MY STORY  |  THE VINES  |  THE WINES  |  SHOP  | CONTACT

Read more about my story

MY STORY

My relationship with wine started with 5€ boxed wine! It wasn’t very good… but it was the United States that changed everything. I lived there for almost 4 years with my American wife. I started out at Vinodivino, a wine shop in Boston, and when we moved to Vermont I found work as a sommelier at Dedalus, a wine bar in Burlington. Without knowing it at the time, I had the opportunity to really discover wine by tasting all of its diversity. French wines, American wines, all the varities, all the colors, industrial wines, and artisanal wines. I understood that even if I wanted to I would never be able to know them all, to understand them all, and it was for the better. 

It was my work as a sommelier that helped me to understand what was happening in France. I would see amazing bottles coming in every day from winemakers who worked differently, people who were proud of their terroir but weren’t always interested in being a part of the AOC club. These were the people who were told it wasn’t possible to make wine without synthetic pesticides, and without bothering anyone, made remarkably beautiful natural wines. 

Read more about my story

We all have bottles that changed our lives and I can name a few. There was “Valinère” by Barral. I remember perfectly saying to myself “ok, if I had to only drink one bottle from now on it would be this one.” I remember receiving wines from Quentin Bourse and asking myself what is happening in France?! They are fun, super well made, snob-free wines! And then I remember blind tasting Champ d’Orphée by Stéphane Lucas in Gaillac. I was convinced I had never tried anything like it. I was lost. When someone told me it was produced in Gaillac it made me think, shit, what am I doing here?! I am on the other side of the earth admiring the women and men in my own country, in MY region and I’m not doing anything?! So I told the local American winemakers that I wanted to make wine! I started a French certificate program remotely called Bac Pro Vigne et Vin. I studied theory in the morning before going to work in the evening. I did my internship with Dierdre Heekin and Caleb Barber of La Garagista. I wanted to learn recipes, I wanted to know how many grams of sugar were necessary in the grape, I wanted to know temperatures, procedures. I wanted to become a winemaker… And in the end, I learned to stay in my place. I learned that the winemaker is just a member of the team, that we’re not at the center. It’s the plant that tells us what to do, not the opposite. I understood later that winemakers were not teaching me techniques but their philosophy. And it’s up to me to find my own. Said like that, it sounds like Star Wars…

With the Bac Pro completed, I came back to France with my wife Amy. I joined the Bretons near Bourgeuil for harvest where I became friends with Armand de Tilly who makes wine in the area. I went to Minervois where I found kinship with Pierre Lavaysse from Petit Domaine de Gimios. So we had our own Tour de France! And in the end we put down our suitcases in Gaillac. Bernard Plageoles, who is always ready to lend a hand, introduced me to a viticulteur in the area and now I am set up in Castelnau de Montmiral!

My Values

MY VALUES

I want to work with what is living! From the beginning wine should be living. This involves work with the vines. Wine is made in the vineyard, damnit! I don’t allow any synthetic pesticides. We are here to support biodiversity! Nature is made this way, we multiply differences to be more stable and efficient, that’s the basis. In my vines, you will see a great diversity of flowers and insects, and this whole little world finds itself on the grape. The yeasts that develop on the grape, they are also alive. We want diversity everywhere! This philosophy starts in the soil and finishes in the bottle. At school they teach you to control and correct everything. I see my wines a little like children: my role isn’t to tell them what to become, it’s to support them so they can become who they want to become.

Read more about my values

The argument against this is that if we leave a wine alone without doing anthing it will become vinegar. Inevitably, if a child is left unattended, it will become a little unruly. I think we need nuance these days! It’s not because I want to leave my wines alone that I am not doing anything. But like with children, I want to give wine the freedom to express itself. To spend time in fear of what might go wrong is not a very good philosophy on life. I prefer to set things up so that everything goes well, and if I really have a problem one day, I will take action. In reality, it is quite easy to replicate a recipe year after year: put 30 grams of this and 30 grams of that so that you don’t have any problems. But that’s not really wine, it’s chemistry. It’s interesting and it requires a lot of  knowledge, but it’s not really wine… On the other hand, to say that you harvest a grape and won’t touch it no matter what happens, is also the easy way out. It’s harder to be on the edge, to work on a case-by-case basis. But for me it’s the most honest way. The goal is pure juice, without any inputs. It’s the objective for all wine. But I’m just starting, I’m learning, I’m getting my bearings. I’m not from a winemaker family, I claim the right to make mistakes!


