Natural Wine Producers: Working With Nature
Portraits and interviews with the world's finest natural wine producers — farmers and winemakers who work in harmony with terroir, minimal intervention, and a deep respect for the land.
Michel Guignier
Fourth-generation Villié-Morgon vigneron Michel Guignier tends 11 hectares of Beaujolais across multiple crus, farming certified organic since 2006 and vinifying entirely with indigenous yeasts, vertical press, and old neutral oak.
Domaine de la Voute des Crozes
An eight-generation family estate on Mont Brouilly where Nicole Chanrion, La Patronne de la Cote, has made traditional whole-cluster Cote-de-Brouilly since 1988.
Olivier Minot
Olivier and Corinne Minot farm fifth-generation organic Gamay vines at Domaine des Charbonnieres in southern Beaujolais, making crushable concrete-aged natural wines that bring deserved attention to Beaujolais Sud.
Jean Foillard
A founding member of Beaujolais's 'Gang of Four,' Jean Foillard crafts pure, age-worthy Morgon from old vines on the famed Cote du Py.
George Descombes
Often called the unofficial fifth member of Beaujolais' Gang of Four, Georges Descombes makes pure, additive-free Gamay across five crus from old vines in Morgon.
No Control
Former sports marketer turned punk-rock vigneron Vincent Marie launched No Control in 2012 in Volvic, Auvergne, farming 5 hectares of 117-year-old Gamay vines on volcanic soils with a horse and bottling every wine without sulfur, filtration, or any oenological additions.
Domaine la Bohème
Patrick Bouju's pioneering Auvergne domaine, farming century-old volcanic-soil vines and crafting vivid, mostly zero-sulfur Gamay and Chardonnay near the Puy de Dome.
Domaine Saint-Cyr
A fourth-generation Beaujolais estate where Raphael Saint-Cyr converted 23 hectares to organic farming and plows his crus with two draft horses.
Jean-Francois Debourg
A sixth-generation Pierres Dorees grower who turned vigneron in 2016 and now bottles additive-free Beaujolais from Gamay, Viognier, and Chardonnay.
Jean-Paul et Charly Thevenet
A father-and-son Morgon estate carrying forward the Gang of Four legacy with biodynamic old vines, carbonic maceration, and barely any sulfur.
Damien Coquelet
Raised by natural-Beaujolais pioneer Georges Descombes, Coquelet launched his own organic domaine at twenty and now bottles crunchy, low-sulfur Morgon and Chiroubles.
Henri Chauvet
A former finance professional turned vigneron, Henri Chauvet farms 10.5 hectares of Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay on the volcanic slopes of Boudes in the Côtes d'Auvergne.