Andrea Calek Chatons de Garde 2018, a biodynamic Syrah from Ardeche, France
Andrea Calek, natural wine producer, holding a glass of wine outside his cellar in the Ardeche, France
Andrea Calek
Sold Out

Chatons de Garde 2018

$34.95
Enter your email address below to be notified when this product is back in stock.
Tasting notes

This is Calek at his most serious: 21 days of whole-bunch carbonic maceration followed by 10 months in old Burgundy barrels produces a Syrah with real depth, violet and blackberry fruit, and a peppery, earthy finish. The tannins are fine but present, and the acidity keeps it lively through the last sip.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
BlackberryVioletBlack PepperEarth
Dry/Sweet:Dry
Wine Type:Red Wine
Wine Style:Medium Body
Grapes:Syrah
Farming:Organic and Biodynamic
Vintage:2018
Alcohol:13.5%
Country:France
Region:Ardeche
Appellation:Vin de France
Bottle Size:750ml
Sugar Level:Zero Added Sugar
Current favorites
Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin "Les Evocelles" 2023, natural wine bottle at Primal Wine
Domaine Lucien Boillot et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin "Les Evocelles" 2023
$179.00
Kuentz-Bas Alsace Pinot Noir 2025, natural wine bottle at Primal Wine
Kuentz-Bas Alsace Pinot Noir 2025
$30.00
Important information

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Important Compliance Requirements

FedEx and other carriers we might occasionally use can only deliver wine to customers who are 21 years or older. Someone must be at the address to receive the package; carriers don't just drop a package and leave. They must ensure the person receiving the wine is 21 or older. Shipping to PO Boxes is not allowed.

Ship to a FedEx Store

If nobody can be at your address to sign for the package, you can have your order sent to a FedEx store instead. Enter your preferred FedEx store as the shipping address at checkout and we'll ship your order there. Once it arrives, you have 5 business days to pick it up, and you'll need to show your ID.

Re-shipping a Package

If a package is returned to us after three failed delivery attempts, we can only re-ship the wine upon payment of a re-shipping fee, to be determined based on the shipping address and number of bottles. Shipping wine is extremely expensive. We are sorry about this, but we have no other choice. Please make sure there's always someone at the address you enter as your shipping address.

If you'd like to receive a refund for a package that was returned to us after FedEx made three delivery attempts, we can do that but we must keep a $20 refund fee; FedEx charges us a lot of money for returns, unfortunately, I can't stress this enough.

Re-routing a Package

If you'd like to reroute a package after it's been shipped, we can do so for a $20 re-routing fee. We cannot re-route a package across state borders. For any change of address, please contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 1-2 days from placing the order or we cannot guarantee we'll be able to reroute or change your order's shipping address.

Canceling an Order

If you'd like to cancel an order after it's been shipped, we can do so upon payment of a small cancellation fee – the amount depends on the size of the order. Carriers charge us a lot of money to recall a package en-route.

Heat/Frost damage

We are not responsible for heat- or frost-related issues. We offer ice packs upon request, at a cost, but even so, we can't be held liable if it's 104 where you are and corks pop. Please let us know if you think that there could be heat-related issues. If we don't hear anything from you regarding weather issues before an order is shipped, or if you don't request a hold due to the weather, we are not responsible for heat/frost damage.

Placed an order. What next?

1. You will receive an order confirmation email with your order summary.*

2. As soon as your order ships from the warehouse, usually within 2-3 business days, this applies to all shipping rates, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with your tracking information. 2DAY shipping refers to shipping time; we still need 2-3 business days to prepare an order. We need to pick and pack, QA, add printed collateral, and palletize the orders.

3. Please track your package using the tracking service.

4. The carrier will attempt delivery a maximum of 3 times. After 3 delivery attempts, your package will be sent back to our warehouse.**

*Please ensure your email address is correct; otherwise, you will not receive the order and shipping confirmation emails.

**If delivery is attempted 3 times without success, or if you fail to retrieve your package from the carrier depot by the stated deadline, the shipping fee will not be refunded to the customer.

Returns Policy

If you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact us at (424) 414-2040 or via e-mail at hello@primalwine.com between 9 am and 5 pm Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Sunday, we would like to understand and try to solve your concerns. We can offer refunds only as store credit.

Producer profile

Andrea Calek

Andrea Calek was born in Czechoslovakia and left the Czech army in 1989 when the Iron Curtain fell. He ended up in France after meeting a woman in Nice while traveling toward Brazil, and his path into wine began through encounters with Beaujolais producers Guy Breton and Marcel Lapierre, whose work drew him toward organic and biodynamic farming. He trained formally at the Agriculture School of Carpentras and at ISARA Lyon, then worked with the Rohel brothers in the Rhone Valley and with Dominique Hauvette in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, where he helped convert the domaine to biodynamics.

