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Vini Viti Vinci

Les Rouquins Pinot Noir 2021

Price: $28.95
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Tasting notes

This is Pinot Noir at its most transparent: pale ruby, cranberry-tart, and alive with fresh acidity and violet aromatics from Kimmeridgian limestone soils. Whole-bunch carbonic maceration keeps the tannins silky and the fruit crunchy rather than extracted, which is exactly what northern Burgundy at 10.5% ABV should taste like.

BodyFruitTanninAcidity
CranberryRaspberryVioletEarth
  • Style: Light-bodied natural Pinot Noir; pale ruby; cranberry, raspberry, violet; 10.5% ABV
  • Grapes & Terroir: 100% Pinot Noir; organically farmed; Kimmeridgian limestone-clay-marl soils; Bourgogne Coulanges-la-Vineuse, northern Burgundy
  • Winemaking: Whole-bunch carbonic maceration; brief aging in used barriques; bottled unfiltered and unfined; minimal to no added sulfur
  • Serving: Serve at 54-58F; light chill recommended; no decant needed
  • Pairing: Roast chicken, charcuterie, mushroom dishes, fresh cheeses, oysters
  • Similar To: For fans of Gamay and lighter Pinot Noir who want natural-wine energy and northern Burgundy minerality

Les Rouquins is a 100% Pinot Noir from the Bourgogne Coulanges-la-Vineuse appellation in northern Burgundy, made by Nicolas Vauthier under his micro-negociant label Vini Viti Vinci. The name translates literally as "red heads." Vauthier sources organically farmed grapes on the vine from trusted growers in the Yonne department, harvesting with his own picking crew to control fruit quality. The vineyards sit on Kimmeridgian limestone, clay, and marl soils at elevations between 155 and 310 meters, with south and southeast-facing slopes.

The reds are made entirely with whole bunches using carbonic maceration, a technique Vauthier refined while working under Philippe Pacalet in Beaune. After fermentation, the wine spends a brief period in used barriques for softening before being bottled unfiltered and unfined, with little to no added sulfur.

The result is a pale ruby, light-bodied Pinot Noir built around cranberry tartness, fresh raspberry, violet, and a streak of autumnal earth. Acidity is bright and grip is minimal, making this a high-drinkability wine at a price point that overdelivers for the appellation and the winemaking approach behind it.

Serve slightly chilled alongside charcuterie, roast chicken, or mushroom-based dishes. The bright acidity and low tannin also make it a natural match for fatty fresh cheeses like Epoisses or a simple lentil salad with vinaigrette. It can hold its own with raw seafood, particularly oysters or tuna tartare.

Wine details

Dry/Sweet:, Dry
Wine Type:, Red Wine
Wine Style:, Light Body
Grapes:, Pinot Noir
Farming:, Organic
Vintage:, 2021
Alcohol:, 10.5%
Country:, France
Region:, Burgundy
Appellation:, Bourgogne Coulanges-la-Vineuse
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

Vini Viti Vinci

Nicolas Vauthier, known among friends as Kikro, co-founded Aux Crieurs de Vin in Troyes in 1998, one of France's first dedicated natural wine bars. He spent over a decade there introducing customers to growers who worked without intervention, before selling his share and turning to production. Before opening the bar, he had studied oenology and worked harvests in Washington State and France, experiences that showed him what he wanted to avoid in winemaking.

In 2009, Vauthier launched Vini Viti Vinci from a cellar in Avallon, operating as a micro-negociant rather than a domaine owner. He sources grapes exclusively from organic and biodynamic farmers across the less prominent appellations of northern Burgundy, including Chitry, Irancy, Epineuil, Coulanges-la-Vineuse, and Tonnerre. He buys the grapes on the vine and harvests with his own picking crew, which gives him direct control over harvest timing and fruit quality.

Vauthier's winemaking approach was shaped in part by a stint working under Philippe Pacalet in Beaune. For his red wines, he uses whole-bunch carbonic maceration followed by brief aging in used barriques. The wines are bottled unfiltered and unfined, with minimal to no added sulfur. His philosophy prioritizes freshness, fruit expression, and drinkability over extraction or oak influence.

Wine region

Burgundy, France

Bourgogne Coulanges-la-Vineuse is a small regional appellation in the Grand Auxerrois, located in the Yonne department of northern Burgundy, roughly 110 kilometers northwest of Beaune. The vineyards sit on south and southeast-facing slopes at elevations between 155 and 310 meters above sea level, within a landscape shaped by small erosion valleys. The subsoil is composed of Kimmeridgian limestone, clay, and marl, the same geological formation found beneath Chablis to the northeast. The continental climate delivers cooler growing conditions than the Cote d'Or, which helps retain freshness and acidity even in warm vintages.

The appellation was formally recognized in 1990 and covers seven communes including Coulanges-la-Vineuse, Migé, Escolives-Sainte-Camille, and Mouffy. Red and rosé wines must be made from Pinot Noir; whites from Chardonnay. The appellation covers approximately 137 hectares of red and 21 hectares of white. It is known for producing lighter, finely structured Pinot Noirs with red fruit character and a saline mineral finish, wines intended for early drinking but capable of several years of cellaring. Neighboring appellations include Irancy, Chitry, and Saint-Bris.

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.

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