Fleur au Verre Bourgogne Rouge 2022

The Wine: Fleur au Verre Bourgogne Rouge 2022

Julien Altaber Fleur au Verre Bourgogne Rouge 2021 is a natural wine made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes farmed organically. The grapes are from Damien Gressard's vines in Southern Burgundy. Floral and juicy, with bright acidity and a reductive note, this a great red Burgundy that keeps evolving in the glass. Truly a pleasure when enjoyed paired with grilled fish, or Baja-style tacos.

The Producer: Julien Altaber

Julien Altaber was born a farmer. He grew up in Auvergne and spent all his free time around cows and tractors. When he was 16 participated in his first wine harvest and fell in love. He interned in Mâconnais and Beaujolais wineries until finally settling in with Catherine and Dominique Derain where he learned about organic and biodynamic winemaking. In 2007, Julien purchased grapes with the support and equipment of the Derain's and began Domaine Sextant. Today, he has a winery and cellar in St. Aubin, as well as half a hectare of his own vines. In addition, he continues making wine for Domaine Derain with his consistent, natural, and forward-thinking style.

His is a project steeped in unrivaled passion and exuberance. He's become a staple of "natural" winemaking in the region, always pushing courageously towards the unheimlich, verboten, and unique.

As is so often the case, to know the wine is to know the man. Julien loves nothing more than to laugh with you about wine. Each and every parcel - every single experiment - is a thrill for him and thus for me. Macerations, infusions, and idiosyncratic parcels, all make up the ebullient constellation that is this domain. And then, suddenly, out of nowhere, a perfectly rendered Pinot Noir, a classically gorgeous Chardonnay, or a bottle that speaks to its place name and beyond. Julien's wines can taste like St Aubin from Mars or from a fairy tale vintage here on Earth. (source: Steven Graff)

The Region: Burgundy