In 2007, Calek acquired approximately 5 hectares of vines from Gerard Oustric of Domaine du Mazel, one of the foundational figures in Ardeche natural wine, and established his own estate between the villages of Valvigneres and Alba-la-Romaine. The estate is Ecocert certified. Calek's partner Stephana Nicolescu, a Franco-Romanian sommelier who had worked in vineyards in Spain and the Loir-et-Cher, joined the project in 2016. The estate grows Syrah, Grenache, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Viognier across 5 to 5.5 hectares, with alternating rows left grassed and the others lightly tilled.

Calek uses no additives and adds no sulfites at any stage of production. His approach varies by cuvee: some wines undergo short carbonic macerations for early drinking, while Chatons de Garde involves a 21-day whole-bunch carbonic maceration followed by aging in old 228-litre Burgundy barrels that have been used between 12 and 20 times. All wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered. Calek has been recognized as one of the most skilled practitioners of carbonic maceration outside Beaujolais, though he has increasingly moved toward techniques that foreground fruit and terroir more directly.

Wine region

Ardeche, France

The Ardeche department sits between the Rhone Valley to the east and the Massif Central plateau to the west, roughly 50 kilometers south of Lyon and 100 kilometers north of the Mediterranean. The southern portion of the department, where Calek farms, has a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot, dry summers, moderated by altitude and the cooling influence of the Massif Central. Soils across the region range from limestone and clay-marl to sandstone and ancient alluvial terraces, with the area around Alba-la-Romaine sitting on clay-limestone foothills. Archaeological excavations at Alba-la-Romaine have uncovered evidence of viticulture dating to the Iron Age.

Wine production in Ardeche falls under several designations. The IGP Ardeche (formerly Vin de Pays de l'Ardeche) and its sub-designation Coteaux de l'Ardeche cover the majority of the department's output, while AOC appellations including Cotes du Vivarais, Saint-Joseph, Cornas, and Saint-Peray sit within the same geographic boundaries. Cooperatives account for 80 to 95 percent of total IGP production, but a cluster of independent natural winemakers centered around the villages of Valvigneres and Alba-la-Romaine has given the region an outsized reputation in natural wine circles. Syrah and Grenache are the dominant red varieties; Viognier, Chardonnay, Marsanne, and Roussanne are also grown.

Frequently asked question

We will process and ship your order in 2-3 business days, you will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking as soon as the Carrier scans the shipping label.

Ground shipping time depends on location, here's a breakdown:

West Coast: 1-2 business days
Midwest: 3-4 business days
East Coast: 5 business days

Process time is not shipping time. Shipping time starts from the days successive to the day of shipping, after the order has been processed.

See here our shipping policy.

Signature on delivery is mandatory for wine deliveries. Please make sure someone is at the shipping address to sign for the package.

If applicable, please consider delivering the package to a business address to ensure someone is available to sign for the package.

We also have the option of delivering the package to a Carrier's store for pickup. Please reach out to us to coordinate.

Carrier will try to delivery a package up to three times before returning the package to us.

See here our shipping policy.

If you miss a delivery and a package gets returned to us we have two options:

1) Reship the package right away: due to the very high cost of shipping and returns, we must charge a re-shipping fee to be determined based on package size and shipping destination.

2) Consolidate the returned package with your next order: this option is free of charge and it's the most popular option.

See here our shipping policy.

This collection features our best selling natural wine from all around the world. It's the best place to start you natural wine journey! Browse one of the largest selections of natural wine available online in the United States.

Primal Wine Natural Wine Club is the best way to discover natural wine. Let us do the heavy-lifting, sit back, and relax. We will send you an ever-changing selection of natural wine made by top producers from around the world.

What wine writers and experts are saying

Recognized among the best natural wine retailers and clubs in the country.

"We included Primal Wine among America's 50 best natural wine retailers in our print edition."
"Best natural wine club: many would agree that Primal's selection is among the best."
"Primal Wine curates an excellent selection of wines you most likely aren't familiar with."
"A storefront to bookmark if you're looking to get funky with your drinking habits."
"Best wine subscription services: Primal Wine Club is great for beginners to natural wine."
"Wines that taste like Williamsburg, a hip neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York."
"This box from Primal included reds, an orange, and a white, and came with a worksheet to jot down my notes."
"In the 2024 USA Today 10BEST edition, Primal Wine is once again a runner-up in the best wine club category."
What Is | Primal Wine

What is natural wine?

Natural wine is a type of wine made in small batches from organic or biodynamic grapes with minimal intervention.
Read More
What Is Biodynamic Wine Info Cards | Primal Wine

What is Biodynamics?

Biodynamic wine is wine made from grapes farmed biodynamically. Biodynamic farming is a holistic approach.
Read More
What Is Organic Wine Info Cards | Primal Wine

What is organic wine?

Organic wine is made with grapes farmed organically. Organic farming is an alternative to conventional farming.
Read More
What Is Vegan Wine Info Cards | Primal Wine

What is vegan wine?

Vegan wine is wine made without using animal products during the fining phase of the clarification process.
Read More

What are you drinking tonight?

Explore the cellar, or let us choose for you with a curated natural wine club shipment.

Shop All Wine Join Our Club