Wines of the Week 9/18

This week we are exploring 3 certified organic wines that are sure to please any palate!

Lebeau-Batiste Brut Tradition Champagne NV:

The estate, created by Eric Lebeau and Anne-Marie Batiste from family-heirloom vineyard holdings, is today run by their chef du cave (winemaker) son, Florent. The Lebeaus’ farm sustainably, and the family continues its conversion to full-scale organic and biodynamic viticulture. Today’s “Brut Tradition” is the limited, 800-case result of one family’s devotion to their small trove of organically farmed vines. So yes, it’s special, and given that it aged more than 30 months on lees and incorporates 20% reserve wine, it’s especially delicious and layered too.

Gunther-Chereau Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur Lie "Anima Mea" 2021:

Véronique Günther’s Muscadets are a genuine sensation in France and Northern Europe, but practically invisible in the United States. Lucky for us, we were able to get access to this “wet your whistle” offering. Organic farming is taken very seriously at the estate. The vineyard for the “Anima Mea” is located at the confluence of the Sèvre and Maine rivers. It’s one of the oldest continuously producing sites in the region. Beyond site, it’s all about Véronique’s talent in the cellar. She has a canny way to pull the vibrant fruit and texture out of the Melon grape to the level of Cru Chablis. Kept on lees for six months in underground glass-tiled vats. No stirring of lees.

Hoppenot Fleurie "Origines" 2021:

Hoppenot is a trained enologist who worked for a large négociant house and for Chapoutier, so even though he's making wine with low levels of sulfur, he understands how to produce pure, stable wines. VInification is with whole bunches, macerations last for a couple of weeks and temperature is kept below 30 degrees centigrade. As Hoppenot puts it, he wants to "make clean wine from organic grapes without any adulteration," and he emphasizes the importance of texture among his aesthetic priorities.