Pierre Bories Lo Petit Fantet d'Hippolyte Rouge 2024

Pierre Bories operates Domaine Pierre Bories, a 10-hectare estate in Fabrezan at the foot of the Corbières hills near Carcassonne. The vineyards have been certified organic since 2003, making Pierre Bories one of the earliest natural wine producers in the region. His approach prioritizes minimal intervention, allowing indigenous yeasts and natural processes to guide fermentation.

The Bories family has deep roots in Corbières winemaking. Pierre's parents, Jacqueline and François Bories, took over Château Ollieux Romanis in 1978, where Jacqueline became one of the first women to vinify wine in Languedoc. She championed traditional grape varieties like Carignan at a time when many producers were abandoning them in favor of Syrah. Pierre worked in finance before returning to wine in 2001, eventually establishing his separate estate focused exclusively on natural production.

Domaine Pierre Bories sits on south-facing slopes surrounded by garrigue—the aromatic scrubland of wild thyme, rosemary, and lavender characteristic of the Mediterranean. The vines grow in red clay, sandstone, and limestone soils that provide natural drainage and mineral complexity. Pierre uses goblet pruning to create dense leaf canopies that protect grapes from intense sun while preserving natural acidity through early harvesting.

In the cellar, winemaking follows strict natural principles. All cuvées ferment spontaneously without additives, with zero sulfur during vinification and only minimal amounts at bottling (under 30 mg/L total). The wines remain unfined and unfiltered. The cuvée name "Lo Petit Fantet d'Hippolyte" honors Pierre's son Hippolyte, who designs the labels.

Pierre Bories also oversees multiple estates including Château Ollieux Romanis, Domaine Le Champ des Murailles, and Château Rives-Blanques, all in conversion to biodynamic certification. His group, Artisans Partisans, promotes organic viticulture across the Languedoc.

Discover more natural wines from France at primalwine.com/collections/best-sellers-natural-wine.

Corbières is one of the largest and most historically significant wine appellations in France's Languedoc-Roussillon region. Located in the Aude département between Narbonne and Carcassonne, this rugged landscape stretches from the Mediterranean coast to the foothills of the Pyrenees. The AOC, established in 1985, covers approximately 13,500 hectares across diverse terroirs ranging from coastal plains to mountain slopes reaching 400 meters in elevation.

The region's winemaking history dates to the 2nd century BCE when Greek and Roman settlers planted the first vines. After periods of destruction and revival through the Middle Ages—when Cistercian monks at abbeys like Fontfroide cultivated vineyards—Corbières became an important wine-producing area by the 18th century. Today, the appellation is known for robust, herb-scented red wines that account for nearly 95 percent of production.

Corbières benefits from a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild winters. The Tramontane wind blowing from the northwest keeps vineyards healthy by reducing humidity and disease pressure. Soil types vary considerably across the region's 11 distinct terroirs, including limestone, clay, schist, sandstone, and rolled pebbles. This geological diversity allows growers to match grape varieties to specific sites for optimal expression.

The dominant red grape is Carignan, which thrives in the region's arid conditions and produces wines with characteristic structure and tannic intensity. Grenache Noir, Syrah, and Mourvèdre are also widely planted, typically blended together in proportions dictated by AOC regulations. The sub-region of Boutenac, elevated to its own AOC status in 2005, represents one of Corbières' most prestigious terroirs.

For those seeking natural wines from Languedoc-Roussillon, explore the selection at primalwine.com/collections/french-wine-natural-wine. Corbières remains an important source of value-driven, terroir-expressive wines from southern France.