A new drop from Romain le Bars is here, featuring a collab bottling with his friend, Nicolas Renaud (Les Clos des Grillons).

Both are protégés of L’Anglore’s Eric Pfifferling, whose massive impact on a new generation of growers in the southern Rhône cannot be understated. While the Rhône has always found balance through blends, his legacy is a new innovation on that theme: the addition of direct press juice to macerated fruit for fermentation, a method that breathes freshness into the wine. This “infusion” style of winemaking now spills outside of the Rhône, influencing the techniques of natural winemakers everywhere.

Romain follows suit, playing with carbonic maceration and barrel fermentation to brighten otherwise heavy-hitting Grenache and Syrah. Since 2018, he has farmed his own 1.5 hectare vineyard in Tavel; parcels rented in the surrounding area have allowed him to expand his range (and, experimentation). 

In the words of his importer Zev Rovine, Romain's wines are “made in the same spirit as his former employer. In other words, light in color and powerful in expression!”

Details below; there's just enough to tide us over before his next release of Lirac and Tavel 😈

2023 Romain Le Bars 'Les Nuits de Java', Vin de France, $36
The collaboration mentioned above, a blend of Romain's ruby-red, carbonic macerated and direct-pressed Tavel fruit, and Nicolas' 'La Côte' direct-pressed Clairette and Grenache Blanc. No sulfur, fining or filtration. Par-tay!

2023 Romain Le Bars 'Les Vestides', Vin de France, $46
60/40 Cinsault and Grenache from Tavel, fermented whole cluster with carbonic maceration and aged 10 months in demi-muid. Touch of sulfur at bottling, no fining or filtration. Juicy, bright berries!

2023 Romain Le Bars 'La Roussanne' Vin de France, Rhône, $35
100% Roussanne from the Gard, direct pressed, fermented and aged on the lees in demi-muid and barrique. Touch of sulfur at bottling. Jazzy and textured Roussane, with bright saline minerality.

2024 Romain Le Bars 'Nouveau Nez' Vin de France, Tavel, $28
This is his 100% carbonically macerated cuvée, from Cinsault and Grenache, done in a mix of barrel and stainless steel. An incredibly delicious, gulpable, joyful bottle of wine we love to crack every summer.

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