Yes, there is natural wine in Bordeaux. 🗣️

And yes, it might just be made by one of the region's oldest domaines.

We were recently lucky to be visited by a 15th generation (!) winemaker, whose work deftly crosses the boundary between super classic and new wave. And the result not only appeals to both lovers of old school Bordeaux and cult natural wine, but it's some of our favorite wine - from anywhere - on the shelf.

Château Le Puy is a biodynamic-before-Steiner estate, and for an excellent primer you can look no further than Eric Asimov's timeless writeup here. On a hill overlooking the legendary village of Saint-Émilion, the Amoreau family has achieved a true rarity (especially in Bordeaux): completely uninterrupted organic methods for 400 years and running.

We were lucky to be visited by 15th-generation Adrien Amoreau And, even after so many years of love for these wines, we learned some new facts, below.

• Since the mid-20th century, the estate has firmly remained outside the formal appellation (hence the VdF labeling), challenging requirements on pergola training, lees stirring, and the post-war use of gunpowder in the vineyards

• The limestone runs 20cm deep, so much so that it can be difficult to stake the vines

• Pulling from biodynamic farming techniques, the family pioneered the concept of "dynamization" in the cellar: allowing for the lees to slowly settle through the wine and extract flavor and minerality in all directions (as opposed to the typical one-direction battonage method)

• The rosé began as a labor of love by Adrien's father - unsatisfied by the local style, he set out with a saignee method Merlot. It ultimately won over his skeptical grandfather and has since become an iconic cuvée of the estate

These wines continue to be high on our list, vintage after vintage. (And psst: we have several library release bottlings in stock):

Breaking down the bottles that speak to us:

2021 Chateau Le Puy 'Duc des Nauves', Cotes de Bordeaux
Truly one of the greatest entry-level Bordeaux (or honestly, French) bottles around: a biodynamic, pure-fruited, leather-scented Merlot/Cab Franc/Cab Sauvignon blend.

2022 Chateau le Puy Marie-Cecile Blanc, Francs Cotes de Bordeaux
Direct-press 100% Sémillon with incredible texture. No destemming, no added sulfur; it's at once exotically ripe, structured and mineral.

2022 Chateau le Puy Rose-Marie, Vin de France
Saignee rose from 100% Merlot that's perfumed, complex. There's an almost unctuous texture that's still sneakily grippy - rosé doesn't get more serious than this.

2016 Chateau le Puy 'Cuvee Emilien', Cotes de Francs, France
The flagship red, a blend of every plot and varietal; it used to be the estate's only bottling. Each vintage is comprised of Merlot (primarily), Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Malbec and Carménère - but each vintage the blending decision "belongs to nature" as Adrien put it. With a year in barrel, it's a beautifully earthy, strawberry jam and raw cocoa inflected bottle of pure Bordeaux.

If you love this estate as much as we do, don't sleep on the library releases from 1986, 1989, 1990, 2000, and 2005.

SHOP ALL LE PUY