2022 Le Raisin et l'Ange Nedjma

WINEMAKER: Gilles & Anton Azzoni
REGION: Ardèche, FR
VARIETY: Grenache Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
VITICULTURE: Organic

50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Chardonnay. Grenache Blanc part 4 day maceration, part direct press, Sauvignon 7 day carbonic maceration, Chardonnay direct press. Vinified and aged in stainless steel tanks. Very orange, smokey and spicy dried apricot aromatics. In the mouth its thirst quenching, with peach skin, tropical fruit and bright acidity. Very very good.

Gilles Azzoni settled in the southern Ardèche in 1983, planting about 6ha of vines for his family farm rimmed by woodlands. Since then, Gilles has become synonymous with natural viticulture in the region, as both advocate and practitioner. In Gilles words his philosophy was to be a 'companion' to the wines as they are crafted, rather than a 'transformer'. He passed this philosophy onto his son, Antonin, as they started vinifying wines together under the label 'Le Raisin et l'Ange' in 2014.

Today, Gilles its mostly retired while Antonin continues on their project. They make mostly negotiant wine, working with local growers to develop the reputation of the region. The southern Ardèche is truly distinct, famous for its rocky soils and warm summers. The father and son team have long been engaged in a process of soil conditioning and permaculture promotion. They’ve planted traditional cereals, fruit trees, and woodland trees to develop more complex and fertile soil types.