Sold Out
La Cave des Nomades

Intoku 2018

Price: $39.95
Enter your email address below to be notified when this product is back in stock.
Tasting notes

This pét-nat rosé pulls off something unusual: four days of carbonic maceration on Syrah and Merlot gives it a lifted, crushed-berry brightness, while the méthode ancestrale bubble adds a creamy, yeasty texture rather than sharp fizz. Zero additions — no sulphur, no fining, no filtration — from a biodynamic estate on the terraced schist hills above Banyuls, and it shows.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
StrawberryRaspberryWildflowersBrioche
  • Style: Pét-nat rosé; 50% Syrah, 50% Merlot; lightly sparkling; zero sulphur; Roussillon, France
  • Grapes & Terroir: 50% Syrah, 50% Merlot; biodynamic and organic; schist and clay-limestone hillside parcels, Banyuls-sur-Mer, Roussillon
  • Winemaking: 4-day carbonic maceration; pressed to tank; bottled before fermentation completes (méthode ancestrale); no fining, no filtration, zero added sulphur
  • Serving: Serve at 45-50°F; no decant needed; consume soon
  • Pairing: Grilled sardines, charcuterie, anchovy toasts, aged manchego, fried seafood
  • Similar To: For fans of Loire pét-nats (Domaine de la Pépière, Domaine des Roches Neuves) who want southern French fruit and Mediterranean character

Intoku is a pétillant naturel rosé from La Cave des Nomades, the Banyuls-based project of Portuguese musician and winemaker José Carvalho Moreira, known as Zé Tafé. The blend is equal parts Syrah and Merlot, sourced from parcels on the schist-dominated terraced hillsides and clay-limestone foothills of the Albères range near Banyuls-sur-Mer.

The wine is made by méthode ancestrale: grapes undergo four days of carbonic maceration, are then pressed to tank, and are bottled before fermentation finishes — capturing the remaining CO2 as natural bubble. Nothing is added. No fining, no filtration, zero added sulphur.

The result is a lightly sparkling, pale rosé with red fruit and a gentle yeasty texture — the kind of wine that drinks like a cross between a Provence rosé and a natural sparkling pét-nat from the Loire. Each cuvée is a micro-production of 300 to 1,200 bottles, and the distinctive cork label carries original artwork by artist Katja Stroph.

Zé's last vintage at the Banyuls estate was 2020, making the 2018 Intoku a wine from a project that no longer exists in this form. Bottled under Vin de France designation.

Serve well chilled alongside grilled sardines, anchovy toasts, or a plate of charcuterie and olives. The low tannin and lively bubble make it a natural with anything fried or salted. Works well as an aperitif with jamón or aged manchego.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Sparkling Wine
Wine Style:, Sparkling
Grapes:, Syrah, Merlot
Farming:, Organic and Biodynamic
Vintage:, 2018
Alcohol:, 13%
Country:, France
Region:, Roussillon
Appellation:, Vin de France
Bottle Size:, 750ml
Sugar Level:, Zero Added Sugar

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.


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. 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

La Cave des Nomades

José Carvalho Moreira — known as Zé Tafé — was born in a small town outside of Porto, Portugal. He completed a bachelor's degree in cinema and art, then spent three years working on organic and biodynamic farms. In 2010, while harvesting fruit in Roussillon, a friend brought him to play guitar for a group of winemakers, including Manuel Di Vecchi Staraz, an Italian producer with a small estate in Banyuls. That introduction led to a wine conversion and an ongoing friendship.

Zé made his first wine in 2014 after acquiring a 1.2-hectare parcel of Grenache Noir, a site that was abandoned at the time with vines planted mostly in 1995. Over subsequent vintages he expanded to 12 parcels spread across approximately 3 hectares, growing old-vine Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, Carignan Noir, Carignan Gris, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Merlot, Macabeo, Muscat Petit Grain, and Chardonnay. The estate worked biodynamically and organically, and became part of the Les 9 Caves collective in Banyuls.

Each parcel was vinified separately, with vinification vessels — stainless steel, old barrels, and amphorae — chosen instinctively each vintage. Blends and single-parcel bottlings were decided after the fact. Every cuvée was a micro-production of 300 to 1,200 bottles. No sulphur was added to any wine; all wines left the cellar unfiltered and unfined. Zé made his last vintage at the Banyuls estate in 2020 before moving on to find a new site. Each label carries cork-printed artwork by German-based artist Katja Stroph, produced at the only company still making cork labels in Germany and printed by a craftsman in Portugal.

Wine region

Roussillon, France

Roussillon occupies the southernmost corner of France, where the Pyrenees descend toward the Mediterranean coast. The regional capital is Perpignan, and the area retains a strong Catalan cultural identity — Spain ceded it to France only in 1659. Vineyards in Roussillon sit in narrow valleys formed by the Têt, Tech, and Agly rivers, with many of the best parcels on steep, terraced hillsides. The climate is among the hottest and driest in France, with hot Mediterranean summers tempered at altitude by the Tramontane wind from the northwest. Soils vary widely: schist dominates the coastal hillsides around Banyuls and Collioure, while clay-limestone and granite soils appear further inland.

Roussillon produces around 80% of France's vins doux naturels (VDNs) — fortified sweet wines made primarily from Grenache. The key VDN appellations are Banyuls, Banyuls Grand Cru, Maury, Rivesaltes, and Muscat de Rivesaltes. Dry wines fall under Côtes du Roussillon AOC, Côtes du Roussillon Villages AOC (red only, northern zone), and IGP Côtes Catalanes, which has attracted a wave of natural and low-intervention producers. Grenache Noir is the most widely planted grape, followed by Syrah and Carignan. Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Macabeo, Mourvèdre, and Merlot are also significant. Many of the region's most interesting natural wines bypass AOC rules entirely and are bottled as Vin de France.

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.

Our customers love Primal

I'm just copying and pasting from the hundreds messages we received, no pseudo reviews!
Erin C.

We love our membership so far and can't wait until our next shipment.

Jennifer B.

A note to say that we are loving the tasting notes sheet you’re sending!

James S.

I'm really happy to find Primal – your selections are terrific. 

Samuel M.

Love your company, always a great wine selection. 

Chelsea V.

I love what you guys do!

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.
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.
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.
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.