My "vins de négoce"

MY "VINS DE NEGOCES"

In addition to my vines, I also vinify grapes from other winemakers. In France, we call these vins de négoce. Historically they are poorly seen because people used to buy cheap grapes of poor quality, to make bad wine. But to buy bad grapes is not a fatality! I belong to a generation that also wants to have fun, experiment, and do things differently. It was an amazing opportunity for me to leave the classics, to leave my comfort zone, and to propose wines that are a little different. I’m a little fed up with the standardization of wines… Everything is transparent, I don’t see why we should be ashamed of these wines! The vins de négoce grapes are in the second year of organic conversion, and I will visit them throughout the year and give them the same care as if they were my own grapes!

THE VINES

EN SAVOIR PLUS SUR MES VIGNES

1 Hectare of Braucol and Mauzac

Castelnau de montmiral and Cahuzac-sur-Vère in Tarn, France

Organic Agriculture

I farm about 1 hectare of Braucol and Mauzac in the town on Andillac in Tarn. I do pretty much everything by hand with the exception of an old tractor that friends lend me from time to time to use the inter-cep. No synthetic pesticides, and it’s clear. As viticulteurs we ask so much of the vines and the soil, our duty is to nourish the earth, not to destroy it. Our role is to stimulate biodiversity. This is why you will see a variety of flowers and insects between the rows. I will also let a rose bush take the place of a vine stock. It’s not great for yields, but it provides flowers for the insects, and it’s beautiful for us to look at! All of this diversity encourages the life that we drink! The yeasts that are naturally present on the grapes are a full member of the team. There are no secrets! Work in the vines is challenging and long. To forgo chemicals means spending a lot more time digging with a pickax so one quickly understands the appeal of intensive industrial agriculture. But another model exists, where much smaller family operations try to be sustainable for everyone and everything. Sustainable for our soils that don’t belong to us, for the biodiversity around us as we look at the flowers, hedges, and trees around our vines. And sustainable for the women and men that we are. So that we can do our work with dignity and modesty. And for the people who drink our wine, we want to reduce the intermediaries so that wine remains a drink for everyone.

THE WINES

LE SENS DES PRIORITÉS

Still Rosé | 2019 | VDF | 12.5% vol

This rosé is acidic, fruity, and floral. I like rosé when it has flavor! The grapes were harvested by hand with friends. I find the color of this wine to be amazing! This is why I wanted to use a transparent bottle. The style of the capsule is telling this wine is meant to take on a picnic or to bring out for apéro with friends. This is a wine you enjoy with tapas like grilled sardines, seared squid, or cured ham and melon! We are here for the pleasure of eating, drinking, and being together. And finally now, you do what you want.  At least for me that’s how I drink it…

Grape Varieties

Jurançon Noir
Mauzac Blanc
Cabernet Sauvignon

Vinification

(Jurançon Noir
+
 Mauzac Blanc) 
+
Cabernet Sauvignon

Info

Service Temperature 8/10°C

Production: 500 bottles

 

Label Design: Myself

The story behind this wine

This rosé was one of the most intense experiences of my life, really. My first year of vinifying by myself was in 2019. I don’t come from a winemaker family, so to be alone with the controller was not easy and pretty scary. I thought of this wine by tasting the fruit of Jurançon. It will be a spectacular rosé!  With the help of my wife Amy and Melsolo, a winemaker friend, harvest went well. The fermentation from indigenous yeasts started off well and I could finally breathe. One morning, the wine having finally finished its sugar, I smelled a suspicious odor. It’s a smell one will never forget, the fear of any sulphur-free vinification: lactic acid. Quite simply, the bacteria are winning their battle against yeast. In this case, oenology textbooks are very clear. You must intervene. In complete panic, I called all the winemakers I know since all of them know intimately the dilemma I was facing. To risk losing the wine or to intervene. In spite of an almost finished fermentation, I resigned myself to do what one learns at school and what I would have never wanted to do: I added 20mg of SO2 inoculated with finishing yeasts. Looking back, did I do the right thing? It’s hard to say. Twenty miligrams of sulfur is nothing, but I was devastated at the time. 

 

Lire la suite

After all this, everyone told me to not touch the wine over the winter, to come back in the spring, and to let winter do its magic. And in the spring… magic. The wine had calmed down. The acidity was under control, the fruit reappeared, the structure was really nice! Throughout the development of this wine, I went through states of euphoria, doubt, despair, even shame. And then, it was like seeing an old friend with whom we had suffered together.  This wine is far from being perfect, and that’s not what I was asking for. But thanks to this wine,  I experienced so much in a few months and for that I am grateful. And believe me, it’s really good!

