a particular region's climate, soils and terrain affect the taste of wine) is exemplified by this wine which immediately transported me to France. This is a darker rosé which I love and is 100% Gamay.
Le Telquel is made by Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme in the Loire Valley out of his organic grapes. It tastes like strawberries, watermelon, pomegranate, apple, with a hint of orange. The medium-high acidity is so refreshing on a hot day! Pair this one with charcuterie, tacos, or simply a nice long conversation on the patio.
I hope you found this French wine list inspiring! There’s nothing quite like a perfect French wine is there? Let me know if you try any of these!
The rose has sold out lmao