Region: Languedoc, France (Vin de France)
Grapes: Terret Blanc, Terret Gris, Carignan (Co-fermented skin-contact / orange style)
Body: Medium
Notes: Dried orange peel, bruised yellow pears, wild Mediterranean scrub (garrigue), sour red currants, with a wild, rustic phenolics and a grippy, saline-mineral finish
Pairing: Continuous charcuterie boards, spicy North African merguez, roasted pork belly with herbs, or funky washed-rind cheeses
The Producer
Boris Jefferies is an authoritative, cult-classic figure operating out of Caux, a small village near Pézenas in the Hérault department of the Languedoc. Originally working alongside his brother Aymeric at their highly respected estate, Domaine des Amiel, Boris launched his own independent, micro-scale natural wine experiments to push the boundaries of zero-intervention winemaking even further. Working with small, organically and biodynamically farmed family parcels, Boris is deeply embedded in the "zero-zero" philosophy—meaning absolutely nothing is added and nothing is taken away. In the cellar, his hands-off approach relies on spontaneous native fermentations, zero mechanical filtration, and zero added sulfur at any stage, resulting in highly expressive, raw, and living wines with an immense cult following.
The Wine
The 2019 "Brutal" is a remarkably unique, highly scannable skin-contact wine that beautifully flips the traditional expectations of Languedoc varieties. Created for the international Brutal!!! natural wine collective, this cuvée features a fascinating field-blend co-fermentation of late-ripening, hyper-local varieties: Terret Blanc, Terret Gris, and a small splash of red Carignan. The grapes are harvested by hand and macerated together on their skins, allowing the pink skins of the Terret Gris and the dark pigment of the Carignan to tint the white juice into a striking, deep amber-copper hue. Fermented completely spontaneously with native wild yeasts and aged in neutral vessels, it is bottled strictly zero-zero with no added sulfur, fining, or filtration. The resulting 2019 vintage is beautifully wild, textural, and complex; it masterfully pairs a savory, oxidative depth of bruised orchard fruit and wild herbs with a light, tea-like tannic grip and an electric, thirst-quenching salinity.
Region: Languedoc, France (Vin de France)
Grapes: Terret Blanc, Terret Gris, Carignan (Co-fermented skin-contact / orange style)
Body: Medium
Notes: Dried orange peel, bruised yellow pears, wild Mediterranean scrub (garrigue), sour red currants, with a wild, rustic phenolics and a grippy, saline-mineral finish
Pairing: Continuous charcuterie boards, spicy North African merguez, roasted pork belly with herbs, or funky washed-rind cheeses
The Producer
Boris Jefferies is an authoritative, cult-classic figure operating out of Caux, a small village near Pézenas in the Hérault department of the Languedoc. Originally working alongside his brother Aymeric at their highly respected estate, Domaine des Amiel, Boris launched his own independent, micro-scale natural wine experiments to push the boundaries of zero-intervention winemaking even further. Working with small, organically and biodynamically farmed family parcels, Boris is deeply embedded in the "zero-zero" philosophy—meaning absolutely nothing is added and nothing is taken away. In the cellar, his hands-off approach relies on spontaneous native fermentations, zero mechanical filtration, and zero added sulfur at any stage, resulting in highly expressive, raw, and living wines with an immense cult following.
The Wine
The 2019 "Brutal" is a remarkably unique, highly scannable skin-contact wine that beautifully flips the traditional expectations of Languedoc varieties. Created for the international Brutal!!! natural wine collective, this cuvée features a fascinating field-blend co-fermentation of late-ripening, hyper-local varieties: Terret Blanc, Terret Gris, and a small splash of red Carignan. The grapes are harvested by hand and macerated together on their skins, allowing the pink skins of the Terret Gris and the dark pigment of the Carignan to tint the white juice into a striking, deep amber-copper hue. Fermented completely spontaneously with native wild yeasts and aged in neutral vessels, it is bottled strictly zero-zero with no added sulfur, fining, or filtration. The resulting 2019 vintage is beautifully wild, textural, and complex; it masterfully pairs a savory, oxidative depth of bruised orchard fruit and wild herbs with a light, tea-like tannic grip and an electric, thirst-quenching salinity.
What is natural wine?
Natural wine is wine made with minimal intervention from the winemaker, using organically or biodynamically grown grapes and without the addition of chemicals or additives such as sulfites. The result is a wine that is unique, expressive, and often has a more complex and nuanced flavor profile than conventional wines. Natural wine is also often associated with sustainable and ethical farming practices, making it a popular choice for those interested in environmentally friendly and socially responsible products.