The story behind this wine

This rosé was one of the most intense experiences of my life, really. My first year of vinifying by myself was in 2019. I don’t come from a winemaker family, so to be alone with the controller was not easy and pretty scary. I thought of this wine by tasting the fruit of Jurançon. It will be a spectacular rosé!  With the help of my wife Amy and Melsolo, a winemaker friend, harvest went well. The fermentation from indigenous yeasts started off well and I could finally breathe. One morning, the wine having finally finished its sugar, I smelled a suspicious odor. It’s a smell one will never forget, the fear of any sulphur-free vinification: lactic acid. Quite simply, the bacteria are winning their battle against yeast. In this case, oenology textbooks are very clear. You must intervene. In complete panic, I called all the winemakers I know since all of them know intimately the dilemma I was facing. To risk losing the wine or to intervene. In spite of an almost finished fermentation, I resigned myself to do what one learns at school and what I would have never wanted to do: I added 20mg of SO2 inoculated with finishing yeasts. Looking back, did I do the right thing? It’s hard to say. Twenty miligrams of sulfur is nothing, but I was devastated at the time. 

 

Lire la suite

After all this, everyone told me to not touch the wine over the winter, to come back in the spring, and to let winter do its magic. And in the spring… magic. The wine had calmed down. The acidity was under control, the fruit reappeared, the structure was really nice! Throughout the development of this wine, I went through states of euphoria, doubt, despair, even shame. And then, it was like seeing an old friend with whom we had suffered together.  This wine is far from being perfect, and that’s not what I was asking for. But thanks to this wine,  I experienced so much in a few months and for that I am grateful. And believe me, it’s really good!

A QUELQUES MÈTRES PRÈS...

Red | 2019 | VDF | 12.5% vol

A Cabernet Sauvignon harvested early to maintain its freshness, vinified in carbonic maceration to fully express its fruit. It’s a conversation between the spices and the fruit. 

Grape Varieties

Cabernet Sauvignon

Vinification

Three week carbonic maceration. Foot stomped. Natural yeasts. Bottled in spring.

Info

Service Temperature: 13°C

Production: 
700 bottles

Label design: Myself

The story behind this wine

It was spring 2019 when I first crossed paths with these Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Between Puycelsi and Castelnau-de-Montmiral in the Tarn region, they had the misfortune of being born on the wrong side of the D964 highway! In fact, to the right is the Cordes plateau, where one makes the best wines some still say. But these vines are to the left… And on the left, it’s not longer the plateau, you see? Besides, the Cabernet is not really a variety of this area and it has a green bell pepper taste! Well, I’m a bit unlucky, I’m not really into borders or geographical distinctions, it’s not really my thing. And I like little bell pepper… So I wanted to do a carbonic maceration to draw particular attention to the fruit that would be balanced by the natural spices in this variety. It might not be from the right place, but I like this little wine! To drink chilled.

The story behind this wine

It was spring 2019 when I first crossed paths with these Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Between Puycelsi and Castelnau-de-Montmiral in the Tarn region, they had the misfortune of being born on the wrong side of the D964 highway! In fact, to the right is the Cordes plateau, where one makes the best wines some still say. But these vines are to the left… And on the left, it’s not longer the plateau, you see? Besides, the Cabernet is not really a variety of this area and it has a green bell pepper taste! Well, I’m a bit unlucky, I’m not really into borders or geographical distinctions, it’s not really my thing. And I like little bell pepper… So I wanted to do a carbonic maceration to draw particular attention to the fruit that would be balanced by the natural spices in this variety. It might not be from the right place, but I like this little wine! To drink chilled.

LE BONHEUR DES UNS FAIT LE BONHEUR DES AUTRES

Orange wine | 2019 | VDF | 14% vol

A Muscat blanc à petit grain, destemmed by hand, foot stomped, skin macerated for 3 weeks. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts. No added inputs. The result is a powerful wine, with peach and apricot aromas, and strong tannins. The antithesis of the apéro white wine, it’s a white wine to enjoy with roast pork shoulder or roast duck with oranges!

Grape Variety

Muscat blanc à petit grain

Vinification

Destemmed, skin macerated for 3 weeks 

Info

Service Temperature: 15°C

Production: 
400 bottles

Label Design: Amy Rougier

The story behind this wine

This is my first wine and it will always be in a special place in my heart. It has a beautiful story, a real personality, and it is full of power and peace. In 2019, we made the decision to move to the Tarn region. A winemaker friend in Minervois called me up to ask for a helping hand. Amy and I didn’t think twice before jumping in the car. We had just arrived when my friend grabbed two beers and brought me out to the vines. He said, “You see this parcel here, we harvested everything we could, the tanks are full. Tomorrow you rent a truck and you harvest the rest.” It was such a surprise. I know these grapes, they have a soul, they are spoiled all year long with a gorgeous backdrop. It is an incredible luxury to start vinifying with this fruit. But it’s also a huge responsibility! During harvest, it was quite clear that the skins were really special. Their texture was too amazing to not include in the juice! So the decision was made: this would be an orange wine! Vinified only with indigenous yeasts (those that are naturally found on the grape skin) with no added sulphur. This wine made itself, the fermentation started delicately and went until its end in spite of a strong maturity. From the beginning, this wine knew where it wanted to go, it is the emblem of “laisser faire.” The result is powerful. The strong maturity makes it a robust wine, the tannins are structured and will dissolve little by little. The apricot, peach, and mango aromas remind you that this wine is a wine of the sun! The acidity is still there, carrying the fruit. I am proud and honored to have worked with this fruit and to have witnessed the birth of this wine.

The story behind this wine

This is my first wine and it will always be in a special place in my heart. It has a beautiful story, a real personality, and it is full of power and peace. In 2019, we made the decision to move to the Tarn region. A winemaker friend in Minervois called me up to ask for a helping hand. Amy and I didn’t think twice before jumping in the car. We had just arrived when my friend grabbed two beers and brought me out to the vines. He said, “You see this parcel here, we harvested everything we could, the tanks are full. Tomorrow you rent a truck and you harvest the rest.” It was such a surprise. I know these grapes, they have a soul, they are spoiled all year long with a gorgeous backdrop. It is an incredible luxury to start vinifying with this fruit. But it’s also a huge responsibility! During harvest, it was quite clear that the skins were really special. Their texture was too amazing to not include in the juice! So the decision was made: this would be an orange wine! Vinified only with indigenous yeasts (those that are naturally found on the grape skin) with no added sulphur. This wine made itself, the fermentation started delicately and went until its end in spite of a strong maturity. From the beginning, this wine knew where it wanted to go, it is the emblem of “laisser faire.” The result is powerful. The strong maturity makes it a robust wine, the tannins are structured and will dissolve little by little. The apricot, peach, and mango aromas remind you that this wine is a wine of the sun! The acidity is still there, carrying the fruit. I am proud and honored to have worked with this fruit and to have witnessed the birth of this wine.

REVERIE

Orange wine | 2020 | VDF | 12.5% vol

Skin contact of Mauzac Rose et Vert. Destemed and crushed. Pigeage every day for 1 week and remontage for 2 weeks. 20mg/L de SO. This wine is rich, but the acidity holds everything. 5gr/L of residual sugar

Grape Variety

Mauzac Vert 

Mauzac Rose

Vinification

Destemmed, skin macerated for 3 weeks 

Info

Service Temperature: 15°C

Production: 
900 bottles

Label Design: Amy Rougier

The story behind this wine

We say that Mauzac oxydizes quickly, and develops red apple and pear aromatics. It’s tempting to keep emphasize this tendency and get as much matter as we can!

That’s what I did here. Rather than fighting against something, why not embrassing it’s natural tendency ans see what we get? I wanted a strong maceration: pigeage everyday at first and daily remontage after. 

Life is well made sometime. Yiests decided to go on vacation early for the holidays… And everything stoped during winter. Spring  put everyone back to work but they left 5gr/L of residual sugar. A perfect final touch for this wine!

 

The story behind this wine

We say that Mauzac oxydizes quickly, and develops red apple and pear aromatics. It’s tempting to keep emphasize this tendency and get as much matter as we can!

That’s what I did here. Rather than fighting against something, why not embrassing it’s natural tendency ans see what we get? I wanted a strong maceration: pigeage everyday at first and daily remontage after. 

Life is well made sometime. Yiests decided to go on vacation early for the holidays… And everything stoped during winter. Spring  put everyone back to work but they left 5gr/L of residual sugar. A perfect final touch for this wine!

 

SIMPLE ET FUNKY

Pet Nat | White | 2020 | VDF | 11% vol

My first Pet Nat will be Mauzac! Direct Press and fermentation until 20gr/L of sugar left. Bottle refermentation and disgorged by hand in spring. It’s simple, it’s funky.

Grape Variety

Mauzac Vert 

Vinification

Direct Press.   1mg/L SO2. Bottle fermented and disgorged in the spring.

Info

Service Temperature: 11°C

Production: 
600 bottles

Label Design: Amy Rougier

The story behind this wine

I was looking foward to make Pet Nat! The hardest thing is to bottle at the perect moment. Too early and you’ll have too many bubbles, too late and you won’t have eanough. 

 

This wine made itself, slowly. Bottling a Pet Nat is scary, but spring reassured me : strong fruit and nice bubbles. I just want to open this at every meal, so I guess it’s a success !

#simpleetfunky

 

The story behind this wine

I was looking foward to make Pet Nat! The hardest thing is to bottle at the perect moment. Too early and you’ll have too many bubbles, too late and you won’t have eanough. 

 

This wine made itself, slowly. Bottling a Pet Nat is scary, but spring reassured me : strong fruit and nice bubbles. I just want to open this at every meal, so I guess it’s a success !

#simpleetfunky

 

CART

MY ACCOUNT

SHOP

SHOP

I can guarentee delivery of my wines throughout metropolitan France. If you are in the southwest of France, give me a call or send me a message, it's even better if we cross paths! And you won't have to pay shipping fees. But sometimes we are too far and we can't do it any other way. Let me know if it is a gift and I will include a special note!

PANIER

MON COMPTE

LE SENS DES PRIORITÉS

Still Rosé | 2019 | VDF | 12.5% vol

8€/bottle

Lire la suite

A QUELQUES MÈTRES PRÈS...

Red | 2019 | VDF | 12.5% vol

10€/bottle

Lire la suite

LE BONHEUR DES UNS FAIT LE BONHEUR DES AUTRES

Orange | 2019 | VDF | 14% vol

12€/bottle

Lire la suite

8€/bottle

Lire la suite

10€/bottle

Lire la suite

12€/bottle

Lire la suite

Click here to know more about delivery

Fast Delivery

Two day delivery with Chronopost. Home delivery or pickup location.
Insurance included.

Farm to Table

To buy directly is to support us. It's a real pleasure for me to know who is drinking these bottles. It's also a way for us to stay in touch.

Shipping Costs

Shipping costs are calculated by weight, in units of 6 bottles. Fees are calculated automatically at the time of order.

Sent With love!!

If you have any special requests, or if you would like me to write a special note, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'm also here for that!

FAQ

Foire Aux Questions

Early on in my winemaking journey, I understood that wine is made in the vines. All the good winemakers repeat it for good reason. The work in the vines is hard. It’s repetitive and there are a lot of situations where one can be tempted to take shortcuts. To maintain a balance in the vines, we can’t accept that one weed takes precedence over everything else. The couch grass for example is very hard to manage. And we can be easily tempted to use synthetic pesticides and go down the path of destroying life. Often, the pickax is the only solution for those who want to care for a living soil. I like the intimate relationship with this tool. It’s a simple tool but it represents so much, particularly the relationship with hard but fair labor. And like a tattoo, I want to remind myself every day that taking shortcuts is not always the best solution.

Of course, you can visit the vines and the cellar where we can taste the wines. Visits are by appointment only. Contact me through the form below.

My vines are located in the village of Andillac in the Tarn region. The cellar is located between Castelnau-de-Montmirail and Puycelsi.

In 2019, none of my wines had the organic certification. The grapes I worked with this year are in this process of organic conversion. My vines haven’t seen synthetic pesticides since previous two owners,  and my treatments are done with a backpack sprayer to use only minimal doses. Honestly, when I have the time to look over the papers, I will probably do it.

In terms of the use of inputs. I only have one dogma: transparence. My ultimate goal is to make wine with no inputs, just pure juice. Sometimes I couldn’t do it. Because I am not very skilled, or for plenty of other reasons. But I always share with full transparency. Here are my basic principles: Use indigenous yeasts. No fining or filtration. The goal is no added sulphur, and if it is added it’s with a minimal dose and it’s clearly labeled. And of course, no acidity correction, added sugar, or other weirdness.

Initially you will find the wines on this website. I deliver directly throughout France. I am also happy to let whoever is interested in my wines to taste them in the wine shops and with wine merchants who open their doors to me. The easiest way is to contact me.

CONTACT

YOHANN ROUGIER

YOHANN ROUGIER

CGV    |    Politique de confidentialité

L’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé,  à consommer avec modération